Vol.No.53. No.49
FOR PRIVATE CIRCULATION ONLY
JUNE 06, 2016
Dr. Dhayakani Selvakumar Retires You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. I Chronicles 28 : 20 Special Prayers : Laundry :
Dr. Dhayakani Selvakumar, Professor, Biochemistry, and convener of the Medical Council of India-recognised Nodal Centre for National Faculty Development at CMC, fondly known as 'Dhaya', retired on June 2nd 2016, after more than 36 years of service. Dhaya completed her schooling in St. Mary’s School, Vellore, her B.Sc. degree (Chemistry) from Women’s Christian College, Chennai and her M.Sc. (Biochemistry) at CMC. She joined the Department of Biochemistry in 1979, and completed her PhD in 1987. She spent a year as a post-doctoral fellow at the Hershey Medical Centre, Pennsylvania, USA, where she sequenced the LOS1 gene in yeast. Dhaya is well-known to be passionate about teaching. She took special interest in helping students who found Biochemistry difficult. She made personal time to tutor them to help them pass their examinations. With such dedication and passion, it is easy to see why in 2003, she became the first recipient of the Drs. Molly and Thomas Bhanu Award for the Best Teacher at CMC. Dhaya’s passion for teaching led her to the field of medical education. In 1997, she joined the Medical Education Cell which evolved into the Medical Education Unit in 2002. In 2010, she was appointed coordinator of the unit, which became the Medical Education Department in 2011. She and her team have worked hard to make this department an MCI-recognised Regional Centre for National Faculty Development in 2011, and then a Nodal Centre in 2014. She was a co-convener of the Regional Centre and convener of the Nodal Centre, holding responsibility for faculty training needs of over 30 medical colleges in India, for which numerous training workshops were conducted. Other workshops conducted include the Postgraduate Diploma in Family Medicine (PGDFM) and the MCI-recognised Advanced Course in Medical Education (Fellowship in Medical Education). She has also served as an MCI-appointed observer and resource person at training workshops in other institutions.
June 05 - 11, 2016 Mr. Ebinezer Sundarraj and Staff Mr. Sadhu Sundar Singh and Staff
Hospital Maintenance : Mr. C. Sunny Kuruvilla and Staff Mr. Sadhu Sundar Singh and Staff College Maintenance : Mr. Josam Titus and Staff Mr. A. Thanikachalam and Staff Security Services : Mr. I.K. Chellasamy and Staff Sunday Services : June 12, 2016 6.00 pm
: Scudder Auditorium Rev. Dr. Hansraj Jain
6.30 pm
: Hospital Chapel Dr. Sunil Chandy
Memorandum: Dr. John Mathai, Professor of Paediatric Surgery is appointed Head of the Department of Paediatric Surgery and Paediatric Surgery Unit-II with effect from 6th June 2016 for a four year term. Congratulations: Dr. Anoop George Alex and Dr. Sirish Chandra Srinath for having won the first prize in a high level cardiac electrophysiology quiz conducted by the Tamilnadu Electrophysiology Council on the 29th May, 2016. They received their prizes from Dr. Sam Asirvatham our alumnus who is a world leader in the field. Obituary: Mr. I.J. Mammen, father of Dr. Grace Thomas, (Batch of 1984) and Dr. Joy Mammen (Batch of 1987), Professor & Head, Transfusion Medicine & Immunohaematology and father-in-law of Dr. Shoba Mammen, Professor,Clinical Virology, on 3rd June, 2016. Our thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved members of the family at this time of grief and loss.
