FINAL YEAR POEM

POEM

This poem was composed by me in final year.

I showed it to one or two of my friends who passed such lurid comments that I shelved it. It was retrieved only a few years back.

FINAL YEAR DILEMMA

I felt wonderful, having passed Pathology

Forensic Medicine and of course Ophthalmology

Wielding my steth I walked into the ward

Thinking to pass Pathology is not so hard.

But when I saw the cases I was baffled

Here are to me mysteries unraveled

What is this case with a tumor in the arm

Can it be inflammatory as it is so warm ?

Diagnosing it as an abscess I drifted to the back

As the chief wade his way into the student pack

A junior started to present the case

Though young in years he did it with ease

"Stop" said the chief " I will hear"

"From a student in final year"

I stayed mum my thoughts in yester year

Till my friends pointed me out in the rear.

Smiling outwards I stepped forward in vain

Every nerve in me under strain

Unfolding the history I mentioned about pain

Among the symptoms I stressed it is the main

Hearing with patience the chief at last asked

What will you do if on you the case is tasked?

"Incision and drainage, by the method Hilton"

Said I without a thought, like a simpleton.

"Any suggestions" asked the chief looking about

And my good old friend instantly blurted out

"Investigations, sir" he said looking stout

"Must be done as the case is in doubt"

"Excellent" remarked the chief, which made me mad

As I turned my eyes on the young lad

He was well clad and no doubt was glad

I deserved it, I thought as I had done bad.

They finally arrived at the diagnosis sarcoma

And decided to treat by the rays gamma

At last came an end to the melancholy drama

When it was all over I was half in coma.

Many cases doth one see in a year

Some at least to all were queer

How one manages to pass exam is not clear

Thinking of the burden the student has to bear

Relentlessly draws the exam near and near

And the student waits in dread and fear.

COLLEGE TRIP

COLLEGE TRIP IN FOURTH YEAR

During our fourth year we went on a trip to Courtallum,Trivandrum and Kanyakumari.

The trip was very memorable. It was the first time the gents and ladies mixed together and talked more or less freely.

As usual we got two Assistant Professors, a gent and a lady to sign up for the trip but warned them not to come and stay at home.

The boys boarded the bus first and then we went to the ladies hostel.

When they started boarding one boy asked ‘AR’ whether the lady warden has allowed the girls to go on the trip.

AR sang ' Poi va Magale, poi vaa !' and was loudly received.

But there was a huge uproar when the retort came aptly with a song " Avalaa sonnal !Irukkathu! Nambamudyavillai !!"

We were surprised by the ingenuity.

Later AR confided that it was preplanned. Anyway it was very good.

During the trip we sang many cine songs. Sometimes the ladies also sang.

We always sang as a group. My voice isn't worth mentioning but I remembered the lyrics better..

Once we heard a lady's voice singing in a low tone.

The boys - JP and others stood up to have a look to know who the singer was and the singing stopped suddenly.

JP immediately said ' En paatai nirthivittai ?. Un isaiyai ketka ododi vantha ennai ematrathey Santha ?" as in Konchum Silanagai film song "Singaravelane Deva".

There was a huge uproar and the incident was told again and again.

During our Trivandrum trip we visited the zoo.

It was quite large and we were strolling by passing comments. J was accompanying our batch. When we came to a cage with bears we found them restless, rattling the iron railings.

J wanted to impress the ladies who were coming alongside and commented in a loud voice “ S, see, your friends are there!”

A suitable retort came to my mind [usually it will come to me only after 24 hrs!] and I said facing the bears “Hi, J !! Don’t worry. They will feed you soon!”

.

In Trivandrum we were staying in a lodge.

When we went for lunch outside, we noted that R has left his transistor in the room and being a novelty at that time we took it along. As such it was the center of attraction also in the hotel we dined.

When we returned to the lodge R was waiting anxiously and when he saw us he came running happily.

We first thought that he was happy to see us and were thrilled. Actually he was worried when he didn’t find his transistor and was relieved when he saw it in our hands!!!

It was also in Trivandrum that M was caught for his 'proficiency' of Malayalam language.

He was always boasting that he knew the language well.

In the morning we wanted to buy some coconut oil and took M to a nearby store and told him to ask for 200 ml of oil in Malayalam.

He did so and we saw the shopkeeper looking very perplexed.

Then we came to know that M has actually asked for 200 Liters of oil.

We had a good laugh and narrated the incident to all making M the laughing stock of the day in spite of his vociferous protests that it was just a slip of his tongue!!

HOWLERS

DR.R’S HOWLERS

Dr.R one of our demonstrator in second year is well known for his English knowledge.

His howlers are very famous !!

Here are a few -

Met me after the class

If you don’t get out I will ask the Principal to get out !

You took too much latent period !

Why are you rotating the verandah?

