Dr. Amin Malik might feel pity for medical doctors, for not knowing the significance of the word ‘Doctor’ or why they are called ‘Doctors’ I would on the contrary salute his effort for getting his doctorate in a field, which has been a great help to the medical science. Without ‘biophysics’ our study of medicine could hardly be called complete.

Medical doctors, I may be permitted yet again to use Dr. Malik’s own words “living in the cocoon of their medical world” is a charge, I find hard to take. Being the son of a reputable teacher of yore; Prof. Saif-ud-Din, who has had the distinction of serving in the college, where Dr.Malik is serving now way back if fifties and in S.P.College as Principal [1963-70] I would shudder to call teaching as anything, but the most exalted profession. I might hesitate to take pride in my achievements as a medical doctor or a columnist, but I do take pride in being the son of a teacher. In my three decades abroad, I have seen teachers placed on the highest social pedestal. And may I add, medical doctors too, not to put other professions in shade, but purely on the logic of sanctity assigned to these professions.

Dr. Malik’s take of doctors “living in the cocoon of their medical world” makes me wonder, what is the contention based on? If it is simply based on a medical doctor or two unable to analyze meaning or significance of the word ‘Doctor’ I would give it to him. But to call the whole lot ‘cocoons’ is just taking it too far! We may not venture far, but look around in Kashmir only. Our revered teacher, Dr. Ali Muhammad Jan enjoyed the confidence of all and sundry in the society, including our political elite. He was often consulted on matters, beyond the realm of medicine and his opinion on all aspects of social life was treated with respect. Dr. Syed Naseer Ahmad Shah, former Principal GMC Srinagar, a living legend of our medical world is not merely an eminent ‘Professor of Medicine’ but a socio-political thinker too. During our student days, we would see eminent persons from subcontinental socio-political milieu dropping in to see the great man.

In Dr. Allaqaband, we have another living legend in our midst, whose interest gets far beyond medicine. For the past year or so, I have had the privilege of serving as secretary of ‘Care Kashmir International [CKI]’ of which he is the Chairman. ‘CKI’ is an environmental and health advocacy group and the organization owes a lot to Dr. Allaqband’s tender care. Keeping mostly away from contentious political issues, nevertheless being held in highest esteem by political leadership of all hues, Dr. Allaqaband is an enthusiastic participant in socio-religious issues-deeply versed in Sufi lore. When it comes to political affairs, there is nothing to hold Dr. Altaf, valley’s foremost pediatrician, even to the extent of courting arrest on human rights issues. His opinion on political situation of the state often gets noted in foreign journals and news magazines. Dr. Zaffar Mahdi-the endocrinologist is another socio-politically active medico. And, then we have Dr. Waheed-former ‘Professor of Medicine’ in SKIMS, who was a columnist in vernacular print media, whilst we were still students and well known in literary circles of the state.

I would like to give the benefit of doubt to Dr. Malik; it is just possible that while forming his opinion on doctors “living in the cocoon of their medical world” he may not have had all these perspectives in view. Whether he revises his opinion in the highest traditions of academic practice of reviewing an opinion as new facts come to fore; I would leave it to his discretion? Dr.Malik is right in saying “Being a PhD, DM etc doesn’t mean that you have automatically earned glory, respect and approbation. If you have something important to say, let that stand on its own merits. If you want to be respected and loved, be respectable and loveable”. All the revered teachers and some of the distinguished colleagues, I have mentioned are respectable and lovable, irrespective of their academic qualification. Fortunately, except for Prof. Ali Jan, they are very much in the midst of our social milieu, enriching our social panorama and adding colour to it. Prof. Ali Jan may not be physically present, the spirit lives on-we take pride in his having been in the profession of our calling!

