Surgeon’s-Virtues and Commandments: a Lesson Learnt from a Human Cell

Cell plasma membrane is a protector and controls movement of metabolites and fluids. Organelles (organs of a cell) and nucleus contain all genetic information. Organelles have (1) mitochondria—powerhouse and has its own genetic structure, (2) ribosome—synthesizer of protein, and (3) liposome disposes the garbage. All organs of cell work in coordinated manner to keep it healthy. In case of exhaustion or damage, such organelles redefine its functions and help in its repair to work normally.

Do we as physicians understand cell’s basic functions and respect its physiological actions to keep a human body healthy? Its metabolic process is very balanced to keep its functions going and work at different stages of cell physiology including at genome level. The same is true in disease disorders to fight through various metabolic cycles and proteins. Disciplined function of a cell is a lesson to learn to live a disciplined life and keep healthy.

Disciplined work of different components in a cell is a lesson to learn, a process continuously going on to keep cell functioning well. Body cell does its best to keep the body healthy, but human factors do not care and develop disorders. Different components work in harmony and help others in their functions when a need arises. Functions are distributed among various components of a cell gets redesigned in case of cellular damage and repair it. This is an example of disciplined work and cooperative responsibility to keep cell healthy. Total process is metabolic in nature. Few genes are also identified in this process of autophagy but act with the help of enzymes and metabolic processes in fighting many disorders.

Surgeons are highly qualified and maturated persons doing his medical responsibility without caring for his own health and family care. Disciplined work of different component in a cell is a lesson to learn to discipline his life. He should care for his health as well as of his family members to be happy for better output in his surgical work. Similarly, fulfill your other responsibilities by systematic distribution of work among colleagues and other staff, guide each one for its successful completion and enjoy with credit to everyone.

To get more from an individual and more so from a surgeon, many virtues and commandments are necessary to guide his professional work coordinated with social and family relationship to make him a good and successful human being.

A surgeon is a part of society. Successful does not mean keeping away from the society. Involve yourself. See other aspects of life and analyse it for better perception and better understanding of others around you. Involve family members and friends to achieve self-satisfaction and fulfillment of your responsibilities.

The money you get as a surgeon is always sufficient for good life and should not be the main factor in doing your duties. Do free services through surgical and social organization as a part of your social obligation and responsibility to get self-satisfaction.

Surgeon has a unique position in the field of medicine, and as his hands and mind’s coordinated efforts relieve patients’ sufferings, you get all the credit and feeling of achievement and respect from everyone. These virtues of dedicated involvement and caring of a patient with touch of love make him highly respected in the society.

Healing touch - doctor’s hands are supposed to have healing touch following years of meditated surgical work, medical knowledge with purity of mind and true desire to give relief to the patient’s sufferings with loving care. It is said that “Doctors Treat but He Cures” is true but credit goes to a doctor. Let that feeling be there while performing procedure and do the best, and result will favour the patient.

Hands of God and mind of purity brings ray of hope to patients as sunrays at dawn brings life on earth.

Science of surgery is fast changing and so its techniques. Keep pace with it and involve in learning by attending various CME’S, workshops and hands on training.

Proficient surgical skill will always give good results. Surgeon’s humility, devotion, positive attitudes and faith with self-belief make him a distinct one with high rating in academic field as well in the society.

Comparison and competition is always there among surgeons. Those who are very successful have some extra qualities beside surgical skill. Learn good things from everyone and adopt what is good for you. Self-satisfaction is an important virtue to be happy.

Self-projection in academic field by showing your good work is always admired but resists defaming others work. Your positive attitude with skill is an example to others to follow for an internal happiness to both.

Time - circle of life revolves with time showing various aspects of life, good and bad. Frame yourself to face those aspects with courage and truthfulness, to be a winner.

Purity of thoughts - the more you do procedures, the more known complications do occur. Do not blame others for any of your mistakes or complications. Take measures to treat it even if you need to take other’s help. A patient is supreme and his welfare should be at the top in the mind. Never hesitate to take help of any of your colleagues if necessary.

Surgeons work is a teamwork involving various experts at each level. Value all your colleagues, medical and paramedical. Work jointly with one aim to see a patient’s smile.

