Smt. K. K. Shailaja Teacher, Hon’ble Minister for Health,
Dr. M.K.C. Nair, Vice-Chancellor, Kerala University of Health Science, Thrissur,
Dr. Thomas Mathew, Principal, Govt. Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram,
Dr. Muralikuttan, President, Anti-Trafficking Monitoring Group (ATMG), UK,
Dr. K. Ramakrishnan Nair, President, Alumni Association,
Dr. K. V. Viswanathan, Secretary, Alumni Association,
Dr. C. John Panicker, Vice President, Alumni Association,
Dr. K. Dinesh, Vice President, Alumni Association,
Dear Doctors and Former Students,
Sahodaree Sahodaranmare,
Ellaavarkkum Ente Namaskaaram.
It gives me immense joy to address you all on this memorable occasion, which is like a home coming for many of the old students of the prestigious Trivandrum Medical College, which is the oldest Medical College in the State and undoubtedly, one of the best in the country.
With great pleasure, I inaugurate this Annual Convention and share with you, the joy of reunion that fills your minds.
Let me at the outset, compliment the College and the Alumni Association which have many illustrious alumni all over the world, for taking efforts to convene this Annual Convention.
As we all know, the Trivandrum Medical College has established itself as the benchmark of quality in medical education not only in Kerala but also at the national level. To be educated in such an institution is a privilege that only a select few would get and therefore, I would consider all the alumni assembled here as the cream of the medical profession in the country.
It is a matter of pride that the Government Medical College has always upheld a tradition of expertise and dedication in its services. The College had been growing steadily since its inception in 1951. I am happy to note it has now expanded in such a way as to accommodate five fully interconnected hospitals, four medical and para-medical colleges, 42 departments and nine super specialty departments. Above all, it trains 2500 bright medical students who would offer their services to the people of this country. The credit for maintaining the highest standards in medical education and training goes to hundreds of teachers, past and present, who have served this institution. Let me, on this happy occasion, pay my respect to all of them.
A Convention of the Alumni Association is not just a trip down memory lane; in fact, it is an opportunity to contemplate on how best to shape the future of one's Alma Mater. I was a little surprised to note that though this is the oldest Medical College in the State, the idea of an alumni association dawned on its former students only five and a half decades after it was established and that the idea came up during the meeting of the Association of Kerala Medical Graduates of USA and Canada (AKMG) and not from people nearby. But, I am certain that it was the tireless efforts of the alumni in Kerala that have brought the Association to its present form.
However, I am happy that right from its inception in 2006, the Trivandrum Medical College Alumni Association, has been setting a model for such associations, first by ensuring the presence of 1500 members from across the world and then, by actively involving in the development activities of the college. The air-conditioned Patient Information center established by the Association, for instance, has been of great help to the people who visit the Hospital.
In fact, I have come here as a patient on a number of occasions. I also go by the advice of my physicians and specialists who are products of this institution and I have always expressed full faith in them. I must also say that the former students of this College are shining not only as doctors but also as able administrators. Dr. Usha Titus, Principal Secretary, Higher Education and Dr. Arul Krishna, my ADC are names that come to mind very quickly.
I am informed that the concept of starting Learners’ Resource Centre at Trivandrum Medical College came from the Alumni. The renovation of the Auditorium and the establishment of a Burns Intensive Care Unit for women have also been the contribution of the former students. Incidentally, I must say that our doctors had effectively handled the situation when several patients with burn injuries were rushed in to this hospital after the Puttingal blast near Kollam. The provision of scholarships of Rs.10,000/- each to 25 undergraduate students from the year 2007 onwards is also a laudable venture. Through such encouragement, the Association shows a noble way of supporting the growth of the next generation of doctors.
Alumni Associations are essential in every institution so as to ensure that students maintain a professional as well as emotional link with their institution. The professional experience and expertise of former students could very well be utilized to help the present students. Most of you may be aware that many of the ranking systems for educational institutions consider the relations and coordination with the Alumni as a vital yardstick to assess the performance of a college.
I understand that every year academic programs are arranged for the students and staff at regular intervals whenever senior doctors from abroad visit this city. However, there could be more effective means of knowledge sharing, which I would request all the former students to discuss during this convention. For instance, the new developments in Medicine and the widening range of legal and ethical issues need to be handled with a global perspective, for which the Alumni could be the apt resource persons. Since those in the medical profession have to be doubly cautious in dealing with technology-related emerging ethical issues, it is always good to have interactions with global experts.
I would also suggest that the Alumni who work in globally reputed hospitals should find some time every week to guide our young doctors. Since we have very user-friendly communication technologies, let us use them for such interactions, which would ultimately benefit our ordinary people.
I would also seek the cooperation and advice of the Alumni association in implementing the measures suggested in Kerala’s Health Policy. I hope your Convention would discuss this matter also. Last, but not the least, as seniors, I would like your interactions with the present medicos to include the importance of seeing a patient not as a mere customer, but as a cross section of the society we live in. To them, a medical condition should be more than a disease and a social issue that needs urgent medical and societal intervention. Your guidance could help our upcoming doctors develop a larger social vision which will add to their healing touch and expertise.
I congratulate all the Distinguished Alumni who received awards today and wish them a bright future. Let me also compliment the organizers for conducting this function in a befitting manner.
Ellavarkkum Ente Aashamsakal
Nanni
Jai Hind
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