LESSONS FROM ELDERS
LESSONS FROM ELDERS :
PROF.(DR.) GANGADHAR SAHOO
DEAN
IMS & SUM HOSPITAL
BHUBANESWAR, ODISHA
Pro. V.C. , SOADU, Bhubaneswar
President, ISOPARB
“The Greatest lesson I have learned in life is that I still have a lot to learn”
A few days after I occupied the hot seat of Dean, IMS & SUM Hospital, Bhubaneswar, I was surprised to meet a wonderful person, senior to me by 5 years & holding an administrative post who told me two stories from his experience. The first story was very symbolic. He started the story of his professor who was very disciplined and strict .Throughout the year, may it be summer or winter, rainy or spring he is always with his suit and tie. He always asked his PG students (gents) to come with clean white coat and tie. Anybody who by mistake comes without a tie or white coat was virtually thrown out the class.
After completing this he looked at me and told, “ Dr. Sahoo! Today you remind me of my great teacher. Truly one’s dress reflects one’s personality. You are the Dean and look like a Dean with your coat and tie. Keep it up”. I said, “Thank you sir! It is really a great complement for me”. It reminded me of my teacher Prof. Sukumar Mitra a legendary figure in the field of Obst. & Gynaecology. He was always dressed with suit & tie irrespective of the seasons, time of the day, in or off the campus & nature of the duty (routine or emergency). His dress -up added to his personality as a teacher, surgeon & a clinician. From him I learnt to dress up properly always with a coat & tie. Whenever I was not without a tie or a coat my students ask me “Sir! Are you ok ?” This is similar to the comment of President Musaraf of Pakistan on MS Dhoni, with long hairs the captain of winning Indian team, “Dhoni ! You look very special with your hair style. It adds to your personality and captaincy. Please do not change it.”
The second story was again a fact of his own experience. The story goes like this. It was his first day of assuming the charge of the medical superintendent of a prestigious medical Institute in Delhi and that too it was the first rare instance of occupying the hot seat by a person who had passed from the same medical college.
He started the ward round. Any where he went he was greeted with bouquets, smiles, handshakes and good wishes.
He went to neurosurgery ward. Everybody greeted him except one staff sister who even did not bother to stand up when the medical superintendent passed by her side.
After the round was over, the additional superintendent came and told the superintendent, “Sir! Did you mark that sister in the neurosurgery ward? She was so adamant and arrogant that she even did not care to leave her seat. Her past record was like that. She never pays any respect to any body. You should ask for an explanation and give her exemplary punishment.”
The superintendent replied that he did not think so. “Why she will show disrespect to me? She does not know that I have joined as superintendent and am giving round. There might be other possibilities also.
1. She might have been absorbed in her professional work so much that she did not pay attention to anybody passing by her. It is really a commendable job for which she should be rather rewarded not punished.
2. The Second possibility is that I am new to her. I should have introduced myself to her and then asked her to accompany me in the round. So it is my fault.
3. The third possibility is that she might be having some spinal problem for which she was incapacitated and was not in a position to stand up.
4. The fourth possibility is that she might be from a society where this is not in their culture to stand up and wish.
So there is nothing to be offended or humiliated. Rather I stand by my first possibility and I am definitely going to reward her “.
Take Home Message :
These two stories gave sufficient space to learn. In the first story it tells me in whatever situation you are please stick to your principle and discipline. Your dress is a symbol of your personality. So always be smartly dressed and give a positive message to others.
In the second story, “Do not look to the darker side of a person. Be positive minded”. Circumstances are the best teacher. As one faces different circumstances one gets opportunity to learn and thus gets experience.
“Listen to your elders. Not because they are always right; because they have more experience in making mistakes.”
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