More than Just Surgery: Life Lessons Beyond the OT by Dr Tehemton Erach Udwadia

 

More than Just Surgery: Life Lessons Beyond the OT by Dr Tehemton Erach Udwadia

 

Awarded the Padma Shri, the Padma Bhushan and the OBE, Dr Tehemton Erach Udwadia is widely regarded as the Father of Laparoscopy in India. From 1951 as a medical student to the present day, he has not only witnessed first-hand the avalanche of surgical progress, but has also seen lives saved as a result of these advances, be it a disposable plastic syringe or a liver transplant. In this, his memoirs, he painstakingly maps his journey from his student years through residency, research, surgical practice and surgical teaching with a view to sharing the lessons he has learnt. And what they can teach you.  More Than Just Surgery is a warm personal account of people, incidents, mentors, failures and absurdities against the backdrop of surgery. It is also an engrossing historical account through the eyes and hands of someone who has lived through the journey. 

 

Dr Tehemton Erach Udwadia

Dr Tehemton Erach Udwadia


 

Reading a memoir of life lessons in the backdrop of surgery written by a celebrity surgeon was ostensibly expecting a well packaged marketing tool. More so, when the cased-in glossy book had Mr Anand Mahindra’s advance praise on the book. However, the saga of world renowned Surgeon, Dr Tehemton Udwadia is authentically and lucidly narrated without any pontification. The flow is so smooth and engaging that not only did I finish reading the book in one sitting, but made me wonder about the ‘life lessons’. 

 

 
On revisit, one realises that the sensitive soul who leads by example, Dr Udwadia has subtly punctuated his insights and learnings along the chronicle without categorizing the lessons or even text bolding them. What’s touching is that through this moving story, he liberally and justly recounts the contribution of every stakeholder, namely, Ward Assistants, Nurses, interns, seniors, teachers, mentors, peers and family who have played significant part in every event and the making of him. Tellingly, the author starts with describing the circumstance under which, he as the only resident was called to manage a post-tonsillectomy bleeding boy in the wee hours of his first day as a resident. Self-confessedly ignorant of the skill needed, he vividly recapitulates even 60 years later of how Sister Alvares hand-held him to effectively manage the case and the supporting role theatre assistant, Mr Laxman played. Author simply adds acts of kindness & grace outlasts one’s life time.

 

It’s an amazing journey of how a mischievous and academically average lad who got into medicine by external support, failed in MBBS 1st year and again in Master of Surgery PG exams became a doyen of Indian Surgery & Laparoscopy. He inspires by adding, doing well in academics has nothing to do with one’s performance in life. A doer with leadership skills, Dr Udwadia’s story of getting exceptionally involved in Experimental Surgery on Dogs and Snakes, has its origin in accidental entry, mentoring by versatile Prof P K Sen and finally the joy and satisfaction that their experimental studies were put to clinical use in open-heart surgery and transplantation programs. Actually, what makes the empathetic & problem-solver, Dr Udwadia’s journey relatable, interesting and inspiring is that most of his professional and life changing moments seem to have happened by chance, but the intervening story of how he overcame sibling rivalry, standing his ground & rubbing his PG Guide the wrong way, lack of referral support due to ethical stand, humiliations & obstacles by peers. Great people work through to exalted position in History in spite of personal failings, weaknesses & hurdles.

 

Follow us @ Facebook : Advanced Tech World

 

Find More at
 
Automobiles : Automobiles 
 
Aviation Blog : Aviation 
 
Students Help : Students