Dr Rudo Pswarayi is a Specialist and Trauma Surgeon practising at Mediclinic Sandton. With extensive experience in trauma surgery, general surgery, emergency acute care, surgical critical care and burns management, she brings decisive clinical judgement, technical skill and deep compassion to the care of patients facing life-threatening injury or illness.
Dr Pswarayi’s interest in medicine began during her school years, when she considered either becoming a doctor or a pilot. By Grade 11, however, medicine had become the clear choice. She was initially drawn to internal medicine and cardiology, but her path shifted during her community service year, when she was allocated to a surgical post. From the moment she first held a scalpel, she knew there was no other field for her. Trauma surgery offered the combination of purpose, urgency and practical intervention that matched both her temperament and her desire to make a meaningful difference.
Dr Pswarayi completed her Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) at the University of Cape Town in 2012. She completed her internship at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital, one of the world’s busiest trauma centres, before serving her community service year at Tshepong-Klerksdorp Hospital Complex in the Department of Surgery.
She went on to complete her specialist surgical training through the University of the Witwatersrand, rotating through major Johannesburg hospitals including Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital, Helen Joseph Hospital and Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital. She obtained her Fellowship of the College of Surgeons of South Africa (FCS (SA)) in 2021, followed by a Master of Medicine in Surgery from the University of the Witwatersrand in 2022 and a Certificate in Trauma Surgery from the Colleges of Medicine of South Africa in 2024.
Dr Pswarayi finds deep meaning in the demanding environment of trauma care. She describes finding calm in the chaos of the emergency centre, particularly during resuscitation and in the operating theatre, where focused action can change the outcome for a patient arriving at the edge of survival. For her, few moments are more rewarding than seeing a patient who arrived critically injured walk out of hospital and return to life.
At the same time, she recognises the emotional weight of trauma surgery. Walking with families through some of their most difficult moments, celebrating recoveries and grieving losses, remains an integral part of her work. She believes that retaining that emotional connection is essential to being a good trauma surgeon.
Alongside her clinical practice, Dr Pswarayi is strongly committed to teaching and research. As a part-time lecturer in the Department of Surgery at the University of Pretoria, she is passionate about sharing knowledge with paramedics, nurses, junior doctors and surgical trainees, and is actively involved in trauma education. She serves as an Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) Director, a Hospital Major Incident Medical Management and Support (HMIMMS) Instructor, and is involved in Definitive Surgical Trauma Care (DSTC) training. She is also a member of the International Association for the Surgery of Trauma and Intensive Care (IATSIC).
Her academic interests include trauma systems, health equity, surgical outcomes and the economics of trauma care. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Surgery through the University of the Witwatersrand, with research focused on trauma care systems and health economics. Through this work, she hopes to contribute to improved trauma care in South Africa and to explore how evidence-based advances can be applied meaningfully in local clinical settings.
Outside of medicine, family is central to Dr Pswarayi’s life. She values time with loved ones and the support they provide. She enjoys jogging, reading, baking, and indulging her sweet tooth with cookies and sweets. She also loves humour and is always ready to laugh, especially at a good (or even deliberately bad) dad joke.
With her specialist training, extensive trauma experience, commitment to teaching and research, and deeply human approach to care, Dr Rudo Pswarayi brings both strength and compassion to her trauma surgery practice at Mediclinic Sandton.