The journey of learning

The breaking period was over, and most of us managed to come through the 1^st MBBS – the Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry saga, though some friends had to wait a few more months! This was in no way the assessment of who broke in or not, but part of life, some go fast some go a bit slower, but at the end of the day, all journey together!

But for me the next year was more challenging than the previous year. The year of Pharmacology, Pathology and Microbiology! In one sense the beginning of the 2 water shed years, when life is taken a bit more relaxed. (We had a 4 and half year course with 1 years each of 2^nd and 3^rd MBBS, and 1 ½ years of 1^st MBBS.) I had done reasonably well in the 1^st lap of the 4 and half year journey, but the second lap I struggled, mostly in one subject – Pharmacology. I did manage to finish the year without major challenges but did not enjoy the same ! And this was observed by the 2 lady professors we had.

I remember both calling me to their room, opening my answer paper and showing where I have made mistakes. I saw marks like 1/8, 1/16 etc.! They had a marking system by which if there were eight points they expected, and only one is right, they will give you 1/8 marks! After showing me the mistakes I had made, they started enquiring. Are you on drugs, do you have a “girlfriend” and or “love issue”! They had considered that I was not doing well because, I had lost focus by either getting into drugs or falling in love! It took some time to convince both that I had neither of these issues, but I just could not remember pharmacology.

I was left with this deep impression of the combination of “strictness and compassion”, “expected standards and caring heart” something that I have tried to hold on to but not been able to role model that well like them!

On the other hand, the lady professor in Pathology, had another great ability! Seeing me doing reasonably well in Pathology, she called me and asked me to consider Pathology as a career option. I enjoyed Pathology, but I never considered the same as a career direction. But she was keen to encourage me into the same.

I had similar experiences later in life too. Working in neurosurgery as part of neurology posting before getting into Internal Medicine, the professor of Neurosurgery calling me to his office and trying to encourage me to take up neurosurgery, and few other professors like that in Nephrology and Neurology. The ability to see the potential in another person and encourage and motivate that person to move ahead in life, in an area which he or she thinks they might do well!

The ability to see patterns, and correlate the same, than byhearting information (Path vs Pharm) was a sign of my learning style, which probably was the reason I moved into Internal Medicine. More about that later, but if I had recognized that then, I would not have taken the de routes I tried! 

Reflecting later in life, I realized – teaching is about role modeling character. Learning is about inculcating these in the learner’s life! Leadership is about expecting a set of standards from your followers but being a caring and  compassionate person. Leadership is about seeing the potential in persons life and supporting him or her to follow that path.

I hope in my life journey I have followed my teacher’s examples!