Trapped in a Lucid Dream

Note to subscribers: Sorry for all the irrelevant question papers I posted. That was just a way of saving them, and gaining some organic hits.


So, it was pharmacology paper-2 today, and I think I had the longest night in my whole life today. Slept from 2:30 to 5 AM, and that's all. (I know, it's not new for some people out there. My friends had slept everywhere from 45 minutes to 5 hours)

Anyhow, such intense sleep deprivation gave me the amazing chance of experiencing an awesome lucid dream. And read till the end, there's a surprise. So, here's how it goes.

At 2:30 I set my alarm to 6 o'clock, and decided I'll wake up at 5 o'clock. (I don't like waking up to alarm. So, I keep the alarm tuned for a later time which I must absolutely get up at, and instruct my body to wake me up before that. I somehow end up waking between 5 & 6)

And then, I was home all of a sudden. Talking to my dad, watching TV, etc. Suddenly I realize I was dreaming. And here's what made it different - I couldn't wake up! I tried pinching myself, but I just couldn't open my eyes. Like I was stuck. I tried ringing my phone up, so that I'd be woken by the ringtone. But alas! Connectivity trouble inside the dream :P
So, I wrote down about this amazing lucid dream, and without wasting time, went on top of my house and jumped down.

And then I woke up! :D I studied for a while, and went to write the examination.

And then, I actually woke up in my bed, at around 3:30. Still having a long time before 5 o'clock, I went back to sleep.

So, it was a lucid dream within a normal dream. The first one at my home was the second level dream, because it was really hard to come out of it. I felt like it took half an hour for me to come out of it. And the second one was the first level dream. Inception. Mind f***ed.

Pharmacology RGUHS question papers December 2012

Try solving these

Microbiology question paper June 2013 paper 1 RGUHS RS3

December 2012 RGUHS RS3 microbiology question paper part 1

Feel free to download all the images and use them. This is 2012, not tomorrow's paper :D

Pathology paper 2 RS 2&3 RGUHS 2013 December question paper 2nd year. Second phase

Okay, I've probably messed up the 10 markers

Anatomy paper 1 RS 2 RGUHS 2013 December question paper

My roommate says this one was easy too.

Pathology Paper 1 Final exam RS2, RS3 2013 RGUHS 2nd year

An easy one

1st year 1st internal Anatomy Physiology Biochemistry Theory paper 2013

Biochemistry paper



Anatomy paper



Physiology paper Courtesy - my roommate

What Doctors Don't Get to Study in Medical School by BM Hegde

Disclaimer: I realize that I could be putting myself in great academic danger by publishing this post while studying medicine in the same state of the honoured author. But whoever decides to influence my very open professors and make me fail in my exams, also please read this response by nirmukta to one of his articles, to realize that I'm not the only person who feels like there's stone in the rice, waiting to be bitten.

Ah! What an interesting title and how easy a way to grab the attention of a medical student tired of reading pharmacology.

Within minutes of starting to read this book, I could smell honest but blind religiosity.

With all due respect to the degrees the author possesses, this book isn't worth buying. But you should definitely read it once, to understand the workings of a conspiracy theorist's mind.

If you read with a truly open mind, you will be able to ignore the blatant errors of facts or practicality and focus on the drive home message, which is "this world is so bad, let us build a newer world"

I'll go with a chapter by chapter review for the sake of not sounding rude.

Preface, introduction, forward: Apparently modern medicine is a lie and we should be imparting a more holistic treatment to people.

Chapter 2: Born again science
Scientific mumbo jumbo and a display of erroneous understanding of statistics. Uses the word "non-linear" again and again to suggest that the human body cannot be explained mechanistically. Finally invokes analogies from physics to suggest that modern medicine is flat earth and ayurveda is quantum leap.

Chapter 3: Man and his problems
Uses evolution to suggest that since modern medicine is recent, we should go back to ayurveda

Chapter 4: human body's intelligence
Uses physiology to suggest that sex workers won't catch AIDS, that eating mud is good for health, that treating diseases is bad.
[Can't say I don't agree to this. I totally hate taking medicine for cold, fever, diarrhoea, etc. But I so am afraid of sinusitis, otitis media, dysentery, etc]

Chapter 5: Social Health Promotion
This is the first useful chapter in this book. The author rightly identifies that diseases need a social cure, and goes on to propose an arguably practical solution: Let villages have a club where they discuss everything relevant to them and find solutions all by themselves without outside intervention.
The author also adds ten commandments for a healthy discussion. But I have no idea if the author thinks that all the villagers are going to read his commandments and follow them. And I'm not sure if he's aware of something called "Panchayati Raj system"

Chapter 6: Healthcare reaching the unreached
Here the author introduces us to his own classification of diseases according to which only 10% of diseases are the ones that need treatment. Rest of them could do with changes in the lifestyle.
I'm alright with this as long as the author lets me know where he got that "10%" statistic from.

