AMCians boast of a proud heritage of luminaries – both amongst the faculty as well as the alumni. But ask for a list and you get a list of some who did ‘pioneering research’ decades ago or some who have headed national institutions and a very few who achieved some literary /cultural prowess. Doctors from AMC who have achieved national acclaim are limited while virtually nonexistent on the international arena.
Why is that our ‘stalwarts’ of AMC are all from the early decades of this college – we speak of professors like Brahmayya Sastry, Kutumbiah and TK Raman but what happened in subsequent years? When we recall the best teachers again we speak of Srinivasula Reddy & ENB Sarma (Surgery) or Satyabhama Reddy (Gynaec) whom none of the present generation have even seen; when we boast of original research in AMC we give an example of palatal cancer (CRRM Reddy & Ramulu) which was decades ago.
We keep claiming that AMC is amongst the best colleges in the state and, as proof, cite the preference of EAMCET toppers for this college. Okay maybe you’re right but what happens in the PG entrance – AMCians should have been at the top of the list but they are overtaken by nearby colleges (government and private!). We got the best ‘material’ in the First MBBS and how come at the end of 5 ½ years in AMC, they become ‘mediocre’ products.
There is an urgent need for serious introspection by faculty as well as students in this regard. It isn’t that we don’t have teachers or researchers with potential – recall your teachers in Anatomy or Ophthalmology or Medicine or Surgery – any subject – aren’t there teachers who impressed you – but still there is something missing – either they are too busy with administrative or professional work or have drained out maybe. Students too should respond and stimulate teachers – otherwise teaching becomes monotonous and lackluster. We do have a lot of potential amongst the students and teachers too – it seems only that we have drifted away (quite) a bit from the path that should lead us to the goal of medical education – to produce competent doctors who can continue to propagate and develop medical science and its practice further.
Without sounding long and boring, I would urge EVERYONE to think about this and make some resolutions, for yourself & those around you, to bring ourselves and our college out of this . . . (I am tempted to use the word abyss but I don’t think it is so dismal).
Firstly we should raise our bar – the standards that we set for ourselves or the students. Let us not be complacent with what we have or what has been achieved. ‘Okay, this much is enough for an MBBS student or this is too much to expect from a Diploma PG student’ – shouldn’t be the refrain. ‘Strive towards excellence – and always aim to climb higher’ should be our motto.
The same would apply to the sports and cultural areas too – even here, we are satisfied with mediocre performances in tennis or basketball or singing or dancing – compare your first prize winners with the average entrants in any of the TV shows or other colleges and you’ll notice the stark difference. Now, don’t give excuses that we are in a professional college with a busy schedule – wait, wait sir, are we really so immersed in ‘studies’ – then why no excellent results there.
We have learnt to be satisfied with what we have – hence I said that we should aim for perfection and excellence.
Secondly, teaching / education should be taken far more seriously than it is now – moreso by the ‘clinical’ teachers. The usual excuse that "we are ‘clinicians’ and have ‘hospital work’" doesn’t hold water – all of us should remember we have three duties to perform – professional work, teaching, and, research and one of them cannot compromise the other. (For that matter neither is our professional work so excellent to speak of – compare yourselves with the best institutions /departments in the country and you’ll know where we stand.) We should all put in, our maximal efforts, (at least the minimum effort for a start) in these three areas; though, of course, our interests may make us pursue one of them to a greater extent. So I would repeat that the administration and teachers must take up this matter of teaching with more dedication, commitment and sincerity.
Thirdly research activity must begin earnestly in the college – this is the most neglected area despite the MCI regulations making publications mandatory for promotions. And we do need to perform quality research - not a hotch-potch collection of cases /data. Now again, don’t complain about lack of resources and facilities – just read your journal – can’t we do at least 30-60% of the research published - with whatever material we have.
Fourthly, there must be no room for ‘recommendations’, bribery (thankfully corruption does not seem to be so rampant on the educational /academic front) or any other influence while deciding on the competence or merit of students before certification. Students too should demand that they get good training to prepare them well for the exams and should not stoop to unfair means. They should train hard to perform so well that they can demand a degree with distinction – not beg for a pass!! Students too should accept higher standards in exams and prepare accordingly – it is for their own development and will stand them in good stead in their professional career as well as the PG entrance exam (which is their ‘ultimate’ goal).
What does all this need? – I’m sure you would say – don’t we know all this – we don’t need such sermons. Yes, what we need is not preaching – but . . . . . . ATTITUDE. So sit down friends and think, introspect and do what your conscience tells you – and let us all take our Alma Mater to greater heights in education, research and health care and also in the extracurricular arena. Jai Ho. Jai AMC.
