However experienced a surgeon is, upgrading skills is always important.
There is always something new to learn. One must be humble in order to keep learning, because anyone can be a teacher – from seniormost colleagues to juniormost students, from operating theatre nurses to technicians.
Last week, my learning was through an animal – a pig at the animal lab at Amrita Insititute of Medical Sciences, Kochi.
Despite the advances in computerized surgical simulators, dry labs, and other technology, occasionally there is no substitute for practicing complex surgical maneuvers on a live animal.
While one can say that practicing surgery on animals is justified for the larger good of humanity, and all possible regulatory compliances and care are taken, I personally feel sad every time an animal is part of a training program.
I am grateful that the pig was treated in as humane a way as possible, and had a pain-free experience.
Special thanks to robotic skills trainer Mr. Murugan, for a very enriching training program.
