Welcome to the School of Medicine, based at the Missionvale Campus in Gqeberha.  Our School is part of the Faculty of Health Sciences at Nelson Mandela University in the Eastern Cape Province. We are South Africa’s tenth Medical School and our first medical students started in March 2021.  We found our wings during the Covid-19 pandemic, one of the most trying times experienced by humanity in recent history. Current and prospective students can draw inspiration from our pandemic response,  knowing that we can overcome such challenges through collective and collaborative working. As staff and students we are excited to be part of this life long journey of learning, discovery, innovation and community engagement. We endeavour to work with colleagues from diverse disciplines and professions towards our collective goal of delivering equitable people-centred, good quality health care, in partnership with communities. Being a Medical Doctor is more than a profession. It is a calling that requires us to be compassionate, committed, competent, caring, community-oriented and humble. We, staff and students, will always treasure the privilege of serving our communities.