MUMBAI: On Saturday, medical students at the state-run JJ Hospital were taught the fundamental skills of gathering medical histories as a key step in diagnosing patients by one of the country’s finest physicians Dr Farokh Udwadia. The Padmabhushan awardee recognized widely for his diagnostic acumen has often emphasized that
medicine is best learned at the bedside rather than from books. As soon as Dr Udwadia, at 93 years of age, entered the hospital, he immediately set an example by climbing the stairs to reach ward 7 on the fifth floor, rather than taking the elevator. Postgraduate students presented their cases to him one by one, standing beside the patients’ beds.
Over the course of about two and a half hours, Dr Udwadia imparted lessons on history taking, examination, and arriving at diagnoses.
Dr Udwadia explained to the students the importance of mastering the art of history taking, encouraging them to rely on their clinical skills before turning to diagnostic tests. “Students are forgetting the art of history taking and they should learn it without first relying on investigations. A doctor who truly understands and builds a rapport with the patient is a hallmark of a good physician,” he told the students.
Dr Pallavi Saple, the dean of JJ Hospital, said that Dr Udwadia is a professor emeritus at Grant Medical College and Sir JJ Hospital. “He graciously agreed to impart his vast knowledge to the new generation of medical students,” she said. tnn
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