‘Dr Kafeel Khan Taught Me to Be a Human First, Physician Later’

A former student of Dr Kafeel Khan writes on his teachings as a professor and physician. 

(Photo: Erum Gour/The Quint)

Dr. Kafeel Khan completed his post graduation in paediatrics from the prestigious Kasturba Medical College, Manipal. He is a highly decorated doctor with numerous academic achievements while being equally good with his practice. He joined my alma mater, Sikkim Manipal Institute of Medical Sciences (SMIMS) in the department of Paediatrics. The takeaways from his classes will stay with me through my professional career.

Professor Khan is a teacher and researcher of the highest order. The meticulous manner in which he prepared and delivered his lectures has been widely acclaimed by all his students across, who still remember him for his extraordinary teaching abilities.

When he taught us in our final year, he had a novel and innovative approach. He used a neonatal baby model to teach us. I particularly remember his words from our Neonatal Resuscitation class.

No pens, no notes. You only had to listen to him recount his OPD days and the examples from his life were almost as if you were listening to a story. It was such a tectonic change for us since we were used to the traditional way of jotting and writing a lot in our classes.

A Professor, Friend and True Humanitarian

We were all absorbed into this new exciting and refreshingly inspiring class of his. Final year in medical school is considered the toughest, but the way Dr Khan taught us, one has to agree that he took some load off our shoulders. He would often ask questions in class and himself lead us to the answers, so it felt like you knew it all along. The help from this positive reinforcement was multifold, even students who were not faring well otherwise started doing well in his papers.

Despite all his monumental achievements, his humility and dedication to work were exemplary.

He would often sit down with us at the canteen for hours and keep telling us how the call of a doctor has to be beyond economical gains, and how that is imbibed into the profession.

He was the kind of person you’d always want around – as a friend, as a roommate –someone who always lifts you up. How many can say that for their medical professors?

He also had this wonderful ability to maintain friendships with same vigour and sincerity as it started, often keeping in touch with a few of us later too. As far his work goes, he repeated one mantra in our clinical classes every time:

“No room for mistakes in our field, buddies.”

Dr. Kafeel Khan’s Mantra

He always gave his best to his patients. With his red stethoscope, he was able to distract little kids while he’d gently hold and examine them.

He indeed had what is known in our field as the ‘healing touch’.

Given his academic qualifications and experiences, he could’ve easily worked with any private giant in any city of his choosing, but he chose what he always preached to us, ie making a difference in those lives who do not have access to the same medical facilities we do. That was in fact one of the few things he told us in the very first day of his classes. His profound words stuck with me.

When I saw the media coverage of his medical camps at remote rural locations (including one in my hometown), I’d see him covered in sweat but smiling away, happy doing what he loves most. He thought like a physician but behaved like a healer. He taught us how to be humans while being a physician.

To witness what has happened to him in a ‘modern India’ has broken my confidence. It shattered both the belief that doctors are respected and the dream that I should go the extra mile for my underprivileged patients. While I will still continue to do that, no doubt, I’ll always have fear at the back of my mind.

I hope the medical fraternity, all his students and patients too, do the least for him ie raise their voice so that he gets back his simple life and let him do what God has crafted him for — treat tiny sick babies and give them a tomorrow.

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