1. What motivated you to choose orthopaedics as a speciality?
I wanted to choose a surgical branch emulating my father who was a professor of General Surgery. I did all my optional duties of internship in Orthopaedics which gave me the early clinical exposure to the field which generated interest in the subject. This motivated me to do both my six monthly House-jobs (JR Ship) in Orthopaedics which finalized my passion & career in Orthopaedics.
2.What was one case that you will always remember in your life?
I cannot pin point a single case. There are many cases to remember for different reasons i.e. good / bad outcomes, success / complications, rarity of a case / surgical procedure, innovation etc. I promot a good record keeping and follow-up of the patients which keeps on adding to learning and experience. A doctor has to be a life long learner and skills of any domain get refined to expert level by repeating the procudere multiple times. Some of the class room teaching experiences with UG’s & PG’s have been equally or more exceptional and memorable.
3. If you had the ability to invent a device that would help you in the OT, what would it be?
If there is such a possibility, a device would be made which will eradicate the chances of infection in OT !!!.
4. What advice would you give a young medical student?
The new CBME based UG curriculum implemented by NMC has already addressed & streamlined many issues. The medical students just have to adhere to daily assignments & complete them regularly. Never miss your clinical postings and be interactive with patients & teachers. Do take out time for your self to exercise or participate in your favourite sport or hobby or extra curricular activity.
5. How did you establish your orthopaedics practice in the rural area of Agroha?
I joined this rural medical college (MAMC Maharaja Agrasen Medical College, Agroha) in 1995 as founder faculty member in Orthopaedics. The college was in its infancy stage & was working as guest institution in civil hospital for clinical teaching & work. The young fauclty was not only given the responsibility & challenge of establishing their own departments but also to participate & contribute towards the development of the institution as a whole. It has been a long arduous journey but with fruit full satisfying results. Summarily, from a 35 seater permitted medical college without its own in campus hospital, it is now a NMC recognised tertiary care PG institutue with 750 bedded hospital with 100 UG MBBS seats more than 100 PG seats in all specialties and 9 paramedical courses.
6. How does orthopaedics differ in a rural area compared to a metropolitan city?
Till the end of last centuary, the difference was huge. The main difference was in patient’s awareness & perception, myths, late presentation, resistatnce to allopathic / surgical treatment, intervention by local quacks and non availability of modern medical services in rural areas. The difference is getting reduced day by day. All new medical technologies have now reached the interiors and are being fully utilized by a better informed & aware rural patient.