I was called to the Boss' office for a meeting. Representatives of some association of gynecologists and a local branch of an international elite club had gone to the Boss for getting us to hold a training course for doctors in tribal areas. I went there to find that two of the three representatives were actually my seniors from my residency days. One of our staff members was also there. The meeting was going on, and the Boss was in and out periodically, attending another meeting at the same time.
"We are getting doctors from UK to train doctors from two tribal areas to reduce maternal mortality" they explained. "We want to conduct the sessions in this hospital over 3 days. On the fourth day they will train resident doctors here. We need three rooms."
"I am disturbed" I said "because you have arranged for a program in my department without consulting me and my colleagues first. I am confused too.Why do you want to hold their training sessions in our hospital, when we are not involved in any way? Surely not only for space? You are rich enough to hire out three rooms in a five star hotel, where the UK doctors will be comfortable, rather than in a civic hospital."
"Well" they looked a little uncomfortable, "they will train local residents on one day too. Besides, we were students of this college. So we thought we would do it here."
That sounded pretty lame.
"You are doing good work" I said "trying to reduce maternal mortality. But I need to know what they will teach our resident doctors. We understand problems of our people. We make great efforts to teach our residents, and I don't want our program set back because they are taught something that is not right for our set up."
"Well, we don't know the contents. They said they will teach new FIGO guidelines. They are bringing their mannequins for training."
"You mean you don't know what they will actually teach our people after planning all this" I was politely incredulous. "Please ask them and tell me. You can do your first three days program here, but not training our residents until I know the content of the teaching."
The fellow emailed or instant messaged the party at the UK end and sat staring at the screen of his laptop for a reply. "In the meantime, please tell me why you thought the UK doctors would know more about the problems causing maternal mortality in India than you and I do? You are quite competent to teach those doctors in tribal areas. Why these people?"
"They have FIGO guidelines"
"We can read any FIGO guidelines on the net. I have not found any on this topic so far.May I politely point out that you are in a way insulting our faculty by inviting these people to teach us, especially when you do not know what they will teach and that it is indeed important stuff?"
"...." I was making them uncomfortable, I could see. But I preferred to make them uncomfortable rather than be uncomfortable myself.
"Do you remember reading in newspaper about their prime minister saying recently 'what happened at Jalianwala Baug was shameful? Do you understand he did not say 'what was done at Jalianwala baug?' and that he did not apologize for it? Do you remember reading they refused visa to our leading badminton player who wanted to participate in all England open?" They kept quiet. "I remember a meeting called by our that time Boss, where there was a visiting doctor from UK, and all senior faculty were invited to make academic suggestions to him. When our cardiovascular surgical head suggested an exchange program, he was insulted by the visitor, who grimaced and said 'OK, but it should be younger doctors. Surely our professor was not saying he himself wanted to go! There was no need to imply such a thing and also to draw attention to our professor's age. Years later, I myself still hurt thinking of that insult to one of my senior colleagues."
They kept quiet. Perhaps they sensed the truth in my words. Perhaps not.
"I am in service. If my Boss tells me to give you space, I will. But I prefer you do not put me in a spot by asking me to host them and appear as if I am obliged by their efforts. If my residents' training is forced on us, I will take leave on that day, and let someone else who does not think as I do handle things. But I request you let us move on after being free of their rule of 150 years, rather than show that they are still superior or that we need them, when we probably do not. My intention is not to insult you all. If I have done so, I apologize. I am saying all this as head of my department, carrying out what I think is required of my position. I am also saying this because I do not want to get stressed out doing something I strongly and justifiably feel against."
We parted civilly. I made arrangements for their three days' work. But the Boss did not send me any letter asking me to do as they wanted, they did not send me the curriculum, they did not communicate with me, and did not turn up on the scheduled day.
"Why do you think they wanted it done here?" I asked the colleague who had been in that meeting.
