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Maternal care is defined by precision, marked by long hours and high stakes. But for Felix Nyagaka, it is a field that shapes his purpose and drives every decision he makes, guided by the memory of a life he could not save.

“My motivation to pursue obstetrics and gynaecology," he recalls, “came from a 16-year-old girl I lost to preeclampsia early in my career."

In 2021, Dr Nyagaka joined Aga Khan University's Medical College, East Africa, to pursue a Master of Medicine in Obstetrics and Gynaecology. He was drawn by AKU's prestige and its personalised learning environment, where mentorship and academic rigour foster both skill and confidence.

“I was inspired by the quality of doctors and the one-to-one student–faculty ratio. Where I came from, classes could have up to 500 students."

That shift marked the start of a profound transformation. In an environment built on mentorship and academic high standards, he gained both knowledge and self-assurance.

“When I look back, I have transformed. I am more confident, and I feel like an expert. I have received world-class training. I came in with no research publications, but I am walking out with six."

Early in his postgraduate studies at Aga Khan University, he was invited to join a research project he initially knew little about.

“I later realised it involved one of the largest sample sizes anyone had attempted," he explains. “I faced many hurdles. For three months, I struggled to secure a data transfer agreement and collaboration with universities in London. I was on the verge of giving up."

But he persevered. “I was able to carry out an inter-country research project. That was my landmark study. We validated a machine learning model to assess maternal risk of preeclampsia."

Some moments in his career stand out vividly. He recalls a woman at 28 weeks of pregnancy whose baby was severely anaemic. She had struggled to have a live birth, and the outcome was uncertain. Tasked with assembling a team and performing an intrauterine transfusion, the first for him, Dr Nyagaka remembers the intensity of the moment.

“It was a win. We made a difference for that woman. There was joy and tears for that couple. As a doctor, you feel very fulfilled."

His work carried him far beyond the classroom. “I was the only African representing both Africa and AKU at the International Society for the Study of Hypertension in Pregnancy Conference in Chicago in September 2025. I also presented at the FIGO conference in Cape Town the same year."

Standing on these global stages, he felt the weight of a larger purpose. “It has never occurred to me that we can do this from our part of the world," he reflects. “If we can conduct our own studies and inform global policy, it sets a precedent for everyone."

Away from hospital corridors, he finds balance in simple joys, road trips, and cycling in Karura Forest.

Looking ahead, his message to residents is encouraging. “Residency is doable. Forget what you are told that it is too hard. It is enjoyable, as long as you are a well-rounded individual."

Dr Nyagaka's story illustrates how expertise and research can turn challenges into life-saving opportunities.