ICMR protocol and woes

ICMR= Indian Council of Medical Research, STS= Short Term reserach Studentship

All the torpidity and inertia had to be overcome. I could not resist the following anymore and I had to make up my mind to apply for the STS-2007.

• Nagging sister
• Self-assertive mother
• Peer pressure
• 3rd year joblessness
• Lectures about making the CV look "attractive"

Although my reasons for taking it up were entirely non-academic initially, somewhere along the way, as I did some looking up, I realised that it is potentially something I could like.

#1 Choosing the department

I have always fancied fast paced life saving intervention. Trauma, emergency, accident, sutures, surgical procedures.. I was considering general surgery. I admit that Grey's Anatomy did have a small influence. Although they over romanticize and glorify surgeons left right and centre, I am a huge fan of that show.

#2 Choosing the guide

This wasn't hard at all. He has been the only teacher who has evoked so much interest in me for any subject in KMC. Every week before class I used to read up Bailey, make notes, go prepared, answer questions, jot down more notes etc. Attendance is not an issue. He doesn't check proxies. Yet the hall is full. For me, he is totally Dr.Burke. Prim, proper, precise, perfect, tall, dark, successful. White full shirt with rolled up sleeves, tucked into beige trousers, sharp watchful eyes, mild frown on the face and the right amount of right attitude. I could easily have a crush on him. I was apprehensive to approach him. He is such a high profile, super busy surgeon. Why would he be interested in some petty under graduate short term research I thought. Moreover I did not have a substantial idea. I had nothing to lose. Impulsively, I dashed into his cabin. With a nervous voice and the visible heart beat through all my layers of clothing I told him all that I had in mind. "If you ar willing to work hard and show enthusiasm, I am glad to help. But I am going to be busy. You may have to spend more time yourself." He was actually agreeing! He gave me more ideas to broaden my search. With a stupid grin, I noted down the next appointment and left. I was so happy that I could have hugged someone.

#3 Forsaken

Little did I know that it would be short lived. Throughout the week I did my homework. Though my intentions were directed more towards impressing him, it still counts. He was seldom available in the hospital. I vainly kept chasing. He was genuinely very busy. Knowingly I went to him. I had nobody to blame. After ten whole days with no significant progress at all, he told me, "I've too many commitments already. I cannot agree to more headache. I can suggest someone from my department." I was heartbroken and very very angry. Thanks but no thanks. I left.

#4 Desolate

6 days for the deadline and I had to start from scratch. Lovely! I sulked, cried, cribbed, made myself miserable. I gave up. The ex-vice chancellor of Rajiv Gandhi University was my mother's teacher during her under graduate days and now our family friend. She wanted to talk to him. Just because I had taken this so much to heart and blown it out of proportion, it still doesn't make this such a big deal. Moreover I did not want any high fi recommendation. It became more like a challenge. For the next two days I went to every department at sight and told my story. All of them were guiding candidates already or busy or going to be out of town or not interested. It was draining all my energy. I had no preferences, no specifications. Biochemistry, Community medicince, pharmacology, anything at all would do. I was desperate. 4 days left.

#5 Ray of hope

Still game for some guide-hunting, I went to the Microbiology HOD. She suggested a lecturer and asked me to approach him. He is a docile and friendly man. He had taught us one of the staining procedures in the lab. He told me there was very less time to think. He wasn't sure if he could come up with something. He wanted me to ask other people also. He did not want to keep me waiting. I was supposed to meet him that evening after class. I wasn't too sure if he would commit. A friend's friend's uncle's orthopedician's colleague was supposedly free. I spoke to him also. In fact, he himself was looking for some students it seems. He wanted reasearch exposure. When he was so keen, I started having second thoughts. But beggars can't be choosers. We were surfing the net for some topic ideas. He was using google. Trying to sound humble, I suggested pubmed. He said ya ya, of course and typed pupmed.com

We decided on a retrospective study of pathological fractures in patients with breast cancer. Basically it just meant getting papers from the records room and copying it. I was not too thrilled and zealous, but I atleast was not giving up. That evening I went to the Microbiology Dept to tell him. He had come up with a topic too. First I had nobody, then 2 people willing to help me!

#6 Decisions, decisions all the time

After a lot of mental debate and consultation, I decided to go for Microbiology. I did not know how to tell the other guy. I have kept post poning it till date. I'm hoping his 3 year PG bond with MAHE would get over soon and he wouldn't still be teaching when I enter final year.

#7 The protocol

My guide, Dr.Vishwas Saralaya and I got along quite well. He is a senior teacher, very much the research scholar type. The best part was that he had time for me. All the time I could want. Together we did the referencing, literature studying. Both of us wrote the introduction seperately. Mine was full of fancy words and dramatic language without much stuff. His was full of technicalities. We merged the both. In a span of 2 days we worked it out and I have sent the protocol before the deadline. The day I courriered it, my mother called me a fighter. How I thrive on praise! It did feel like an achievement, irrespective of what ICMR would do to it. I had gone to sir to tell about the dispatch. With all his Greek god charm, he smiled and said, "We will work hard if we get the grant."

I did not want to write this blog because I thought the grant would get jinxed. But I feel sometimes things work the other way. My fingers are crossed.

PS: It is called "Bacteriological profile in Neonatal Septicemia"