Couple earn PhDs in medicine

DR USHA Chhagan and Dr Shalendra Misser, a married couple from Musgrave, have achieved PhDs in medicine, showcasing their dedication to their fields and the community.

- MONISHKA GOVENDER

They graduated from the UKZN’s Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine in 1998.

Chhagan, who matriculated from Durban Girls’ Secondary School, is the senior specialist of a psychiatry unit in the public sector. She lectures in the Department of Psychiatry at UKZN.

She has two Master's degrees — in psychiatry, and philosophy and ethics of mental health.

"I grew up and completed schooling in Durban, while Shalen moved around South Africa, living in several cities and towns. However, even as a child I had one intention - to become a doctor and to serve our community," said Chhagan.

Her PhD research explored the interplay between HIV, substance use and first episode psychosis (FEP), a field that required mental health responses in South Africa.

"I wanted to better understand the complex dynamics affecting mental health in our communities, especially among people living with HIV and struggling with substance use.