Previously on Gauri's anatomy...

"Dissection hall" is supposed to be a significant milestone in a medico's life. When I entered it for the first time with my new crisp apron, armed with instruments, Hutchison's manual and saw the cadaver, I did not feel most of what one is conventionally expected to feel except bit of apprehension and excitement.

It has been a while now and I hate to look back. For many reasons DH was nightmarish for me. Throughout first year I dreaded those 2 hours in the day. I did not like my company. My friends were assigned different tables. My table mates were mostly localites who went to the same colleges earlier for pre university. They knew each other from before. Outsiders are not easily welcomed into the group. Most lived up to the 'day scholar=geek' image. They had earned handsome entrance exam ranks and had each got a merit free seat. I had got in through merit too, but only difference being I pay four times their annual fee. I was quick to take offence then. It was a touchy topic. "What's your CET rank?" seemed to be an important criterion to assess your intellect. I am going to be with this same group for the rest of my time in medical school. In hospital postings, practical classes, community medicine field trips etc and I was already bored.

I was not good at the subject. Yes, human anatomy is fascinating. I enjoyed the discussions, applied aspects and watching the corpse being skilfully cut up. During each part's teaching schedule I'd get inspired to specialise in that area. What I liked from the experience is the threshold for finding something gross increased greatly. Exam oriented studies is a chore. It is mostly mugging up. I used to get targetted a lot on the table. My preparation was never good enough to handle the mock vivas decently.

Somewhere along the way I told myself that it wasn't going to work that way. "I am stuck here. I might as well learn to like the situation." I began to build a working relationship with my table mates, laughed more, made new acquaintances and mugged up enough to avoid embarrassment. I made a compromise. There were good days too. Staffwise it was a superb department. Very organised and classy professors.

My friend wh0 was allotted the adjacent table to mine, for one particular month was being taught by this PG who was exceptionally good at the subject. Students from other tables used to flock around. Towards the end of term we mostly had revision classes. All the organs were dissected and piled up on the table and whoever incharge would take a grand viva everyday.

No matter how many times I narrate this incident, it fails to dampen the humour for me. This friend of mine was also not having a particularly great time on the table and this PG harassed her unnecessarily sometimes. She went prepared to classes and I felt she did not deserve it. That day I also went to their table for revision. Sir pointed at an organ and asked her to pick it up and identify it. It is a rule that whichever side the organ belongs to, you have to hold it in that hand. It was the left testes with the spermatic cord. She identified it right but she was holding it in her right hand. Sir asked her to hold it in the anatomical position and she did something with a lot of us remember vividly. She did not understand what he meant. She gave a puzzled look. She moved her right hand, still clutched on to the cord with the testes hanging from it and held it close to her pelvis.

It was mean but none could help it. The situation was boisterously amusing. She cried that day out of humiliation.

When I look back now, it is an awesome memory! She more than agrees with me.