Dr Onicca Tefo left her family and job behind to pursue MBChB degree at UL.
By Isaack Duba -ulpuplications@ul.ac.za
She walked away from a secure job as an Occupational Therapist to chase a dream that refused to die
Dr Onicca Tefo (34) has finally earned her Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB)—a dream that originated in her childhood in the dusty village of Ga-Mashashane, where she witnessed the devastating effects of limited access to basic healthcare.
“For as long as I can remember, I knew I wanted to become a doctor,” she reflects. “People in rural areas continue to suffer needlessly due to the lack of nearby doctors and clinics. I want to be part of the change.”
A mother, wife and entrepreneur, Dr Tefo graduated during the University of Limpopo’s (UL) 2025 Autumn Graduation Ceremonies. However, her journey into medicine began long before her time at university and took years to materialise.
Despite her academic potential, a lack of proper career guidance during high school diverted her path. In 2011, she enrolled in a Bachelor of Occupational Therapy programme at another university, completing it in 2014. She then worked at Dilokong Hospital and Letaba Hospital from 2015 to 2018, but her heart remained set on medicine.
In 2019, driven by unwavering determination, she made the life-altering decision to leave her job and her family- especially her seven month-old and three-year-old sons-to study medicine full-time at UL.
“That broke me,” she admits. “There were nights I cried myself to sleep. I didn’t know how I would afford the fees, especially with limited funding for health sciences. But I believed I was doing what I was meant to do. I trusted that God would see me through.”
Over the past six years, Dr Tefo juggled the intensive demands of medical school with her responsibilities as a mother, wife and businesswoman. There were moments when the weight of it all nearly overwhelmed her, but she never gave up.
“My husband was my anchor,” she says, her voice filled with emotion. “When I was at my lowest, he reminded me of who I am. He never stopped believing in me, even when I doubted myself.”
Gaining admission to UL’s highly competitive MBChB programme was no small feat. “There were over 5,000 applicants, and only 60 students were accepted. When I received that admission letter, I knew I had been given a rare opportunity, and I was not going to waste it,” says Dr Tefo, who now resides in Boyne village under the Polokwane Local Municipality.
Passionate about education and empowering others, she joined the University’s Centre for Academic Excellence (CAE) in 2020 as a mentor to first-year students. “Eventually, I mentored students up to fifth level,” she explains. “Helping them understand their coursework also helped me revise mine and reminded me that I had to keep going—they were looking up to me.”
Her academic journey reached its pinnacle in 2024 during the Faculty of Health Sciences Oath-Taking Ceremony, when she was named Best Overall Student in the faculty, rising above a cohort of 310 students.
“I remember sitting there as they announced position three, then two… and my heart was racing. My classmates turned to me and whispered, ‘Onicca, is it you?’ When they finally called my name, I was overwhelmed. I had worked so hard for that moment.”
Today, Dr Tefo is serving her internship at the Polokwane-Mankweng Academic Complex. She encourages aspiring doctors to consider UL as a nurturing and rigorous training ground, but she also cautions that the journey demands absolute commitment.
“Medicine is not just a qualification—it’s a calling. It takes everything from you, but if your heart is in the right place, it gives so much more in return,” she reflects. “UL gave me the platform to live my dream. I will forever be grateful.”
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