"Sir, they must have been promised a big amount by their UK sponsor for carrying out the program. The condition must be that it be carried out in a reputable teaching institute. They must have needed our reputation."
That made sense. I had thought they had wanted those people because they were still fascinated by our one time rulers!
"We are getting doctors from UK to train doctors from two tribal areas to reduce maternal mortality" they explained. "We want to conduct the sessions in this hospital over 3 days. On the fourth day they will train resident doctors here. We need three rooms."
"I am disturbed" I said "because you have arranged for a program in my department without consulting me and my colleagues first. I am confused too.Why do you want to hold their training sessions in our hospital, when we are not involved in any way? Surely not only for space? You are rich enough to hire out three rooms in a five star hotel, where the UK doctors will be comfortable, rather than in a civic hospital."
"Well" they looked a little uncomfortable, "they will train local residents on one day too. Besides, we were students of this college. So we thought we would do it here."
That sounded pretty lame.
"You are doing good work" I said "trying to reduce maternal mortality. But I need to know what they will teach our resident doctors. We understand problems of our people. We make great efforts to teach our residents, and I don't want our program set back because they are taught something that is not right for our set up."
"Well, we don't know the contents. They said they will teach new FIGO guidelines. They are bringing their mannequins for training."
"You mean you don't know what they will actually teach our people after planning all this" I was politely incredulous. "Please ask them and tell me. You can do your first three days program here, but not training our residents until I know the content of the teaching."
The fellow emailed or instant messaged the party at the UK end and sat staring at the screen of his laptop for a reply. "In the meantime, please tell me why you thought the UK doctors would know more about the problems causing maternal mortality in India than you and I do? You are quite competent to teach those doctors in tribal areas. Why these people?"
"They have FIGO guidelines"
"We can read any FIGO guidelines on the net. I have not found any on this topic so far.May I politely point out that you are in a way insulting our faculty by inviting these people to teach us, especially when you do not know what they will teach and that it is indeed important stuff?"
"...." I was making them uncomfortable, I could see. But I preferred to make them uncomfortable rather than be uncomfortable myself.
"Do you remember reading in newspaper about their prime minister saying recently 'what happened at Jalianwala Baug was shameful? Do you understand he did not say 'what was done at Jalianwala baug?' and that he did not apologize for it? Do you remember reading they refused visa to our leading badminton player who wanted to participate in all England open?" They kept quiet. "I remember a meeting called by our that time Boss, where there was a visiting doctor from UK, and all senior faculty were invited to make academic suggestions to him. When our cardiovascular surgical head suggested an exchange program, he was insulted by the visitor, who grimaced and said 'OK, but it should be younger doctors. Surely our professor was not saying he himself wanted to go! There was no need to imply such a thing and also to draw attention to our professor's age. Years later, I myself still hurt thinking of that insult to one of my senior colleagues."
They kept quiet. Perhaps they sensed the truth in my words. Perhaps not.
"I am in service. If my Boss tells me to give you space, I will. But I prefer you do not put me in a spot by asking me to host them and appear as if I am obliged by their efforts. If my residents' training is forced on us, I will take leave on that day, and let someone else who does not think as I do handle things. But I request you let us move on after being free of their rule of 150 years, rather than show that they are still superior or that we need them, when we probably do not. My intention is not to insult you all. If I have done so, I apologize. I am saying all this as head of my department, carrying out what I think is required of my position. I am also saying this because I do not want to get stressed out doing something I strongly and justifiably feel against."
We parted civilly. I made arrangements for their three days' work. But the Boss did not send me any letter asking me to do as they wanted, they did not send me the curriculum, they did not communicate with me, and did not turn up on the scheduled day.
"Why do you think they wanted it done here?" I asked the colleague who had been in that meeting.
"Sir, they must have been promised a big amount by their UK sponsor for carrying out the program. The condition must be that it be carried out in a reputable teaching institute. They must have needed our reputation."
That made sense. I had thought they had wanted those people because they were still fascinated by our one time rulers!
