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Chairman's Corner
Chairman's Corner
Us Vs They
Us Vs They
Ravi Ramakantan
Ravi Ramakantan
In a large institution such as ours, problems always abound; unfortunately, sometimes, only problems abound.
In a large institution such as ours, problems always abound; unfortunately, sometimes, only problems abound.
Some problems are chronic and people have stopped noticing or bothering about them. Others are subacute; they come up off and on – some fire fighting is done and things are back to “normal”. Sometimes, though, acute problems flare up, tempers fly and a little or a lot of damage is caused or made to be caused.
Some problems are chronic and people have stopped noticing or bothering about them. Others are subacute; they come up off and on – some fire fighting is done and things are back to “normal”. Sometimes, though, acute problems flare up, tempers fly and a little or a lot of damage is caused or made to be caused.
When things do not go on smoothly – someone has to oil the system and get it back on the rails. The real problem is who is to fix these problems when they arise and who is to fix all those other chronic problems?– and thereby hangs a tale.
When things do not go on smoothly – someone has to oil the system and get it back on the rails. The real problem is who is to fix these problems when they arise and who is to fix all those other chronic problems?– and thereby hangs a tale.
As many in the campus say, irrespective of who the Dean is, RR is good at getting into his/her good books! Be that as it may, I really have faced the wrath of many deans for saying the wrong things at the wrong time and as is my wont - shooting of my mouth excessively. Exasperated, one of Deans told me:
As many in the campus say, irrespective of who the Dean is, RR is good at getting into his/her good books! Be that as it may, I really have faced the wrath of many deans for saying the wrong things at the wrong time and as is my wont - shooting of my mouth excessively. Exasperated, one of Deans told me:
“The Dean is only the first amongst equals – each one of you “Heads” has as much responsibility to see that this place runs smoothly” (this sentence is of course with the expletives deleted!)
“The Dean is only the first amongst equals – each one of you “Heads” has as much responsibility to see that this place runs smoothly” (this sentence is of course with the expletives deleted!)
So, that is what the Dean expects of the HODs ; perhaps that is what the HODs will tell their colleagues and so on down the line down to the first year resident…
So, that is what the Dean expects of the HODs ; perhaps that is what the HODs will tell their colleagues and so on down the line down to the first year resident…
Is this the way it is supposed to be; is this fair? Are all of us equal? Or are some of us more or less equal than others? Are we expected to do things which we need normally not – if only to see that this place runs smoothly?
Is this the way it is supposed to be; is this fair? Are all of us equal? Or are some of us more or less equal than others? Are we expected to do things which we need normally not – if only to see that this place runs smoothly?
Simple answers to these questions are something I do not know or have; but, I do know that many do not think that way – each and every one, they say, is supposed to look after his brief – do not expect doctors to look after all the work in the campus.
Simple answers to these questions are something I do not know or have; but, I do know that many do not think that way – each and every one, they say, is supposed to look after his brief – do not expect doctors to look after all the work in the campus.
Are we – is each one of us - responsible for all problem-solving in this campus? Are we, as doctors, as someone said – look after everything – even if it be the cleanliness of the toilets – in fact, even the legendary Dr. Jivraj Mehta is supposed to have done this.
Are we – is each one of us - responsible for all problem-solving in this campus? Are we, as doctors, as someone said – look after everything – even if it be the cleanliness of the toilets – in fact, even the legendary Dr. Jivraj Mehta is supposed to have done this.
I suppose it all depends on why each one of us here in spite of very green pastures all around us. When someone asks me this question – I have a stock answer – I say “Most stay back in KEM because they are incompetent or lazy – I am a rare exception – I am both!”
I suppose it all depends on why each one of us here in spite of very green pastures all around us. When someone asks me this question – I have a stock answer – I say “Most stay back in KEM because they are incompetent or lazy – I am a rare exception – I am both!”
Jokes aside – it is indeed difficult to generalize. For me, and I am sure, for many others, KEM has been home. We proudly entered this place as impressionable teenagers and now have spent a greater part of our lives in its campus. We own this place and the place owns us. It is a strange, compulsive relationship.
Jokes aside – it is indeed difficult to generalize. For me, and I am sure, for many others, KEM has been home. We proudly entered this place as impressionable teenagers and now have spent a greater part of our lives in its campus. We own this place and the place owns us. It is a strange, compulsive relationship.
Thus, most times (except when I am desperately angry at some event and blame the Dean for all our ills), I feel responsible for the things that happens in “my home”. That is why, as many have said before – I tend to poke my nose in everything that happens in the campus. I strongly feel that the one head alone cannot run this place. We have to pitch in our bit as and when our time, mental energy and physical strength permit. We may not agree with all the decisions of the Dean at all times – but we have to respect it, even as we point out the flaws therein. Do we expect anything less from our own colleagues and juniors?
Thus, most times (except when I am desperately angry at some event and blame the Dean for all our ills), I feel responsible for the things that happens in “my home”. That is why, as many have said before – I tend to poke my nose in everything that happens in the campus. I strongly feel that the one head alone cannot run this place. We have to pitch in our bit as and when our time, mental energy and physical strength permit. We may not agree with all the decisions of the Dean at all times – but we have to respect it, even as we point out the flaws therein. Do we expect anything less from our own colleagues and juniors?
So, to me, the “Us” includes all those who feel one with the institution; those who feel proud that we are one of a kind – with a great history and tradition and we should unitedly face all adversities – because if we do not do that now and let things slip up, as they rapidly seem to be, the past would have been shortchanged and future will never pardon us.
So, to me, the “Us” includes all those who feel one with the institution; those who feel proud that we are one of a kind – with a great history and tradition and we should unitedly face all adversities – because if we do not do that now and let things slip up, as they rapidly seem to be, the past would have been shortchanged and future will never pardon us.
And those who fail to realize this; those that see our institutions as mere organizations; as bottomless financial pits; those that fail to realize that we are one of the "IITs of Medicine" in India; that we provide the best brains in medicine which then fan all over the country and treat the VIPs in five star hospitals and therefore need to be specially nurtured are the “They”. We have no quarrel with them – it is for us to educate them to see in us what we really are –a unique institution and people - without parallel in the whole of the BMC and few in the rest of the country’s medical landscape and convince them that these institutions need to maintain their tradition of being the most sought after.
And those who fail to realize this; those that see our institutions as mere organizations; as bottomless financial pits; those that fail to realize that we are one of the "IITs of Medicine" in India; that we provide the best brains in medicine which then fan all over the country and treat the VIPs in five star hospitals and therefore need to be specially nurtured are the “They”. We have no quarrel with them – it is for us to educate them to see in us what we really are –a unique institution and people - without parallel in the whole of the BMC and few in the rest of the country’s medical landscape and convince them that these institutions need to maintain their tradition of being the most sought after.
After all, we deserve the best; anything else - would be less!
After all, we deserve the best; anything else - would be less!
October 2002
October 2002
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