Most of us when asked to choose a role model in history would choose Shivaji Maharaj. If all of us become Shivajis, then who is going to be the Maval? Doctors need to remember that they are part of a team. And they need to ask for help in managing patients better. For example: Get the name of the patient from the receptionist, before the patient enters the room. When quantity exceeds the limit, it is bound to effect quality. In this rush for quantity, doctors omit to tell the patient the diagnosis, thereby affecting patient relationships.

Today’s world has a diarrhea of knowledge, but is skill-constipated. The basic skills required of any doctor: Setting up an Intra-venuous line, Giving an intra-muscular injection, Getting the vein in the first shot while injecting, Inserting a catherter and administering CPCR. Like pilots, it is important for doctors to be checked on their skills – every year. A simulator in medicine is useful for such purposes. A doctor can be certified at the end of the simulation. Interns can be made to work on these mannequins for some time before they are let loose into the wards. At the end of the training, there is a debriefing, and the software gives suggestions about what could have been done better. The best mannequins though turn out to be real actors. In the FRCS exams, unlike Indian exams, the patient is not from a ward, but is a trained actor.

Note: DY Patil University runs a simulation lab at its NaviMumbai campus. The course fee ranges from 1500 to 3000. Batch size is 15.Though mostly for doctors, school students have attended the CPCR course. The note is based on a sesson by Dr, SanjayOak, who is the Vice Chancellor of DY Patil University. He is a surgeon who wasearlier associated with Nair Hospital. A prolific writer, he pens a weekly column for Loksatta, the Marathi newspaper of the Express group. He also is a lawyer. He can be contacted at – [email protected]