Dhaya spent 2 stints of sabbatical leave at the Asian Institute of Medicine, Science and Technology in Malaysia, from 2002-2005 and 2008-2010. Her trademark dedication and exemplary service made a positive impact in that institution as well, where once again she was rated the best teacher. Dhaya’s strong faith in God, her devotion to her family, her kindness and generosity to those in need and her fortitude in coping with adversity are her outstanding qualities. Other institutional responsibilities she has shouldered include being Vice-Principal for the Allied Health Sciences courses (1998 - 2002), warden of the pharmacy hostel, member of the screening committee, in-charge of the animal house on the college campus and many more. Dhaya’s husband, Dr. R. Selvakumar, retired in 2014 as Professor and Head of the Department of Clinical Biochemistry. Her son, Rajesh, is an assistant professor in the Department of Surgery, Unit 2 and her daughter-in-law, Anjana, is undergoing training towards a DM degree in Medical Oncology at the Cancer Institute, Adyar, Chennai. They have a grandson, Anirudh, who is nearly 5. As Dhaya moves to the next phase of her life, CMC thanks her for her contributions to the institution and wishes her the very best for the future.
CMC Alumni Honoured with Dr. B.C. Roy Award The Bidhan Chandra Roy Award, instituted in 1976, to perpetuate the memory of Dr. B. C. Roy, by the Medical Council of India, recognises exemplary contribution to the fields of science, philosophy and arts in the country. This year, CMC celebrates its twofold achievement of being alma mater to a pair of recipients of this acclaimed award. Dr. Glory Alexander, batch of 1970, has been selected as a Dr. B. C. Roy awardee, in recognition of her Outstanding Service in the Field of Socio-Medical Relief. Dr. Glory obtained both her graduate and post-graduate degrees from CMC Vellore, finishing M.B.B.S. in 1976 and M.D. in 1986. She was awarded the Madras University Gold Medal for her performance in MD in General Medicine. She worked at Bangalore Baptist Hospital until 1998, when she left to start a HIV/AIDS-focused NGO, ASHA Foundation. Over the last 18 years, ASHA Foundation has impacted the lives of tens of thousands of people through its services: an AIDS helpline, adolescent health education in schools and for out-of-school youth, an integrated counselling and testing centre, medical care and support, educational, nutritional, and medical support for children, the empowerment of women, prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, a psychosocial intervention for children living with HIV through residential summer camps, capacity-building of professionals, and HIV/AIDS research. Dr. Glory has received several awards for her work in the field of HIV/AIDS including the International Ashoka fellowship award, the Rajiv Gandhi Rashtriya Ekta Award and the Karamveer Global Fellowship award. She is the Vice President of the AIDS Society of India and a member of its Governing Council. Her technical expertise has led her to be on several state, national and international committees, BBC Health news, advisor to the World Health Organisation, and member of the WHO committee that drafted the guidelines on Provider initiated testing and counselling. Dr. Glory is married to Dr. Alexander Thomas, who is also a post-graduate alumnus (Ortho) from CMC, Vellore. Dr. Mammen Chandy, batch of 1967, and former Professor and Head of the Department of Haematology, is the other alumnus selected as awardee of this most prestigious award. He has been recognised for his outstanding and pioneering work, in the category of ‘Eminent Medical Person’. Dr. Mammen joined CMC in 1967, graduating as the ‘Best Outgoing Student’ of his batch. He then joined the Department of Medicine for his postgraduate studies, during which an interest in the field of Haematology, kindled during his undergraduate days, was further ignited. Subsequently, he obtained specialised training in Haematology at the Westmead Center, Sydney, Australia under Dr. Peter Castaldi, an eminent haematologist of that time. On his return to CMC, he worked tirelessly to establish the Department of Haematology that was formally inaugurated in 1986, the year that saw India’s first bone marrow transplant here. Dr. Mammen also performed the first bone marrow transplant for Thalassemia in the country. He was instrumental in initiating the DM programme in Haematology in 1999, and it remains one of the most coveted courses in the country. A testament to Dr. Mammen’s fine leadership skills is the competent team that he developed while at CMC. Following his retirement from CMC Vellore, Dr. Mammen Chandy joined the Tata Medical Center, Kolkata, as its Director. The awards will be presented to them both, by the President of India, Shri. Pranab Mukherjee, in New Delhi later this year. The CMC community congratulates for this honour with best wishes for their continued work.
