MEDSICON-2013- My ‘surgical’ experience!

The 3rd Annual Medical Students’ International Conference (MEDSICON-2013) at Vardhman Mahavir Medical College & Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi.

Sounds big! Isn’t it? Well, indeed it was! Being a 5^th semester medico (probably the juniormost there) who has just stepped into the vast ocean of medical field, I had an awe-inspiring purview of my upcoming 3 days. With frantic eyes and anxious steps, I headed to the VMMC building entrance steps towards the registration counter. Having grabbed all the required documents all enclosed neatly in my brown coloured folder, I entered the LH that was bubbling with high-spirited medicos from all directions. New faces from all over the world all seated together for the inauguration and lamp-lighting ceremony. I felt a tinge of excitement in my heart and my mind said, “It has finally begun”.

Day 1: “Hands on” different workshops: Me in the Basic Surgical Skills. The BSS was organised by Dr. Chintamani, an eminent surgeon of Delhi. Starting from an introduction to surgical instruments, the universal precautions, the bald parker handle, loading the blade into it- the classical palm grip and the paint brush or pen grip, straight, curved & Potts scissors, forceps and the famous three universal lines in surgery. I was all astounded at getting a weird surgeon-like feel for the first time. 😀

Then began the art of suturing and the different kinds of knots- simple surgeon’s knot, vertical and horizontal, cobblers’ knot and then continuous suture that were taught first to tie with your raw hands on a simple thread and then using the actual instrument. Yes it was totally new. The procedure that we saw in the OT seeing our professors do it so efficiently and also Dr. Chintamani sir so perfectly, now awaited to be done by us. Seeing it felt, ‘Okay, not that difficult perhaps’, but when you yourself start twisting your fingers step by step you realize you mixed up the 5^th step with the 3^rd and now it’s a mess, try again! Yes it took me many attempts, but it felt great when I got the first knot right. The challenge increased to more complicated knotting but with attempts it was achievable. Now was the real challenge, to do it with all proper instruments-the suture, blade, (not really the gloves though), forceps with an incision infront of you. I held the needle and forceps in my hand, all set to start tying when the needle that I inserted into the incision ignored to rotate and come out from the other side. The profs who were asked to evaluate each one on the table were standing infront of me and looking at me while I was working desperately supinating my forearm in a hope to get the other side of the needle and then “Click”- the needle broke. Oops! I raised my head and looked at him with confused eyes, he said, “That’s okay take another one, try again. You’ll do it. Try!” I loaded another suture needle and again started with pronation and followed his instruction, “Now supinate” and yes finally that needle came out! I was happy already at my achievement when he said “Now go on tie the knot”, I carefully began following what I had learned and also heeding to his advice side by side, and there it was finally, my first knot! 😀 Well the suturing went on at quite a pace since the lunch time was approaching. The last knot-cobblers knot was interesting to tie and this marked the lunch-break. This session confirmed the fact that ‘surgery is definitely not an easy nut to ‘suture’’.

The afternoon session began with the abdominal closure, the bowel anastomoses’-“Ligation in continuity” & “Clamp & Cut” methods and episiotomy suturing. Well that was beyond my level, but yes I tried to do my best at the table. My best part of the day was the endo-trainer section- “Hands-on” training for laprascopic surgery to see your hand eye coordination. I enjoyed it because I could easily complete the task of tossing the ball from one ring to another.  Finally something that I could do in one go without breaking or splashing anything. The clock striked 6.30pm and our felicitation began, each one from the hands of the master surgeon himself. The take-home message was that “well surgery requires a lot of perfection and I don’t find myself even near to it, atleast not now!” First day was a blast and also tiring. The whole surgeon-like feel, suturing, anastomosing, endo-trainer, interaction with other medicos from all parts and the felicitation was totally worth it. Around 7.15pm when we left the VMMC premises, I could hear my stomach growl and I couldn’t think of anything but the awaiting delicious food back at home.

Day 2:  The scientific paper writing workshop where each topic was addressed by various dignitaries that specialized in their field gave a quick review of all the basics regarding research work. Then begun the poster and oral presentations. It was actually a very educative experience. All different kinds of research works, each interesting and specialized in its field, depicted in its unique font triggered an attractive impulse to everyone’s cerebral cortex. Delegates from all over the world, Bangladesh, Russia, UK, etc had stepped into our capital city Delhi and were all under one roof, interacting and sharing each other’s point of views.

Day 3: Began with the Quiz prelims. Groups of 2-3 competing against each other and yes my group made it to the finals but due to time constraints we couldn’t participate in it in the evening. Followed by poster presentation including mine, this day again proved to be even more informative. The variety of posters increased and everyone was seen in high spirits. Though I couldn’t attend the felicitation ceremony and the cultural extravaganza that evening, there’s no doubt in it again being a super-hit.

Kudos to the organizing committee for having conducted this international conference so efficiently and making it a grand success embarking as a ‘golden first conference memory’ in the minds of people like me and setting an inspiration for being a part of it next time too. 🙂

Send in your experiences to me at [email protected] or [email protected].

Stay tuned!