Science, Stories and Sevagram: A Physician-Teacher's Reflections
Insights into medical ethics, human rights, and the art of teaching in a rural medical college.
We walk past her statue, work in her hospital, and invoke her name often. But how many of us know who Kasturba really was before she became Gandhiโs Ba? Ask anyone in Sevagram today, and chances areโnot one person might recall who she is. Or who she was. Until you pause and whisper her name. … Read more
I must admit that I, too, wasโand still amโa medical teacher who guidedโor is misguided the more appropriate word?โover three dozen postgraduates in writing their MD theses. I do not wish to stand on a pedestal or adopt a โholier than thouโ posture. I have erred, misjudged, behaved badly, mishandled situations, and at times, been … Read more
โSo, whatโs up?โ I asked the young postgraduate from a neighbouring medical college. He had just run into me on the road. โIโve finished my thesis, sir,โ he said, sounding both relieved and battle-weary. โNow preparing for the MD examsโjust two months to go.โ โThatโs done?โ I raised my eyebrows. โAlready?โ โYes, sir,โ he nodded. … Read more
Dr. B.S. Chaubey. A name that evoked both awe and trepidation. He was fire and iceโblazing with intensity, chilling with his stare, his mind a scalpel that could slice through the most complex diagnoses in a few minutes. For twenty-five years, he reigned over the Department of Medicine at GMC Nagpur, shaping generations of physicians. … Read more
Nostalgia has a way of sneaking up on you. You try to avoid comparing the “good old days” to the present, but somehow, you end up doing it anyway. The younger generation hates it. They roll their eyes when we compare the 60s and 70s to today. But as you age, those comparisons just happenโwhether … Read more
After spending four decades in Sevagram, I often find myself reflecting on the past, comparing it to the present, and pondering what the future holds. Itโs one of my most cherished pastimesโa price I pay for the salt that now outnumbers the pepper on my scalp. The conversation begins with medical students. We often blame … Read more
The MD thesisโa daunting challenge that separates the strong from the faint-hearted. It is like a visa that grants access to the MD examination, a grueling rite of passage filled with challenges and obstacles. As the deadline looms, the pressure intensifies, and the postgraduate students start desperately hunting for two playersโa skilled statistician to generate … Read more
A few years ago, I was invited to speak about snakebites at an annual conference in Nagpur. As a physician who had treated hundreds of patients with venomous snakebites, I was excited to share my experience. On that Sunday morning, as I arrived at the conference hall 15 minutes early, I found only two people … Read more
On a sunny afternoon at the hostel of a medical college, a third-year postgraduate student appeared visibly worried as he skipped his lunch. He approached a group of his senior friends, who were now senior residents in the same hospital. PG: “May I ask you something? Two years ago, I submitted my thesis protocol to … Read more
Twenty-four medical schools in Madhya Pradesh have made an offer that makes one sit up and notice. Now the teachers can teach and assess medical students using medical textbooks in Hindi. Students have also an option of writing their exams in Hindi. For first MBBS students, the state government has developed, and recently released Hindi … Read more