Reflecting 5 years

It is a little over 24 hours after it was revealed that I have completed MBBS(Sri Lanka (NOT Aluthkade)), and it is a time to reflect on five long years at the Faculty in the journey of reaching here.

Among the lot that had supported during the journey, the full credit has to be given with utmost gratitude for all the patients whom I met from the first day at clinicals in a surgical ward till the last patient who supported me at the surgery long cases in the exam. Words can never describe, how grateful I am for all these great human beings. The kindness and the selflessness to talk to us and let us examine them, while they are in pain, sometimes at the last days of their's lives, when they know that this in purely for our studies with no personal gain for them (except their self satisfaction) is unimaginable. And we are blessed that there were so many such wonderful human beings who helped us over the years to learn Medicine; which would have never been a reality with out them. ( Although the Sri Lankan trend is changing at this point of writing where clinical training has not become essential to be doctors)

It would be a wastage of words if I praise my family members and all the close relatives here, because I can never think of a life without them, and using words to praise them is just a foolish attempt. But an emphasis on the past 5 years is incomplete if not for the the mad cousins who made life interesting in the few gatherings we had over time.

Teachers we meet at medical faculty are not like those whom we meet at school. All the teachers form pre school till grade 13 nurtured us like their own children and worked for our betterment and cheered with us in our success and cried with our failures. Learning medicine was to be professionals. The teaching on professionalism was a part of the training. So, the teacher, student relationship was different. If to speak of the best role model I met among the lot of role models at Colombo, it is Dr. G.L. Punchihewa sir - Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon. Sir was a complete doctor as I felt with the complete package of teaching, patient care, caring for students and good interactions with other healthcare staff. And there were many others too like , Prof. Saroj Jayasinghe sir, who was a role model on caring for patients , Dr. Thashi Chang sir, who was an excellent presenter and a teacher, Dr. Sanjeewa Senevirathne sir, a young teacher who made learning interesting and novel, Prof. Nandadeva Samarasekara sir, a wonderful administrator etc etc and there were many more in the list which I may not drag as the purpose of the blog is just to glance through 5 years.

Then come the friends who can either make life at university wonderful or a suffering. I am glad to have been  blessed with a wonderful set of school friends who can either be my teacher, counselor,  friend, idler and whatever the role the situation demands.

A complete 5 years of medicine is obviously boring with out changes to life. Complete different exposures are an essential part of life I guess. To serve this purpose I am blessed to have a set of friends, who will be "My Set" for ever in life. The fellow scouts of the troop committee are almost like my own brothers with all the conflicts, resolutions, fights, arguments in abundance. Organizing Centennial ROCKS with this lot while doing medicine was something I truly enjoyed.

Well, this doesn't mean it was 5 years with school friends. There were a lot of other great friends I met at the Colombo medical faculty too. Reflecting back I am fortunate that all 200 batch mates have helped me at least once at some point during the long journey. But as with anyone else, I too had a set of Extraordinary friends who made the 5 years special. All of them played different roles during the 5 years of stay, sometimes pleasant memories, sometimes life lessons, sometimes unbelievable experiences but everything to look back and smile about. 

This was the batch father in year one and was one of the best friends I met during the 5 years time, and the friendship had it's ups and downs , but the memories will never be forgotten

This guy unfortunately had to help me out with all trouble I get myself into, may be conference, hosting Japanese delegates, doing repeat campaigns, training swimming, etc etc and for some reason, still works with me at times of need(like finding old photoes for this blog)

This guy is the guide and the ever ready man who is the first contact at any sort of an issue and more importantly was freely available at any time (then)

This was my treasurer as a rep and since then for some unfortunate reason for him had to be a good friend of mine till this day, obviously with so many arguments and disagreements starting from hair and beard

This union president had to bear most of my direct criticism , but still keept laughing for a reason unknown to all. This person makes the properties of associations, faculty etc public which help sometimes, but not all the time.

This genius, who has climbed and excelled in all possible subjects, had always been a pillar with valuable inputs for a successful 5 years at the faculty, and had been the final destination when a decision regarding a subject matter is needed.

