The Learning Curve - A Neurosurgeon’s Memoirs

Author/Editor: Brig Harjinder Singh Bhatoe, Army Medical Corps Edition: First 2023 Published by: White Falcon Publishing Company ISBN No: ISBN - 978 - 1 - 63640 - 849 - 1 The book is written in the author’s own words the metamorphosis of an ambitious student from the prestigious Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC) to an illustrious neurosurgeon of the Indian Army Medical Corps. He had been a bright performer during his undergraduate and postgraduate days through AFMC. The narrative begins with his joining AFMC in 1974. He was a bright undergraduate student. After passing his MBBS, he was posted to MH Jabalpur in 1978 for internship and finally was Commissioned in the Army Medical Corps (AMC) S a medical officer in 1979. His skill in surgery was spotted by HOD Surgery Department, who recommended for training in post-graduation in surgery. The officer too decided to become a surgeon after the experience of seeing a case of traumatic CSF leak, while on duty as a DMO (Duty Medical Officer). While deployed in a field medical unit in Punjab, he was attracted by Paratrooper duty, after seeing them in an adjoining place. He offered to join a Para Regiment. He was posted as the Regimental Medical Officer (RMO) of a Parachute Regiment in May 1982. Later he had a chance to serve in the President’s Bodyguards (PBG). It is during this posting he cleared PG Entrance Examination for post-graduation in Surgery (Delhi University). He got training in Surgery from Army Hospital Delhi cantt. He passed MS (General Surgery) of Delhi University in 1986, while still being a Medical Officer of PBG. He was posted to Leh for some time during which he got experience of treating high-altitude casualties besides general surgical work. He realised the need of special skills to treat neurosurgical casualties of peace and war and decided to specialise in Neurosurgery, opportunities permitting. He successfully cleared the Entrance Examination for admission to Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research and was trained as a neurosurgeon from 13 Jan 1990 to 12 Jan 1992. Here he came under the influence of Professor Vijay Kak, Chief of Neurosurgery, Prof Virender Khosla and Prof Suresh Narain Mathurya and was mentored by all of them in different skills of neurosurgery. He worked in various Army Hospitals as a neurosurgeon and had treated many cranio-spinal injuries during antimilitancy operations in Jammu and Kashmir. His meticulous record keeping and writing capabilities resulted in an earlier book - “Cranio-spinal Missile injuries”, followed by the present one. In July 2007, he was deputed with three others - another Army neurosurgeon, a Navy Radiation Oncologist and a Physicist - by the DG AFMS, to undergo Gamma Surgery Knife Training at University of Pittsburgh Medical Centre, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team underwent a two-week orientation course in Gamma Knife neurosurgery under L Dale Lunsford and Douglas Kondizolka. Upon return to India - AHRR, New Delhi - the group of four got together to kickstart GK neurosurgery at AHRR. The present work will be an excellent record to read by all young students of surgery aspiring to be neurosurgeons - in both civil and armed forces alike. His way of writing the professional aspects mixed with personal life accounts with accurate anecdotes is indeed commendable. Financial support and sponsorship Nil. Conflicts of interest There are no conflicts of interest.