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The article made an interesting reading and also reminded me of one
of my Professors. He was not exactly an academically oriented person and
had passed his entire career doing only those surgeries he was accustomed
of doing since 70's.
We were operating a difficult GCT distal radius. He was very cynical
about the procedure and was obviously quite uncomfortable. As he had asked
me to assist him and keep reminding him of the radial artery, I was on my
heels (I was Senior Resident). At a particular moment, he was using the
scalpel very near to the artery, I warned him that we are very near the
vessel. He did not bother. I reminded him with same words many more times
as he was trying to prolong the incision. Finally, he did it....... the
artery got punctured!
All theate staff was taken aback. The Professor said 'it's all your
fault'. I reminded him that I has been telling him all the time that we
are very near the vessel!! His reply -'you said we are nearby; you should
have said, we are ON it'.
I understood that one can never win over a Professor.
Competing interests:
Not yet a Professor!
Competing interests:
No competing interests
24 March 2004
Kirti M Marya
Assistant Professor
Department of Orthopaedics, SSR Medical College, Belle Rive, Mauritius
"All characters described are fictional" - I think all of us can
bring to mind at least two of these monsters who peered down their glasses
and asked belittling questions.
Humour in uniform?
The article made an interesting reading and also reminded me of one
of my Professors. He was not exactly an academically oriented person and
had passed his entire career doing only those surgeries he was accustomed
of doing since 70's.
We were operating a difficult GCT distal radius. He was very cynical
about the procedure and was obviously quite uncomfortable. As he had asked
me to assist him and keep reminding him of the radial artery, I was on my
heels (I was Senior Resident). At a particular moment, he was using the
scalpel very near to the artery, I warned him that we are very near the
vessel. He did not bother. I reminded him with same words many more times
as he was trying to prolong the incision. Finally, he did it....... the
artery got punctured!
All theate staff was taken aback. The Professor said 'it's all your
fault'. I reminded him that I has been telling him all the time that we
are very near the vessel!! His reply -'you said we are nearby; you should
have said, we are ON it'.
I understood that one can never win over a Professor.
Competing interests:
Not yet a Professor!
Competing interests: No competing interests