Our latest member of The Surfing Doctors is Paul Willemse, a General Surgeon from East London in South Africa.

Nationality:

South Africa

Current Position:

General Surgeon

Education and work experience:

– MBChB – University of Pretoria (2014)

– Internship – Tygerberg Hospital (2015/2016)

– Community service – Madwaleni Hospital (2017)

– Medical officer – General Surgery – Frere Hospital (2018/2019)

– Registrar General Surgery WSU/CMSA 2020 for 5 years working in Frere Hospital and 12 months in GSH.

– Fellow of the College of Surgeons – Second semester 2023.

Flamingo project – Sponsored Breast cancer surgical catch-up list every second month.

Medical interests:

Minimally invasive surgery and endoscopy

Local surf spot:

Nahoon Corner/Reef East London

Nahoon Reef © Louis Wulff

Favourite surf destination:

It must be Lombok for now. Very recently spent three weeks there

Travel experience:

– Surfed most of South Africa

– 2017 – Bali

– 2019 – Siargao

– 2024 – Lombok

Best surf trip:

Again, it must be Lombok for now. I was able to spend three weeks there. Amazing people, amazing surf. Came back to South Africa bruised and battered, but it was all worth it.

Glorious Lombok morning

Worst Trip Ever:

I spent a long weekend in Victoria Bay with some friends. I was sick for the whole weekend and didn’t surf once

Worst surf injury I ever had:

My thigh got severely slashed by a large twin fin in Indonesia. Sutured it myself.

The best thing about surfing:

Freedom, adrenaline, calmness, and the take-off!

The best advice I ever received:

Look down the line, dude.

Favourite surfer:

Currently must be Mikey February. Effortless, smooth. Just riding the wave with style.

Mikey February, Transkei © Red Bull Content Pool

Current go-to surfboards:

Chilli POPPER 6 foot. Dutchie Custom 6.4.