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CARTOON COLUMNS EDITORIAL INTERVIEW LEAD LETTERS OP-ED OPEN PAGE READERS' EDITOR

OPINION OPEN PAGE

September 24, 2011

A doctor? nay, a saviour

DR. S. SANKAR
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Medical teachers of yesteryear enjoyed a demigod status among students not merely for teaching skills but also for their inspiring personality. Clinical acumen, knowledge, experience, ethics, and demeanour in various proportions contributed to the charisma of the doyens. But the ability to inspire, an attribute of a good teacher, is not happening regularly these days. Hence, the intention to emulate has taken a beating. The concept of mentor and apprentice is not natural anymore and has to be enforced in a curriculum. I could not believe when I was told that Chief Minister Kamaraj, who came to the Government General Hospital, Madras (now Chennai), to meet Dr. Rathinavel Subramanian, waited until after he finished his class. Such stories are not only inspiring but epitomise the values of dignity and humility in great men. A plethora of teachers I was fortunate to be blessed with a plethora of inspiring teachers. I graduated from the Tirunelveli Medical College in Tamil Nadu in the late 1980s and we had a teacher Dr. Venugopal, fondly called by everyone VG. He must have inspired an entire generation of doctors who graduated from TVMC in the 1980s and 1990s. Dedication to the profession was so natural to him that he empathised with his patients. I myself was a beneficiary of his empathy when I suffered from severe aphthous ulceration. Though a relatively minor ailment, the care he gave was amazing. The pleasure derived from healing others is enviable and incomparable. We have seen him giving money to very poor patients. The gesture was very natural and infectious. Such undocumented charity is essential for humanity to retain its sanity. Once VG was heading a team of interns for a medical camp at a Sri Lankan Tamil refugee camp. Minor ailments were treated and patients needing admission referred to the medical college hospital. The last patient was a child suffering from acute gastroenteritis (diarrhoea). As an intern was about to prescribe oral rehydration solution, VG came on the scene. He quickly noticed the Bitot's spots in the eyes (vitamin A deficiency) of the child. Immediately, he told us that the child needed hospitalisation and vitamin A injection as otherwise the child would lose vision due to keratomalacia. In normal circumstances, the mother would have been advised to take the child to hospital for admission. But VG himself took the child and the mother with us in the hospital van in spite of lack of space. On our way back, we stopped for snacks and as expected, VG paid for our gastronomical indulgence. I was moved, when I saw VG buying some biscuit packets for the mother and the child in the van. When we reached the hospital VG caught hold of me and instructed me to take personal responsibility of admitting the child. He gave me money to buy vitamin A injection from the pharmacy and ensured that I myself gave the injection without fail. He anticipated non-availability of the drug in the hospital and hence asked me to buy from the pharmacy. Such a passionate and dedicated approach to patient care was awesome and is not to be seen these days.

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I understand VG has superannuated and is now rendering service in a rural hospital. He has not been decorated with any award but any TVMC alumnus will vouch for the unsung hero, our mentor. (The writer is Professor & Head, Department of Surgical Gastroenterology, SRMC&RI, Porur, Chennai. His email id is: drsshankar@gmail.com) Keywords: medical teachers, medical colleges, Open page

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COMMENTS:
I totally agree with Dr.Sankar's opinion. It is hard to find a selfless, dedicated noble teacher nowadays. Dr.VG. is an outstanding performer and a lovable teacher par excellence. I am also one among the beneficiary of numerous lectures of Dr.VG at TVMC. , from: Dr P Muthiah, consultant radiologist Posted on: Sep 25, 2011 at 08:53 IST I completely agree with this article and from my opinion he is one of the best teacher and human being among medical teachers I came across in India and United Kingdom. More than a doctor he is the best human being and as for as I remember he is the one who used to talk about ethical value. Only doctor at that time who used to come in time and stay till the end. I am very proud to say that I am one of his students. from: Dr R Sriraman, Consultant Endocrinologist, United Lincolnshire Hospitals HNS Trust, Lincoln, UK Posted on: Sep 25, 2011 at 13:37 IST A simple and super (like VG Sir himself) tribute to the living legend...Sir I took up teaching as a profession...and one of the teachers who inspired me to do so was YOU...I still use all the anecdotes and stories that you have shared with us during my Physiology lectures.....May God bless with u good health and happiness always... from: Dr K Muthu Prathibha MD Posted on: Sep 25, 2011 at 13:45 IST I am excited to read this article from The Hindu about our Guru Prof VG. I must say I have not come across another person, so far with such amazing godly characters. I met him last year in the rural hospital, he is still the same, not an iota of change. I can quote many instances of his extraordinary care to patients. When blood was initially not available for an emergency transfusion once for one of the patients in TVMC hospital, we found it available after 30 minutes. After a week we found that it was Prof VG who donated the blood behind the curtain. Such an extraordinary man. He must be honoured by TVMC Alumnus, and fully support any ideas towards his. from: Dr R Krishnamoorthy, Consultant in Anaesthesia and Pain Management, UK Posted on: Sep 25, 2011 at 14:19 IST I totally agree. I was also fortune to be DR VG's student..He sure was a wonderful human being and we all loved to be his students..It is very rare to find a true person like him. from: Jeyanthi Mary Posted on: Sep 25, 2011 at 14:50 IST Thank you Dr.Shankar. This article is the least he deserves for his unstinted passion for medicine,his selfless personality and the unrivalled care he gave to patients and students alike. VG in my mind stands for "Virtually God". from: Dr.V.Velayutham Posted on: Sep 25, 2011 at 14:55 IST Your Name: Email:
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