Sunday, November 8, 2009

Indian doctors: Hall of fame - Part 7: Dr Pradip Kumar Datta, FRCS teacher of doctors



By Syed Akbar
If thousands of doctors the world over have taken their first step on the career ladder of medicine, it’s thanks to Dr Pradip Kumar Datta. He is famous for his world renowned course in medicine which he launched in 1981. In recognition of his services to medical teaching, he has been awarded the Farquharson Award by the Royal College of Surgeons.
He conducts postgraduate surgical courses in the UK and India. And when he gets some spare time he goes salmon and trout fishing. Dr Pradip Datta was appointed as Consultant Surgeon, the top position that one can reach in National Health Service, UK.
Hailing from Visakhapatnam, he left India in 1967 to discover that it was difficult for Indian doctors to pass the Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons. He then decided to set up training for FRCS course and gained an international reputation for supporting students to develop the confidence they needed to impress examiners at the FRCS.
A humble Dr Pradip Datta, however, does not accept the fact that he has attained the highest pinnacle in the medical teaching profession. "I would never dream of ever saying or even thinking that I am the
best doctor in the field. That would be very arrogant, not to mention conceited".
Dr Pradip Datta, a general surgeon by profession, served as the honorary secretary of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. Dr Datta does not benefit financially from his teaching as he gives donations and fees to charities. "I chose general surgery as my speciality as it gave me an opportunity to see patients with very
different conditions and to treat and operate on a wide range of surgical cases".
This doctor-teacher from Andhra Medical College in Visakhapatnam feels that Indians are doing so well because they are in general very hardworking and motivated. "This is not only in the field of medicine
but also in other spheres. This is true abroad as it is in India as well".

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