The union guy since year one.  Had so many plans, so many fights, disagreements , but was continuously supportive, particularly in the early years of need and led Anti SAITM campaign from our batch.

This is the Drama friend, who lit bulbs throughout 5 years and been motivating at times things were getting pretty bad with no solutions.

And then there were a lot of others who had always been a wonderful support over the years,  Carbo - The constant admirer, Sasangi - The constant supporter and particularly her family; where their house became a public property of 2010. There were so many other friends who contributed for a great life at faculty.

Somewhere down the line, I happened to end up being a batch rep and if not for Lakshika (the repi) and her patience, her way of working and her leadership, that particular year would have been a much worse one for the 200 in batch of 2010. I am truly grateful to her for the wonderful support given.

In this long reflection I can never forget the lot that had to bear me for 3 years at least every morning in different wards. There were issues more often than not, but if not for this lot the dream of MBBS would never have been a reality.

And then there are groups with different names, body group, community group, family attachment group, research group, elective group, prof groups, study group, cases group etc etc where I had to be a member sometimes with greatest enthusiasm and sometimes with greatest reluctance, but somehow ended up being a nice memory or an unforgettable experience( good and bad).

Also there were different committees namely Disaster Management, Sports Association etc which I had to be a part and contributing in different scales. They provided me the greatest opportunity to work with wonderful/not so wonderful students from senior/my/junior batches.

Not not to forget the long list of roommates I had - Lape, Sithasiha aia, Dasun, Randika, Yeshan and Diluksha ; the long list explaining how troublesome I must have been to the people who lived around.

Slowly but steadily we had to enter the so called ''Prof" year , the final lapse. It must not have been what it was if not for Praveen aia, Aindrani akka, Chapa akka - some i have met and some I haven't and only a Colombo medical graduate will know their value. And how can I ever forget , the dedicated seniors who were sometimes more enthusiastic than us to get good results for the faculty they studied. The Genius Mythili akka, Yasith aia, Kasun aia, Arjuna aia, Tharunya akka guided us with all that they gathered over their lives in medicine, and sometimes to the extent we couldn't even believe their commitment for a junior batch that had troubled them so much. If not for Praveen aia in particular, some Prof. appointments would never have ended with what the final results have displayed.

Among all senior inputs , I need to remind this character , 

whom for his fortune/unfortunate had us behind him during the Prof. year (his intern year). The ward tricks, BSS breaking bad news, Pearls of being a Good & Efficient intern were lessons taught by this man with example. Maheshi akka too had her inputs, particularly during Surgery appointment.

What is in word here are just bits and pieces from here and there that ran through mind when reflecting on the last 5 years at a glance. The Dances, visits, trips, dramas, decorations, sports and many more keep rushing in to mind which I would purposefully omit for the benefit few readers who will ever read this blog.

At the end of it, the papers Dean madam sent us through air, has unfortunately divided the batch to two broad groups on the day after our "Going Down", as those who passed and those who were not so lucky in the 1st attempt. However, I personally am proud that a batch mate of ours has set a legacy that would motivate thousands of students who come to Colombo to enjoy and excel in medicine with a balanced faculty life. If there's a will, there's a way is a famous saying I have listened to and this time it was proven in reality. 

It had been interesting (sometimes there were issues too like with anybody else) to work with Praveen since year one at various levels Med fest, Law Med, Freshers'welcome (Induwara). His prep talks, the unbelievable leadership skills , the entertainment has always been a great asset to Dahaya, until  he proved yesterday that he is unstoppable, by setting an example of balancing everything and finally reaching the target one needs to achieve. Among all good things he did for the batch , he has set the exact motivation for the  batch mates who needs to attempt again in May, "It is never about what you got in the past, it is about what you want to achieve in future, and getting the right advice, doing the right thing to get to the position you want" - Congratulations Praveen! And Thanks for making 2010 batch and Faculty of Medicine, Colombo Proud! 

and All the very best for the friends who will be attempting again! :) After all this is not MBBS(Aluthkade), and it has to be earned in the correct way which is hard ; not by money, court orders or corrupted politicians!