Further there are 18 commandments for India laid out starting from "comprehensive development of villages" and ending at "economic empowerment of masses".
This is where I started understanding the problem with this book. It is well meant. It is sincerely written. But it says things that we all know.

Chapter 7: Power of Prayer
More ideas about how everyone should be tolerant, how there should be tranquillity.

Chapter 8: The quiet art of medicine
Must read if you are a medical student. In this chapter, the author gives us the actual wisdom he has accumulated as a fine doctor. He talks about sympathy, imperturbability, and "aequanimitas", and how medicine should not be made a business, about learning, never stopping learning, about loving your alma mater, about knowing alternate medical practices, etc. If this chapter was the whole book, I'd whole heartedly have asked you to read this book.

Chapter 9: The fine art of living
This one too. The author pours out all his wisdom living life, and is a fine lesson in work ethics.

Chapter 10: Doctor's dilemma
A small chapter bashing modern medicine again.

Chapter 11: Joys and Sorrows
Some oft-repeated stress management tips.

Chapter 12: Deschooling Medical education in India
Here's where I actually understood that not much of research has been put into writing this book. Why? Because of Lord Macaulay urban legend being the basis of this chapter. (Also because I find a lot of proofreading mistakes, like too many exaggeration marks!)

As far as I've understood from their vision 2015, MCI is trying hard to reform the medical education scenario in India. The author is putting forth his ideas based on Western system, which is also good. Maybe, the MCI should read this chapter.

Chapter 13: Science and Scientism
This is where the author explicitly falls into the trap of not understanding what science is and what Scientism is. By putting forth a few useless paragraphs that talks about life on Mars, about validity of Big Bang theory, about Einstein plagiarizing from his wife, about quantum mechanics the author has taken away all my trust. And then he mentions that RCTs are unreliable. And then he confuses the potential for statistics to be abused with statistics being fake.

And I don't want to read the rest of the book and waste my beautiful evening.

MAA Utsav 13

Unfortunately I won't be attending it this year. Nevertheless, here is the event schedule

If We Could Start From the End

"In my next life I want to live my life backwards. You start out dead and get that out of the way. Then you wake up in an old people's home feeling better every day. You get kicked out for being too healthy, go collect your pension, and then when you start work, you get a gold watch and a party on your first day. You work for 40 years until you're young enough to enjoy your retirement. You party, drink alcohol, and are generally promiscuous, then you are ready for high school. You then go to primary school, you become a kid, you play. You have no responsibilities, you become a baby until you are born. And then you spend your last 9 months floating in luxurious spa-like conditions with central heating and room service on tap, larger quarters every day and then Voila! You finish off as an orgasm!" ~Woody Allen

In my next year I want to spend time backwards. I start off with an exam and get that out of the way. Then I study hard and understand the entire syllabus. After that, I go to the wards and see the patients. And have discussions with my friends about various ailments. And then end the year with "honeymoon" term.

Ah!

In retrospect, it's so very stupid that we have our exams at the very end. As if the examination is the end. It is supposed to be just the means to the end. And for that, it's best kept somewhere towards the middle of the year. First half, you need to have lessons, lectures and learning. Then you will have exam. And then you go to the patients.

Well, don't read the above paragraph.

What I essentially feel now is that quintessential wonder. "Why can't I study 3 months before exams the way I study 3 days before exams?"

There is no answer. Anyhow. Learning is a very nice habit. Going back to it.

I am Alive, yet

The paucity in posting was because of two very important things.
1) I got other things to do. Lot of friends, lot of things happening. I will write them down here in no particular order.

I got broadband: This happened only about a month ago. And counter-intutively, it didn't lead me to posting more here :P Because by the time I had gotten broadband, I'd forgotten this blog. Anyhow, the broadband connection is 2-8 unlimited, BSNL Combo plan which costs me Rs 701 per month inclusive of everything. That means I have a longer day because I now don't sleep at 9 right after dinner, but instead at 3 right after the free usage begins and I've queued things for download.