Ego - money, fame, respect and positions are part of any professional’s life. Concentrate on your work. Do the best of your ability to reach a goal. The more you grow, the more humility in your actions will make you a distinct honoured surgeon. Ego never gives desired success but defame the profession.

Strong mind - do not get disturbed by unnecessary gossips and criticism.

Beware of exhaustion - long hours of work are usual. Plan to relax to give better performance.

Control of mind over body is the first step to learn subject of healing (Yajurveda). This Veda is pertaining to medical science of healing and treatment and has narrated various qualities needed to treat a subject with suffering to heal his ailments as per time and place. It may sound spirituals but doctor’s santity, purity and sublime thoughts of caring with cosmos rays transmitting from healer to patient. In the present context, knowledge, trained hands and equipments together give result.

Surgeon himself is an institution - doing clinical and operative work, coordinating various specialities and group of people to give best of result and helping in improving the condition of a patient and cure him with coordinated efforts is a real success. As you grow, you know your weaknesses and know how to deal with it for better result.

Limitations - every surgeon of a long time experience has its own way of doing procedures, feel comfortable with its good results. He should always understands his best of work and does not indulge in one in which you are not proficient with. Consultations and help from other colleagues doing good work in that subject should always be in surgeon’s mind to benefit patient.

“FIT YOUR FOOT IN SHOE OF YOUR SIZE” is a saying but true, to be comfortable in this race of madness.

Mirror of life - is in our front and gives glimpses of joy and sorrow to make you realize the truth of life, which is a circle. What you are today will not be tomorrow and so on. Mirror is never wrong. Do not fool yourself and try to clean mirror for a better image. Reality has to be faced. Prepare yourself and face boldly. This is difficult but has to learn as time passes to be happy which matters most.

You are a surgeon, but more so a human being and a family member who gives you physical and mental support to develop yourself to be a successful surgeon. Strengthen this relationship by giving sufficient time and care to them. It gives you inner strength to do better job without any hesitation and gives best of result.

Develop some hobby and involve in it completely to refresh you physically and mentally to rejuvanate total system.

Art of listening and patience - these two qualities are necessary for all the doctors to give confidence to a patient and develop full faith in him. A patient while going for surgery needs confidence to boost his morale to face it boldly without fear. Few words of comforts and assurance will relax his body to behave normally during anesthesia and surgical procedure.

Patient is sometimes disturbed because of his illness and behaves in unnatural way with everyone. Surgeon should understand this and treat him sympathetically.

Surgeon is a creator and innovator - surgeon creates new tissue alignments to take out disease part to give life. Many times, situation let you think more to do procedure with a difference as mind is always in search of innovation to avoid some unnatural situation during procedure and giving better result.

You are sitting under a shade of a tree to enjoy its comforts and cool air (working under a senior surgeon). Once you grow, let others sit under your shade to learn and get success in life. Every surgeon is a teacher. Besides surgery, he knows life very closely. He has learned everything from his teachers, and should repay back by teaching others to enrich their wisdom and knowledge to face this competitive world.

Learn while in training, good operative techniques and positive approach to a patient and his care. Long way in your career, many others are ahead in fame and money, inspite of you being more skillful. Never get disappointed. Everyone has his own destiny and should feel contented. God has different ways to give success as fame and money, which are known to him only. Life’s story is unpredictable. Do your job honestly and leave result to him.

Teachers are part of everyone’s life. Surgical procedures are always with risks and complications but never deter to take bold step in the interest of patients with clear explanation to relatives beforehand. Such situations make him learn for the future. Never get disheartened. Analyse failures and not repeat it. It makes him wiser and gives better results.

A human cell has various components working systematically and in cooperation, to keep the human body healthy and happy. We do not respect it and indulge in various food and unhealthy activities in unhealthy environment to which cell responds well to keep desired metabolites and discard unholy waste but has his limits. Above which cells in different organs cooperate until exhausted and fail to keep pace with human behaviour. This results in different disorders including cell mutation.

Lesson is to do justice to once work not alter others, follow norms of cooperation to keep system running, help others when needed, clean his home with dirt out and throw away what is not necessary. Disciplined good habits, truthful professional work and healthy time to the family give happiness—that is ultimate.

Enjoy glory of a surgeon and happiness of a common man.