Continuing Medical Education in Medical Mycology A CME for MD Microbiology Postgraduates on 'Laboratory methods in Medical Mycology' was conducted in the Department of Microbiology, from April 25th to 27th, 2016, with Dr. Joy Sarojini Michael, Professor, Microbiology, as the Organising Secretary and Dr. V. Balaji, Head, Microbiology as the Patron. It drew a total of 23 MD Post graduate students as well as Junior faculty from different colleges in Tamil Nadu and Andra Pradesh. Dr. Ruth Ashbee from the United Kingdom and Ms. Máire O’ Sullivan from Ireland were the overseas faculty who were involved in the CME. This CME was a Clinical approach to Medical Mycology with clinical faculty from the Departments of Haematology, ENT, Dermatology and Infectious Diseases in attendance. They presented cases and discussed the challenges faced by them, foregrounding the role of a Mycology laboratory for accurate diagnosis of common as well as rare fungal infections in their areas. The students also had extensive hands-on laboratory sessions, where the faculty and technologists from the Department of Clinical Microbiology taught and demonstrated conventional microscopic and culture methods, serological and molecular methods of diagnosis of fungi.
Stories of Missions Outreach by CMC Graduates Missions Outreach: Project ‘Shifa’ – Towards Improved Mental Health Fresh out of my postgraduate years in CMC, I began my journey with Padhar Hospital, a rural Lutheran mission hospital in Betul, Madhya Pradesh, in 2014. Having just graduated from an institution that sees its missions through with faith, I arrived here ready to serve, the way I had been moulded by my alma mater. Within the same year, I was able to set into motion Project ‘Shifa’, a Community Mental Health (CMH) project, designed to screen, identify and facilitate treatment and community re-integration of patients with mental illnesses and epilepsy in a specified target area of 75 poverty-stricken villages within less than 30 km radius around Padhar Hospital. The project officially started in January 2015 currently runs on a limited budget financed entirely by personal donations from well-wishers. Thanks to all this support, we as a team have been able to build awareness of mental health issues and epilepsy in the community, enable door-to-door screening by field workers using a special screening tool, carry out weekly outreach clinics with a consultant psychiatrist (22 patients were seen in the month of May), provide free medication on site for patients with severe mental illnesses and epilepsy, foster community re-integration of patients and their families in the field, and finally follow up patients on a regular basis (16 follow-ups in May). The total number of patients registered under the project has now reached 522. While long-term sustainability in terms of manpower and finances have (as always!) posed challenges, my experience from CMC has taught me to press on with faith planted firm. It has paid off too, seeing as the ICMR & other mental health experts in the nation and abroad have taken note of this initiative. Most of all, I am encouraged by the way these neglected, marginalised people in the target area are slowly learning to come to terms with mental illness as one among many diseases and accept appropriate interventions for them. It is my prayer that God would raise other Psychiatrists, Clinical Psychologists and Occupational Therapists from CMC in the same spirit, to reach out to Mission Hospitals across the country. Dr. Johann Ebenezer, (PG alumnus 2010 to 2014 DPM & MD) Psychiatrist, Padhar Hospital, Betul, MP johannebenezer@gmail.com +91 78-98-971289 Note: There are many lending their services at various mission fields. Please share with us your experience at the Missions Office (email: missionsoffice@cmcvellore.ac.in ) or at the Promotion Office (email: ptp@cmcvellore.ac.in). We will be happy to keep in touch with you and also pray for you.
Retirement Mr. A. Purushothaman, Hospital Attendant Gr.I, CHAD retired on 1st June, 2016, after 32 years of service to the institution. His daughter, Mrs. P. Sujatha, is a Field Worker in Community Health Department. He has a son as well. CMC thanks him for his many years of dedicated service to the institution and wishes him a blessed retired life.
