Living the MIssion!

I find Dr. C.K. Eapen, consultant Physician at MOSC Medical College, a charismatic person who inspires younger people by his insight, wit and wisdom. 

At the inauguration of the research Methodology conference yesterday, he talked about his journey into research about 25 years back. When patients with acute febrile illness came during a post monsoon season in large numbers, he became suspicious of Leptospiral infection as the causative factor. He with the help of the Microbiologist, late Dr. Grace Koshy went to demonstrate Leprosipral pathogen in culture for the first time in India. Some of the original work on Leptospiral epidemiology and clinical presentation came frOm him and his colleagues. 

But his challenge to the faculty was beyond sharing his own personal experience. While visiting some medical schools in the USA he seems to have noticed plaques of eminent scientists in different places- laboratories, library, office, etc., mentioning, that ‘it was here so and so sat and worked’. He found it inspirational and revelational. He wondered whether, there will few eminent scientists, whose plaques would be placed in different places in the MOSC Medical College in the next thirty years!

As I heard him speak, I felt that I was listening to a statesman in research! He is the advocate for funding students for research projects at the MOSC Medical College. He knows that the way to foster research is to start working with students and equipping them!

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)