Rocking the Medical World: Twin Adventurers
Visualizing Their Golden Years: Introducing Liesel and Celeste Geertsema's Retirement Strategy
Meet Liesel and Celeste Geertsema, the dynamic duo turning heads in the medical world. These South African-born sisters, with backgrounds in traditional hospital medicine, have traded white coats for climbing gear, specializing in adventure and expedition medicine. Their careers span across the UK, New Zealand, and Qatar, focusing on sports and emergency medicine.
"We knew we didn't want to be stuck in a hospital for the rest of our lives," shares Celeste.
Leaving behind the familiar corridors of hospitals, Liesel and Celeste embarked on a journey that led them through mountain trails, away from the predictable humdrum of traditional medicine. Their story is a testament to the fact that it's never too late to change your path and find purpose in unconventional ways.
What was the spark?
After completing their medical degrees at Stellenbosch University, the sisters embarked on an adventure to the UK. Working locum positions in emergency medicine and orthopedics, they felt the itch for something more.
A five-month locum in New Zealand set their course for 17 years, as Celeste humorously points out, "So off we went for five months, and we stayed for 17 years,"
A life-changing trek in Nepal, where the duo found themselves at 5,000 meters above sea level, pondering their futures, marked a turning point. Sitting behind a rock, they looked at each other and decided that traditional hospital medicine wasn't the path they wanted to follow.
The New Adventure
Currently, Liesel and Celeste are pursuing a Master's degree in Extreme Medicine through World Extreme Medicine (WEM) and the University of Exeter. They are also deeply involved in expedition medicine and adventure sports.
The Inspiration
Their love for travel and outdoor activities shaped their desire to return to their roots in adventure medicine. The excitement of practicing medicine outside traditional hospital settings, as they found during their stints in sports medicine and major events like the FIFA World Cup, was the catalyst for change.
Unconventional Dreamers
The pivotal moment came when Liesel and Celeste decided they wanted to combine their medical skills with their passion for adventure and working with young people in challenging environments.
A Success Story
Since embarking on this new adventure, the twins have found a sense of fulfillment, happiness, and a novel retirement plan. As Celeste puts it, "For me, this is a question of opening as many doors and windows as possible and see what turns up."
Transformation and Adaptation
Stepping away from the conventional medical career path was challenging, but the sisters learned to think creatively about using their skills in non-traditional settings.
Support Systems
With each other as their biggest supporters, Celeste shared, "She allows me to dream and fly. So she inspires me." They also found mentors in the adventure medicine field who guided them.
A New Perspective
Liesel and Celeste have learned the value of thinking outside the box and being adaptable. They have found that skills they developed in expedition medicine, like optimizing performance and seeing patients holistically, translate well to traditional medical settings too.
Looking Back
The twins wish they had discovered adventure medicine earlier, but they are grateful for the experiences that led them to this point now. It's as if they have planned the perfect retirement years.
Advice for Others
For those feeling stuck in their careers, Celeste encourages a change of perspective, "Don't be afraid to close one door to open another. Your unique experiences are your superpower – use them!"
The Future
Looking ahead, Celeste envisions her retirement as a time for active participation in expeditions and adventure medicine, while Liesel sees this new path as an opportunity to open as many doors as possible and see where the wind takes her. As Celeste says, "If I had discovered this when I was 20, my career would have looked different. But I'm very happy that we found it now, because it's awesome."
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→ Discover the Benefits of Studying Extreme Medicine: Insights from Our Students
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→ For more detailed information on a typical career path and background in adventure and expedition medicine, check out our enrichment data!
- During their stint in New Zealand, the sisters felt the need for something more, leading them to contemplate a shift in their careers.
- Liesel and Celeste decided that traditional hospital medicine wasn't the path they wanted to follow, prompting a change in their career focus.
- The sisters are currently pursuing a Master's degree in Extreme Medicine through World Extreme Medicine (WEM) and the University of Exeter.
- With their passion for travel and outdoor activities, Liesel and Celeste are deeply involved in expedition medicine and adventure sports.
- The twins have learned the value of thinking outside the box andbeing adaptable, applying these skills to bothnon-traditional and traditional medical settings.
- For those feeling stuck in their careers, Celeste advises to not be afraid to close one door to open another, utilizing unique experiences as a source of strength.
