In the sixties and seventies, there were 2 professors - both brilliant, both were highly qualified academically. Both were gold medalists from London school of Tropical Medicine and Calcutta School of Tropical Medicine. Both were excellent teachers.
One was a clinician with a highly successful private practice. The legend had it that he saw a patient anywhere - in the market, in a hotel, on the corridor and was very popular. The other professor was witty, with a sense of sarcastic humor. Both were good clinicians with good diagnostic skills. The popular professor had studied at Rangoon.
The popular professor took classes after making sure sufficient students have assembled. If he felt the numbers were not sufficient, he would make the patient sit or stand on an elevated platform so that more people got to see and would get attracted and attend. He would discuss loudly. The findings existent and non existent would be discussed and his unit PG s would endorse the same. The whole drama was very impressive as well as very educative. The sarcastic teacher on the other hand would take precise, concise , accurate classes. His sarcastic sense of humor would drive the not so intelligent students away. But the classes were highly appreciated. The same case would be presented twice - the sarcastic professor would diagnose Amoebiasis (his favorite diagnosis)and the popular doctor would diagnose Cardiac failure (his favorite diagnosis) and students got to learn 2 diseases!
Then the popularity with the medical representatives. The popular doctor was their darling. He would oblige them with ready prescriptions. The sarcastic doctor would ask complicated questions at the end of which no prescriptions would follow unless he was thoroughly satisfied about the need and the quality of the drug. The distance to which he threw the bottle or the tablets was inversely proportionate to the quality of the drug! The legend has it that a satisfied patient of his, an owner of a pharma company formulated Diethyl Carbamazine Citrate syrup to his specification for the traetment of Tropical eosinophilia.
Then there was the Grand Rounds. Grand rounds was the ultimate event - a sort of show of strength - The chief accompanied by assistants, PG students, Interns, UG students, and students from other units would walk the long corridors together discussing various patients and other clinical problems. One group would have to cross the other person's wards where the group would intentionally slow down and have a show of a discussion. Sometimes they (unintentionally )met on the corridors with their respective groups resulting in verbal fireworks!In one such episode, the popular professor asked the sarcastic professor " I am sorry to hear that your son failed II MBBS exam. What happened? Was he not smart enough?" The sarcastic professor was enraged. He coolly said "Thanks for the concern, professor. It is not that he was not smart enough. If that was the case professor, I would have sent him to Rangoon for his studies!"
The aftermath - The son of the popular professor went on t become a cardiologist and settled abroad.All the 3 sons of the sarcastic professor became doctors and settled abroad. He died of cardiac failure and arrhythmias believing all along he was suffering from Amoebiaisis!
One was a clinician with a highly successful private practice. The legend had it that he saw a patient anywhere - in the market, in a hotel, on the corridor and was very popular. The other professor was witty, with a sense of sarcastic humor. Both were good clinicians with good diagnostic skills. The popular professor had studied at Rangoon.
The popular professor took classes after making sure sufficient students have assembled. If he felt the numbers were not sufficient, he would make the patient sit or stand on an elevated platform so that more people got to see and would get attracted and attend. He would discuss loudly. The findings existent and non existent would be discussed and his unit PG s would endorse the same. The whole drama was very impressive as well as very educative. The sarcastic teacher on the other hand would take precise, concise , accurate classes. His sarcastic sense of humor would drive the not so intelligent students away. But the classes were highly appreciated. The same case would be presented twice - the sarcastic professor would diagnose Amoebiasis (his favorite diagnosis)and the popular doctor would diagnose Cardiac failure (his favorite diagnosis) and students got to learn 2 diseases!
Then the popularity with the medical representatives. The popular doctor was their darling. He would oblige them with ready prescriptions. The sarcastic doctor would ask complicated questions at the end of which no prescriptions would follow unless he was thoroughly satisfied about the need and the quality of the drug. The distance to which he threw the bottle or the tablets was inversely proportionate to the quality of the drug! The legend has it that a satisfied patient of his, an owner of a pharma company formulated Diethyl Carbamazine Citrate syrup to his specification for the traetment of Tropical eosinophilia.
Then there was the Grand Rounds. Grand rounds was the ultimate event - a sort of show of strength - The chief accompanied by assistants, PG students, Interns, UG students, and students from other units would walk the long corridors together discussing various patients and other clinical problems. One group would have to cross the other person's wards where the group would intentionally slow down and have a show of a discussion. Sometimes they (unintentionally )met on the corridors with their respective groups resulting in verbal fireworks!In one such episode, the popular professor asked the sarcastic professor " I am sorry to hear that your son failed II MBBS exam. What happened? Was he not smart enough?" The sarcastic professor was enraged. He coolly said "Thanks for the concern, professor. It is not that he was not smart enough. If that was the case professor, I would have sent him to Rangoon for his studies!"
The aftermath - The son of the popular professor went on t become a cardiologist and settled abroad.All the 3 sons of the sarcastic professor became doctors and settled abroad. He died of cardiac failure and arrhythmias believing all along he was suffering from Amoebiaisis!
These kind of incidences were common those days. But now a days its very less I feel. Showdown in corridors where common those days, After all what i realised after years is that we cant be always right in Medicine.I feel sometimes its silly that Doctors fight trying to proove their superiority over others!
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