Final-year Physiotherapy students at Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University (SMU) are turning academic curiosity into meaningful healthcare contributions through research that promotes critical thinking, scientific inquiry, and evidence-based practice.
The Department of Physiotherapy recently hosted its Undergraduate Research Day under the theme “Curiosity Today… Impact Tomorrow”, allowing students to present their research findings and show how undergraduate research can help address healthcare challenges.
The event celebrated the students’ research journey, from developing research questions and protocols to obtaining ethical clearance, collecting and analysing data, and presenting their findings. It also reinforced the department’s commitment to cultivating graduates who are not only clinically competent but also equipped to contribute to scientific knowledge and healthcare innovation.
Coordinated by Dr Evah Molapisi, Undergraduate Coordinator in the Department of Physiotherapy, the initiative provides an important foundation for developing a sustainable undergraduate research culture.
“Undergraduate Research Day provides an important platform for our students to appreciate the value of scientific inquiry and recognise that research is an essential component of their development as future healthcare professionals. We want to nurture curious graduates, critical thinkers and capable of contributing to evidence-based practice,” said Dr Molapisi.
Delivering the keynote address, SMU Research Associate Dr Kgosana Koketso Rakhudu challenged students and academics to consider the broader social responsibility of research, emphasising that its value should extend beyond academic institutions.
“Research must never become an exercise that begins and ends within the walls of an academic institution. Its real value lies in its ability to respond to societal needs, address challenges and generate solutions that improve the lives of the communities we serve,” he said.
Dr Rakhudu further highlighted researchers’ ethical responsibility to recognise communities as partners in knowledge generation and ensure that research findings benefit the people involved.
“Researchers have an ethical responsibility to return to these communities, share their findings and demonstrate the value of the research undertaken,” he added.
The event also attracted academic and professional representatives, including Dr Mashudu Nemakanga, Undergraduate Research Chairperson in the School of Health Care Sciences, and Dr Mmapedi Mathibe, Senior Lecturer and Field Epidemiologist at SMU. Their participation strengthened academic engagement and created opportunities for collaboration.
Representing the final-year class, Lebogang Mahlangu shared reflections on behalf of fellow students, highlighting the experiences, challenges and learning opportunities that shaped their research journey. Mr Veeru Bahau, from the Department of Physiotherapy at Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital and a representative of the Gauteng Rehabilitation Research Forum, also attended, reinforcing the importance of collaboration between universities, clinical practitioners and research networks.
A key highlight was the presentation of research findings by final-year students. Their work demonstrated encouraging scientific inquiry, analytical reasoning and academic maturity. The external examiner commended the quality of the presentations, noting that some demonstrated a standard comparable to postgraduate-level research.
“The quality of the research presented was impressive. These findings deserve to be developed further and considered for publication so that the knowledge generated can reach a wider academic and professional audience,” the external examiner remarked.
This recognition allows the department to advance promising undergraduate research outputs toward publication and wider academic dissemination.
The event reaffirmed SMU’s commitment to excellence in teaching, learning and innovative research. By nurturing research-minded graduates and strengthening connections between academic scholarship and community needs, the university continues to help develop responsive healthcare professionals and improve health outcomes.
By Dimakatso Modise
