EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE EXCELLENCE AWARDS

Dr Loredana Bocchino, School of Clinical Medicine

When I first met Lori and saw how hard she worked, I thought she was employed 100%, only to find out that she is employed 70% while giving 150% of her time to managing her workspace. She is always available to assist students and colleagues alike.

She is quite meticulous, making sure that everything is perfect and is delivered on time. She is very dedicated to her students and making sure that they are catered for, and the program is running well. During my sabbatical, she was an acting Director, and she did a sterling job of running the unit while simultaneously managing the GEMP III IV space. As her GEMP III and IV puts it “Dr Bocchino is the epitome of great leadership. She leads from all angles and always leads with her team; nobody is left behind. A firm, courageous and fair leader, she is approachable and has an open-door policy. She does not dwell on mistakes or what could have been. She moves swiftly and with great efficiency. Lori is incredibly hard-working, going above and beyond what is expected of her to make sure the GEMP III and IV curriculum runs smoothly. She has to deal with all kinds of challenges and difficulties in a very complex environment and does so with calm and competence. Every year she does the equivalent of organizing the Olympics and does so with great efficacy.

She is pragmatic and reliable, always getting the job done, and is a brilliant problem solver. She is one of the most welcoming and approachable people in the unit, always willing to help, and is a wealth of experience and advice. Her sense of humour, in particular, makes her an invaluable part of the positive culture of our unit.

Lori is passionate about graduating doctors who are prepared to work in and strengthen the South African Health Care system. During her time in UUME, she has become an integral member of the team supporting her colleagues with their day-to-day tasks, and taking on extra roles and responsibilities if needed, to ensure that the unit functions efficiently and effectively. Her insight, wisdom, and leadership have been invaluable in facilitating curriculum change in the final two years of the medical programme and initiating several educational innovations to improve the quality of the medical programme (e.g. WBA and assessment reforms).

She is currently doing her Masters in Health Science Education, with the aim of improving the GEMP III and IV space with the knowledge and skills she will be acquiring through this degree.