Situations Vacant 1. Tutor Gr.IV with BPT Graduate IAP recognised College / University for the Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (PMR) Salary scale: As per institutional rules. Age limit: Below 30 years. Accommodation not provided. Should have completed 6 months of compulsory internship on or before May 31st, 2016. Experience less than 4 years after internship completion. 2. Assistant Professor with MCI-recognised postgraduate degree in MD (PMR) for the Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (PMR) Salary scale: As per institutional rules. Accommodation provided (Partly furnished, depending on availability). Apply with bio-data, certificates and testimonial copies, contact phone number, email ID. & address with pincode to the Principal, Christian Medical College, Bagayam, Vellore - 632 002. email : princi@cmcvellore.ac.in on or before June 18, 2016 for Item 1 and June 20, 2016 for Item 2. 3.Junior Research Fellow in Scaffold-based Tissue Engineering for theCentre for Stem Cell Research Job code: 1148 The Centre for Stem Cell Research (CSCR), a unit of inStem Bengaluru, in collaboration with Department of Biotechnology (Government of India) and the Christian Medical College (CMC) Vellore, invites applications for work related to “Engineered Biomaterials and Stem Cells for Tissue Engineering Applications”. Designing of biomaterials/ nanomaterials/scaffolds and potential impact of their physical, mechanical and chemical features on functional manipulation of stem cell phenotypes suitable for tissue regeneration will be studied. Qualification: Master’s degree in any discipline of Biomaterials / Material Science / Tissue Engineering / Nanotechnology / Biomedical Engineering with a minimum of 55% of marks is essential. Prior research experience in fabrication of biomaterials, scaffolds and cell culture techniques are desirable. Mode of Appointment : Project mode. Salary : As per institutional rules. Accommodation not provided. Apply to: Interested candidates should send their application on a plain paper together with their bio-data, certificates and testimonial copies, contact phone number, e-mail ID. & address with pincode, either by soft copy Email to: cscredu@cmcvellore.ac.in or by hard copy to The Principal, Christian Medical College, Bagayam, Vellore632 002, on or before June 20, 2016 for Item 3. Note: Please mention the job Code in the application form/email. The application / email without Job code will not be accepted. 4. Staff II Cardio Technician (Project) for the Department of Endocrinology Qualifications: B.Sc. (Science Subject) with PG Diploma in Cardiac Technology course with minimum 3 years experience in ECHO cardiogram. Salary scale: As per institutional rules. Age limit: 35 years. Job description: To perform ECHO cardiography. 5. Staff III Graduate Technician (Project) for the Department of Pulmonary Medicine (DOTs Clinic) Qualifications: B.Sc. MLT or B.Sc. with PG Diploma in Medical Microbiology. Age limit: 35 years. Salary scale: As per institutional rules. Nature of job: To work in DOT's Clinic. 6(a) Staff III Graduate Technician for the Department of Wellcome Research Unit Qualification: Any Graduate with five years laboratory experience. 6(b) Staff III Technician for the Department of Wellcome Research Unit Qualification: H.Sc. with four years laboratory experience. Job description: Sort out, labeling of specimens, sample processing and entering reports for rotavirus studies. 6(c) Paramedical Worker Gr.V for the Department of Wellcome Research Unit Only male candidates need to apply. Qualification: SSLC with five years laboratory experience in rotavirus studies. Age limit: 35 years. Salary scale: As per institutional rules. Job description: Laboratory assistance and maintenance of documentation for accreditation for the laboratory for rotavirus studies. Applications to be done only through online application system. Please log on to http://www.cmch-vellore.edu Link: “Vacancies”. Note: Only online applications will be accepted; Hard copies will not be accepted. Applications will close on June 20, 2016 for Items 4, 5 and 6(a), 6(b) and 6(c). Reminder: Surrender of Unavailed Annual Leave to Encashment Account All staff members under the General Superintendant who would like to surrender their unavailed annual leave for encashment purposes are requested to feed the number of days they wish to surrender in the leave management programme with the approval of the Head of the Department, to the Personnel Manager, before 30th June, 2016. Please note that no application for this purpose will be entertained after 30th June, 2016.