Dr. Divakant Misra
Consultant
Sri Sankaradeva Nethralaya
Guwahati
Dr Divakant Misra, a vitreoretinal fellow from Sri Sankaradeva Nethralaya (Guwahati) shares his thoughts and aspirations of being a budding ophthalmologist in the country. Being the general secretary of the young ophthalmologist’s society of India, he has been in touch with a lot of his colleagues and peers across the country and some of his thoughts also reflect those of the younger generation on the whole.
My journey in Ophthalmology began as a small inquisitive child trying to peep through the viewing system of a slit lamp, sitting in my fathers lap. And, when the time came to chose my speciality for post-graduation, opting for ophthalmology seemed the most natural thing to do. As years have passed in the field, if I were to go back I would still make the same choice but for different reasons. This time I would opt for ophthalmology for the sheer beauty and brilliance of this speciality. With every passing year I realise that this tiny structure called the eye is so much bigger in its complexity. This speciality has had me hooked on for all these year, every patient mysterious in different ways, every OR more delightful than the previous & now if some one would ask me, why I opted for this specialty ? I am left feeling as if, its ophthalmology that chose me and not the other way round. And thank god for it!
Working in the Vitreo-Retina Services of Sri Sankaradeva Nethralaya ( Guwahati ), I have realised there is more to an institute than it being a work place. It is a family, a team working towards a common goal. I have found great mentors who have radically changed my thought process as an Ophthalmologist and more importantly as a Human being. A tertiary level ophthalmic institute like ours provides a Young Ophthalmologist (YO) everything that is required to grow to his full potential. The patient load comprises mostly of referred and challenging cases, which teach you more than what any book can. The intellectual stimulus that you get by interacting with various colleagues and subspecialists is unparalleled. You are able to dedicate significant time to your academic and research pursuits which would be otherwise impossible. Ufcoure there is a salary difference when you compare it with a successful solo or corporate practice, but it is well compensated by the work satisfaction you get at the end of the day.
Being a YO my self and due to my association with the Young Ophthalmologists Society of India (YOSI), I find my self in a unique position. I am able to get an insight into the hurdles faced by fellow YOs on a daily basis apart from the challenges which I face myself. This cumulative knowledge enables me to see the bigger picture. The young generation is facing a much more competitive environment. The field of ophthalmology is more technology driven than ever, and there is this big burden to keep up with the rapidly changing ophthalmic landscape. Those who are adapting fast, end up depending too much on technology to diagnose. However tempting, YOs should avoid this trap of technology induced hyposkilia.
I see a big divide amongst the YOs in the present scenario. While some are very aggressive, focused and are achieving greats things a large chunk remains ill informed, confused and are struggling. Apart from individual differences a lot can be blamed on the disparity in the educational landscape. India is known for its diversity and unfortunately, this diversity exists in the ophthalmic teaching curriculum as well. We have a whole spectrum of ophthalmic institutes across India ranging from the world class ones to the ones where there is an alarming scope for improvement. All India Ophthalmological Society (AIOS), with its phenomenal reach can play a crucial role in bridging this divide by standardising the residency and fellowship programs across India.
Lot of young ophthalmologists are very keen on pursuing research and are trying to bring their innovative ideas to reality. But, at this nascent stage they find it hard to arrange finances for research, innovation or to present their work at international platforms. I hope, AIOS can start some research and travel grants aimed to promote the culture of research & innovation form the very beginning.
AIOS has been very proactive in supporting and encouraging the YO, the recently conducted AIOSYOSI Young Ophthalmologist Forum bears testimony to that. It was a highly successful program and it was watched and appreciated at the global level. The program would not have even been conceived without the incredible support from our AIOS leaders. We look forward to continued support, guidance and opportunities from AIOS.