Life Suikerbosrand welcomes specialist emergency physician
The emergency unit at the Life Suikerbosrand Hospital depended on the local GPs on duty to assist in case of emergencies.
As of January, the hospital now has a permanent emergency physician and welcomed Dr Friedrich Petrick.
Petrick (34) studied medicine at the University of Pretoria and qualified in 2013. He then spent time in KwaZulu-Natal at Ngwelezana Hospital for his internship and Vryheid District Hospital for his community service.
It is during this time that his love for community-level emergency medicine developed.
“I grew up in Middelburg and have always been community-orientated,” he told Heraut.
In 2017 he joined the emergency department at Thelle Mogoerane Regional Hospital in Vosloorus and obtained his diploma in primary emergency care.
From there he joined the University of the Witwatersrand emergency medicine circuit where he worked in most public hospitals in Johannesburg including Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital, Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital, Tambo Memorial Hospital and Helen Joseph Hospital, among others.
In 2023 Petrick obtained both his masters of Medicine in Emergency Medicine (Mmed(EM)) at Wits and his fellowship in Emergency Medicine at the College of Medicine (CMSA).
He has further done BLS, ACLS EP, PALS, APLS, ATLS as well as ultrasound accreditation at the Emergency Medicine society of South Africa (EMSSA).
“I have a passion for acute emergency and critical care and am pleased to be part of Life Suikerbosrand Hospital. I am looking forward to making a real difference in the community of Heidelberg and surrounds,” Petrick said.
When asked what brought him to Heidelberg, he answered that his dad, Friedrich Petrick senior, a GP, had his practice in Nigel before he retired. He added that he also often visited his best friend who stays in Heidelberg and thought of the town as a place where he can raise a family.
He is married to Gerda, a dentist and they have three children. The eldest will start Grade One at Laer Volkskool and the youngest was born on December 21, 2023, a week before they relocated to Heidelberg.
“I love the town and its heritage and am looking forward to getting involved in the community,” he added.
When he has time for hobbies, he enjoys gardening and participates in triathlons of which swimming is his favourite.