I talk, he talk why you talk middle, middle?

Yesterday I saw you in the cinema theatre with my own wife.

SOUND OF MUSIC- A FULL ACTION FILM ?!!

Our college hosted a Flood-lit Volley Ball tournament – open to all colleges in the state.

This was mainly due to the fact that we had a very good team with star players which usually won in the tournaments.

There was good participation and the various team members were put up in the common halls in the hostel.

Many teams were from suburban and Madurai seemed to be a big city for them.

One night some players wanted to go to an English movie and were directed to me for guidance.

When they asked me I advised them to see “The Sound of Music” which was running to packed house.

They thanked me and left for the 9-30 p.m. show.

A few minutes later one of them returned as he forgot to take his wallet.

Taking it he turned to me and asked ‘There will be lot of fighting scenes, eh?”

Before I could come out of astonishment he had left.

I gaped at my room mate.

He chuckled and said “Better go to sleep before they return back from the movie and show their wrath.”

I did.

The next morning their faces were a sight to behold and I spuriously avoided them.

ANATOMY PRACTICAL EXAM

Anatomy Dissection- the nightmare of all the students -where even bright students sometimes fail - the next ordeal being only the final year clinical.

I got 'Exposure of dorsum of foot' and was quite happy about it.

My friend X got 'Adductor Canal' [later he confided that he got 'Dorsum of foot’ but he put the slip back and picked another!]. X is a good student but on that day he was very nervous and was unsure of any and everything.

We were given the same body and the same lower limb.

I started dissecting right away but X was asking me repeatedly about the procedure and other things..

The dissection was progressing nicely and when the external examiners went out for coffee the tutors immediately came for help.

X called the tutor for help..

After some time I overheard X muttering something under his breath.

When I asked him he told me that if I didn't know something I ought to keep my mouth shut and not misguide him making him fail. On persuasion I found out that the tutor has wrongly named a nerve in Adductor canal.

I said to X that I am sure about what I said [I think it was "Nerve to Sartorius" ] and asked him to call the tutor again and check.

He called the tutor again and the tutor named the nerve wrong again..

I immediately intervened and said that he was wrong.

The tutor got confused and said that he will go and verify and come again..

That he did and returned shortly.. He said that I was right and asked X to get help from me thereafter.

X passed the exam and to his credit he was always ready to acknowledge my part for his success in that exam.

RAHUKALAM

RAHUKALAM AND EXAM FEES

In our MBBS course at that time [Integrated- 5 ½ years] second year exam comprising Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry was very tough to clear being superseded only by the final year exam.
Five of us after remitting the exam fees for second year were met by our senior friend on our way back..
He exclaimed why we have done so in Rahukalam – a period where no one does anything new as they are prone for disaster...
Our faces fell and we were dismayed. Then we consoled ourselves that as we were all good students {?} it was very unlikely that all five would fail.
It so happened that all five of us passed the exam without any difficulty.
Then the funny sequel followed.
We made a habit of tendering the exam fees, all five together and only at Rahukalam for the ensuing exams!
Our success continued unabated through out.

COLLEGE LIFE

BEFORE YOU BLAME SOMEONE...

When I was in my Under Graduate period in Madurai Medical College on one vacation I went to Chennai to see my close school friend who has joined in a city college. Having decided to go to a movie we went to the Electric Train Station and stood in the queue with him in front.
But when we approached the ticket counter I was in for a shock as I saw him purchase only one ticket.
With a heavy heart lamenting that times have changed him, I proceeded to buy a ticket.
But he caught my hand and pulled me put of the queue.
“What are you doing?” he hissed.
“Buying a ticket” I said a bit harshly.” I saw you purchase only one ticket!”.
“Yes “he replied. “That ticket is for you. I already have a season ticket.”
Then only the truth dawned on me. Though I pleaded and asked for his forgiveness he was relentless.
“How can you even think of me buying a ticket only for myself? “he fumed. “Is that how you rate our friendship?”
Needless to say the evening was ruined.
But that incident taught me one thing. Never to take anything on face value and to find a possible explanation.

A second incident proved how right it is..
One of my close relative did not attend my son’s wedding [such a long gap!]. Nor there was any news about his absence.
After a few months I saw him in a relative’s marriage.
My initial intention was to turn away and avoid him.
But remembering the train incident I approached him and after exchanging pleasantries said how much we missed him in our son’s wedding.
He nodded and said he lost his daughter-in-law in a traffic accident just two days before my son’s marriage and that is why he didn’t attend.
I was shocked and said that I never knew.
He said he asked the relatives not to convey the news to me as it would spoil my happiness in my son’s wedding.
Let him hear it in due course he had said.
Such magnanimity even in such dire circumstance.
At least I didn’t make a fool of myself, being saved by remembering the train incident.