Dr. Ibrahim Jubail-my superior during my years in Libya had a doctorate in surgery from a European university. Naturally he took a greater pride in being PhD. He would often tell us that as surgeons were addressed as ‘Mr.’ instead of ‘Doctor’ in Europe, he took a doctorate to be, as Dr. Malik would have it-a real ‘Doctor. My ‘Head of Department’ in Surgery for many years, Dr. Jubail progressed to become ‘Dean’ of medical college in Serat and ultimately took over as ‘Health Minister’ of Libya.   In Europe of yore, only ‘Physicians’ and not the ‘Surgeons’ were called ‘Doctors’ probably out of their analytical skills in diagnosing disease. Surgeons on the contrary were expected to ‘open and see’ as the medical maxim goes.

‘Medical Doctors’ as per what Dr. Malik says are social doctors, to his take; I may add that they are on a ‘social contract’ to diagnose and treat diseases. The contract being sacred has earned them the distinction of being called ‘Doctors’. Any profession for that matter is a social contract, giving the practitioners of the profession a name-different in each instance, for example an engineer is on a contract to ‘engineer development’ in various engineering disciplines, while as a sociologist is on a contract of ‘social engineering’ as Dr. Malik rightly says “our non-science subjects are paying the path to understand our cultural, economic, environmental, geographical, historical, moral, political, religious, social, Intellectual and spiritual outlook  and helps us immensely to shape the world in which we live today”. I may venture to say that if sciences, including biological and physical work out comfort in life, social sciences lend meaning to it by improving social norms-conveniently called ‘social engineering’ in modern terminology, a delicate and delicate art undertaken without causing any social upheaval, maximizing pros and minimizing cons. Undesirable cons tend to creep up, with the passage of time. Social scientists do the chiseling job to straighten social norms. Wasn’t it Ibn-Khaldun who upgraded history from being merely a tale of past to a subject, in the reflection of which, we could shape our future? History was thus elevated to empiricism, earning scientific reasoning and becoming a subject of logical inferences.

We in the medical world hold no illusions on academic level- MBBS means a graduation, MD-a post graduation; however DM is a doctorate in medicine, which in our anglicized world is so named, otherwise the French, the Germans and East Europeans call it-PhD or D.Sc-a doctorate in sciences. A change in nomenclature does not take away the essence of DM or D.Sc being a doctorate, an equivalent of PhD. Fortunately, we have scores of these real doctors and not merely the ones on social contract, as Dr.Malik would like to call, the ones with MBBS or MD.

Dr.Malik defines PhD’s as “having research bent of mind and contributing research papers all along can be truly called scientists”. And then comes up with a off the cuff statement “Off course our practicing doctors don’t fall in this category”. Though I would rather not argue with a teacher, having grown to respect the profession, that too of Dr. Malik’s caliber with a PhD to his name; however I feel constrained to ask-where would Dr.Malik like to place the research oriented medicos, nevertheless practicing ones like Prof. Muhammad.Sultan Khuroo, Prof. Ab.Hamid Zargar, Prof. Shakut Zargar and other of their ilk? Prof Khuroo has made significant contribution to our knowledge of ‘Hepatology’-liver diseases, Prof. Ab.Hamid Zargar- Director SKIMS is one of the prime researchers in Diabetes, with scores of research papers to his name.

I would yet again like to give the benefit of doubt to Dr.Malik; a state in conflict with politico-bureaucratic dominance has clouded scientific interaction and academic exchange.  Eminent researchers-Dr.Malik and his ilk need to be apprised of research oriented work in our medical world-fellow medicos may take this column as a wake up call and put at least the synopsis of their research work in print media. The media could help in growth of scientific culture by creating space for works concerning scientific endevour.

Yaar Zinda, Sohbat Baqi [Reunion is subordinate to survival]

(Feedback at Iqbal_drji6217@yahoo.co.in or javid.iqbal46@gmail.com)

Lastupdate on : Sun, 27 Jun 2010 21:30:00 Mecca time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 27 Jun 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 28 Jun 2010 00:00:00 IST