I quit facebook.
A lot of things had been happening in facebook. There was a lot of groups, a lot of people I was following. Even the MMC&RI confessions page which was fun to read. But I realized that I didn't have any time to waste on reading all those useless things from the endless wall. And deactivated facebook.

Digital Library became gaming hub:
This was essentially after Sammscrithi'13. There was "reign of games" which had NFS, and counter strike and fifa being played multiplayer in the first floor of auditorium. Essentially, those games reached our digital library which had by then became defunct as a youtube browsing center because probably we didn't pay the bills. So, an hour of counter strike after dinner, can make you alert for three hours of pathology.

Among other things, I created a bot for whatsapp, hike was released, bbm was released, anyhow 2k11 whatsapp group had to be split into two - main group and extended group.

Bhavika became class representative along with Abhilash Mayya, replacing Fadnis and Pratibha. The voting for Bhavika was particularly interesting with the votes being equal for her and Sri Raksha at the end. And interestingly Saraswathi hadn't voted till then. But she couldn't vote after that because then everyone would know whom she voted for. So, we called up everyone who was absent on that day and finally it was Bhavika who would become academic secretary after Anusha.

I have been consistently scoring low in most exams, because, I have been giving no time at all to studying. Which means, I can't continue this post to write about exams, hostel, college, my ICMR project, or anything. Anyhow, I will try to post about each of them when I'm bored studying. Bye bye for the morning.

Research Primer - 15/5/13

Graduation day, socials, ethnic day

While skin posting reached its relieving end, without me taking out even the magnifying glass in that cubicle with 50 people packed inside, three events occurred on subsequent days.

Graduation day:
2k7 batch went out with summer dreams 2013. Dr Antony, Dr Abhas, doctors everywhere. They made a beautiful video about their life in MMC and danced to their contentment while we had good food and slumbered.

Socials:
I'm yet to talk with the juniors about what happened there. But in the hostel there was definitely innovative hazing methods.

Ethnic day:
Now this was fun. Thanks to more than a week of bugging hard work by class representatives and others Sammilan, though it was never called so, went so well at hotel ruchi. I was the DJ playing the right songs at the right times except when I muted the sound for 15 seconds just when the sexy lady part of Gangnam style was coming up.

Everything went so well - titles, games, food, ramp walk. Fadnis and Deepthi became the ethnic couple.

And the dance hall was simply superb with the closed room heating things up. People sweating and dancing and enjoying the night in ways that never were.

BTW, the MMC&RI confessions page has started on Facebook.
And it's OBG posting for me from today.

Weird Dream

I am in Mysore Junction Railway station at 8 AM, trying to cross the track to the first platform. But there's a local train which is blocking my way, so I decide to get inside and get outside at the other side. But as soon as I get inside, the doors close and I'm trapped, along with two girls and an old man who also wanted to go out. They're waiting for the next stop to get down, while I get to know that the train goes to Kuthuparambu (which is very close to my home, comes after Mattanur, the place I got to get down for my house) and reaches there at 10:30. Since it was Saturday, I thought I'd go home and come back on Monday, and fall asleep. When I woke up, I see that the train is already at Mattanur, and instead of going towards Kuthuparambu, it turns towards my place. I'm extremely happy and want to let everyone know...

And then I wake up, prone, on the examination table in the hall. Aquib's pointing towards loose stools on the bed and laughing at me, while removing his gloves. And then the professor starts taking class, about rectal examination. And that's when I realize what's happened. I call Sneha and ask her whether they did a rectal examination on me while I was sleeping. She said "Yes". And bam I slapped her. I was so angry that when Hema ma'am came and said they thought I'd not mind, I just didn't listen, but went to the professor who was teaching and said him "They did rectal examination without my permission while I was sleeping. That's absolutely against medical ethics. And there's even pain in my rectum now". And the next thing I see is a PG coming inside with sheets of paper and taking statements from Raziq and all others about what happened. And that's when I feel sad about it and later I go ask Sneha and Swathi why they didn't ask my permission. They say they didn't ask Nandu permission in the previous class, and then I remember I had missed the previous class. And I was feeling so sorry for everything...

And then I actually wake up, prone, on my bed in Room #28.

Dream within a dream. Double Dream. False Awakening. Not Inception.

IFMSA - Introduction To It

The academic society is brisk with activities. It is IFMSA's chance to talk in pathology hall today.

