The prestigious Paul Harrison Award for Meritorious Service in Rural Areas was presented to Drs. Loretta and Premal Das, alumni of the Batch of 1978. This Award, CMC’s highest honour, is presented to an alumnus for significant, steadfast and selfless service, thus living out the motto of the institution, ‘Not to be ministered unto but to minister.’ Drs. Loretta and Premal have spent nearly 3 decades in the service of patients with leprosy, a stigmatizing disease that disproportionately affects the poorest, most marginalized and those that have the least access to health care. With his Paul Harrison Awardee 2015 skill in Reconstructive Surgery, Dr. Premal plays a vital role in restoring a measure of dignity to these patients. Dr. Loretta’s specialization as a physician enables her to treat both the leprosy affected and other patients and their complications. She has also developed protocols and courses that train and build the capacity of public and private health personnel. They have worked tirelessly at TLM Hospital Naini, Uttar Pradesh, where their workload is heavy, challenging, yet gratifying, for in ministering to others, their very souls have been satisfied. In his charge to the graduates and postgraduates, the Principal, Dr. Alfred Job Daniel reminded them that ours is a calling and a vocation.’Let everything that you do be out of true love and concern for your fellow human beings’, he said. Mr. Joshua Christudoss, President of the Student’s Association, felicitated the graduating Batch of 2010. Dr. Naveen Thomas Kuriakose responded on behalf of the graduating class, thanking the many people - parents, families, faculty, friends and the student community - for their presence along this part of their journey of life. The graduation ceremony concluded with the song Alma Mater and the National Anthem. College Day was celebrated on November 14, 2015 with a host of events. The Thanksgiving Service was conducted by the final year MBBS students in the College Chapel and Dr. Prabhu Premkumar, Professor of Vascular Surgery, was the speaker for this service. This was followed by the Flag Hoisting by Dr. Philip Joseph, Professor of HPB Jasmine Chain Surgery. Dr. Vinoo Mathew Cherian, Professor of Orthopaedics was the guest of honour for the tree planting ceremony, in Elim Garden adjacent to Senate Hall. Dr. John C. Muthusami, Professor of Surgery pinned the crest on the final year students. Certificates of Honour were presented to the medical students, as well as to Alumni for stead fast service in mission hospitals. College Day ended fittingly with the staging of the classic, Oscar Wilde’s ‘The Importance of being Earnest’directed by Dr. Abhinav Chichra. The Baccalaureate Service, held on November 15, 2015, was a time for the graduating class of 2010 to express their gratitude to God for His many mercies and blessings over the past five years. Dr. Solomon Sathishkumar, Professor of Physiology was the speaker on this occasion.
Tree Planting
Crest Pinning
WOUND MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP The Departments of Continuing Nursing Education and Surgical Nursing, College of Nursing organized a workshop on Wound Management which was held on November 9 and 10, 2015 at the College of Nursing. Dr. Punitha Ezhilarasu, Professor and Head of Surgical Nursing and CNE and Research was the organizing chairperson of the workshop. Fifty delegates from Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Meghalaya and West Bengal participated in the Workshop. Medical and Nursing faculty from CMC, Vellore were the resource personnel. The sessions included theory and skills related to wound healing and stoma care in the form of lecture, discussion, quiz, role play, panel discussion, symposium, skill stations, patient sharing and display of wound products by Coloplast and Smith and Nephew. The skill stations focused on essential surgical skills such as surgical dressing, stoma care, wound assessment, bandaging, and negative pressure dressing. Sessions were extensive and interactive. The Workshop was accredited by Tamil Nadu Nurses and Midwives Council and was awarded 15 credit hours.