Dedicated to my teacher

Another phase of my life is getting over with residency finishing in a couple of weeks. Feels like hatching of an egg with the chick breaking the protective shell. Suddenly, he is ready to face the world outside. One man makes it feel like that, and he is none other than my teacher, my guru and my mentor, Dr. DP Singh. Some flashbacks and some thoughts from the last 3 years of my life:

Teachers are like trees

teachers are like ‘trees’, they say, who provide you the ‘shade’ you need to learn, know and grow, before you step out to face the world. Dr. DP gave me all that, and much more!
Flashback 2007: I had been temporarily posted in another unit for 3 months before coming to sir’s unit. The difference was stark. Suddenly I felt more capable, more confident, and could work more! In retrospect I realize all this was because in his unit, I was just able to concentrate on things that residency is all about! Isn’t that how it should be? :)
Sir, the heat of the world outside is scorching. And I will always miss the time I spent under the ‘shade’ your hand.

Teachers Know your abilities, (and your capabilities!)

There are some teachers who know the abilities of postgraduate students (and then just make use of them for 3 years and be done with it!) ....People tell the tale of some anaesthesia resident who was reduced to being a personal assistant of some head of dept of anaesthesia just because he knew how to type on a computer screen!...
None of that with Dr DP Singh (he wouldn’t even allow that to happen to his resident, even if it meant saying NO to the head of the dept, surgery for the services of his resident ). Thank you Sir, for all the times you said NO on my behalf.
Beyond my abilities, I will always be indebted to sir for making me realize what all I was capable of. There were times of self-doubt, and fear of failures... and I can’t remember one single moment where my teacher failed to back me up.

Teachers lead by example

Only the best teachers do, really.
Sir, while I was learning surgery from you, you symbolized all that a surgeon should be!
I learnt it from you that a surgeon must be on his toes always. He should be swift, sharp and alert. You had this amazing power of observation (of almost everything around you). I learnt it from you to never be afraid of performing a new procedure, I learnt it from you how to adopt newer procedures, and evolve with time. At the end of it all, if I am able to imbibe even ten percent of your abilities, I would have done well.

Teachers forgive

To err is human, they say. Some teachers reprimand and scold you for it. Some even shout at you. But some deadlier ones note your mistakes in the hallowed n deadly “bad books” of theirs. Once that happens, you’ve had it, because the faintest ink is better than the sharpest memory. Thank god sir didn’t have any such deadly bad book. This made us responsible residents to start with. We were more aware of our mistakes, and rather than fearing the “wrath” of boss (which could mean even expletives in some units), we felt afraid of disappointing sir who gave us so much. To err is resident; to forgive is Dr. DP Singh. (This is not meant to be a guideline for the new first year residents though!) :)

Some teachers are cool

Some teachers wear ties and 3 piece suits on rounds the moment air-conditioning is no more needed. We have seen sir in t-shirts with the “Google” logo on evening post op rounds, after which he would make it a point to have tea with residents at the Red Cross canteen. We would discuss everything under the blue sky which could include the latest happenings in the college, outside the college, the internet, Bollywood and Hollywood, technology, cars, TV serials, mad people, mad women, not so mad women, the bombing of Iraq, the pros and cons of marriage, research papers, history, geography, economy, and the list is endless.
Then his sense of humour; Sometimes we would keep laughing much after sir had left. Humour at work is good. Whoever said this is god damn right... It always leaves u refreshed.

Teachers are like parents

Not my words, but words of sir himself, “teachers are like parents. They love, teach and expect, just like parents, and have every right to reprimand, or scold...just like parents. They even feel bad after scolding residents, just like parents”. Absolutely spot on, sir. I have nothing more to add to that. You were like a father figure for me all these three years, and I will always be... just like a son for you.

Some teachers you can never forget.

I quote sir from twitter. He tweeted, “Every year at this time I feel a little heavy hearted when the PGs leave the unit and go out... like the birds flying away...”

Yes, its like the birds flying away, sir... you gave us wings!