A worldwide organization with its hierarchy. Medical counterpart of IEEE.

Says US is the place for standard research. That IFMSA gives exchange student opportunity to foreign nations.
That WHO gives internship opportunities.

Registration is like 1000 rupee per year. Gives a card that is valid in cafe coffee day.

Mission statement is to offer future physicians exposure to global situation.

To facilitate medical research, exchange, etc.

Fall on four limbs

Neonatal ICU. There are two of them. One in Cheluvamba, ground floor. Second in Kid's Hospital, top floor. NICU-2 is called Sick Baby Ward, and is more airy. But either of them houses the tiniest kids on earth.

Caution: Before touching any baby, use GermX (contains sterol kind of alcohol, probably) to clean your hands. Now, before you touch another baby, use GermX again. And this is in addition to the dettol+soap handwash that you've got to do before even entering the ward. Anyhow, I've decided that it's unethical to touch any kid unless it's essential for learning.

Pre-term babies invariably end up here. And their feet would be the smallest imaginable.

Photosensitive babies would be blindfolded. At times, there'd be the phototherapy unit shining bright UV light at them.

Not to forget the sensors. There's temperature control. And whenever it goes below the set - 36.5 or so, it'll beep. BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP.
So does the heart rate monitor. Oxygen Saturation. IV Infusion rate. Everything.

Talking about IV infusion, you should know how tough it is to find a vein and put a needle inside those tiny arms. The doctor who was doing that was later recruiting new babies (neonatals) into the ward. Mother complaining of jaundice. But the baby was pink instead of yellowish. So, no jaundice. But the kid showed us some reflexes.
Keep your finger on its lips, it'll open the mouth and put the tongue out. Suckling reflex.
Hold the baby by its chest and belly, facing down, and it'll extend all the limbs, in anticipation of falling down. Parachute reflex. And it stays till you die. Yeah, the last time I fell from cycle I fell with my hands and legs down and not even a mote of dust on my clothes.
And the most dazzling. Hold the baby upright and suddenly let it fall back to your hand below. It'll show surprise by dilating the eyes and extending the arms. Moro reflex.

And the 3 questions you can ask a newborn. Have you passed meconium (first stool) within 24 hours? Have you passed urine in 48 hours? Have you started taking feed?
3 Yes, your systems are perfect.


Going to see autopsy tomorrow.

4th Term

Apparently, third term is over.

And with that came a new fervor for learning.

Posted to paediatrics from yesterday, Feb 6, a day after I turned 20. Though we missed all the days of OBG posting, I've attended both the days of paediatrics.

Day 1:
When you take a case, why is it important to know the age? :P
Hemolysis at day 1 is different from that at day 6.

And how is child case history different from adults?
There's an entirely new spectrum of diseases that can occur.

Day 2:
Immunization.
The nurses welcome us (just me and Fadnis) warmly and give us a box of used vials to play with. We arranged them in the order they should be administered.
Age 0- BCG (0.05 mL for kids born in hospital, and 0.1 mL for kids coming from outside, is what the nurse told. And the vial said "0.05 mL for kids upto 1 month, 0.1 mL for kids above 1 month". You can guess why the rule of thumb works) Live attenuated freeze dried Bacillus Chalmette Guerin IP (IP? Dad replied via sms. Indian Pharmacopoeia. BP would be British. USP would be US) For subdermal use.
OPV - Oral Polio Vaccine (20 doses bottle. 1 dose = 2 drops = 0.1 mL)
Hepatitis B Vaccine. Live attenuated. For Intramuscular use.

Age 1.5 month:
OPV
Hep B
DPT (Diptheria, Pertussis, Tetanus) Intramuscular.

Age 2.5 months: OPV, Hep B, DPT

Age 3.5 months: OPV, Hep B, DPT

Age 9 months: Measles (Right shoulder. Should see whether intramuscular or subdermal)

And I forgot the rest.

The intramuscular DPT and Hep B are given in the anterolateral of those small thighs as deep as that small needle (23 or 26 something) goes. The quadriceps was becoming very prominent while administration.

BCG very superficially in the left deltoid area. The kids would be too small that they don't even cry for more than 2 seconds.

And a pregnant mother was being given Tetanus in the deltoid.

No OPV was given today because the Pulse Polio Programme is happening next week and it would be overdose.

Microbiology Internal

Questions from Anilkumar

Pathology first internal