I Broke My Spine in Matric, Now I'm in Dental School — Luvaan Rooyan | WDIBAD SA

This episode of Why Did I Become a Doctor South Africa is brought to you in partnership with MedicalBrief — South Africa's leading daily healthcare news service. Stay informed with trusted reporting, expert insights, and analysis that matters to healthcare professionals. Subscribe free at https://bit.ly/3Pei7o1 --- At 19, Luvaan Rooyan is the youngest guest we've ever had on the show — and his road to dental school is unlike any we've heard. A week before his mid-year matric exams, Luvaan was in a serious car accident. He describes breaking his spine, fracturing his dominant hand and suffering a severe concussion, then spending a week in ICU and two months in recovery, unsure at first whether he would walk normally again. He missed those exams entirely, and what followed was a slow, stubborn comeback: relearning how to study with a healing brain, a maths test he says he opened and went completely blank on, and a matric he salvaged one fifteen-minute study window at a time. He'd set his heart on dentistry but didn't get in at first. With an engineering place secured and an apartment already sorted, he was days from starting a different degree when an early-morning email arrived asking if he still wanted a dental seat. He replied within minutes — and by the time he'd stepped out of the shower, the switch was done. In this conversation with Dr Yash Naidoo and Dr Yak Lindy, Luvaan talks about growing up in Midrand, why his mother pushed him towards a public boys' school, what it's really like inside a University of Pretoria dental class, and why he wants to specialise in paediatric dentistry — particularly for children with special needs, precisely because so few people do. Along the way: a frank, friendly disagreement about single-sex schooling, a Gen Z take on content and attention, and the Porsche that may or may not be waiting at the end of it all. It's an honest look at how someone this early in the journey thinks about pressure, failure, gratitude and the kind of dentist he hopes to become. Guest: Luvaan Rooyan — second-year dental student, University of Pretoria Hosts: Dr Yash Naidoo & Dr Yakshen Lindy New episodes every second Sunday. Find us at whydidibecomeadoctor.com This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. The views expressed by guests do not necessarily represent those of the podcast or hosts and do not constitute professional advice. Always consult with qualified professionals for medical, financial, or career decisions.