Had she been a cricketer, it would have amounted to scoring a century in both innings of a test match. Had she been an athlete on the Olympic race tracks, it would be like winning gold in both the 100m and 200m dashes. Archana Sasi, the Banglore-based Malayali doctor’s feat of topping the PG entrance exam of All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS) draws superlative comparisons for a reason.
She had secured the admission to MBBS course at AIIMS by clinching the top spot then too in the entrance exam in 2012. She was in the thick of her internship while preparing for the PG entrance, but says she managed to collate notes and information through weekly tests and discussions in post-internship hours. The young doctor talks to Onmamorama about her future plans:
Why General Medicine?
I chose General Medicine because of the research opportunities that it offers. It is a medical field that calls for refined diagnostic skills. The doctor’s thought process and reasoning strategy are of paramount importance here. I find this challenge that comes with every single case its most interesting aspect.
The opportunities provided by AIIMS
AIIMS offers medical students a vast opportunity for hands-on learning. Since it is one of the premier medical institutions in the country, the sheer variety and number of complicated cases that it gets are mindboggling.
The curriculum is very advanced and we get to dabble in a variety of emerging technology like robotic assistance. But what makes studying at AIIMS special is the opportunity for practical learning.
Training under an immensely experienced faculty, the most modern medical tools at our disposal – all these factors contribute to making AIIMS the most sought after institution in the country. Since it is a referral hospital, you will get to see more variety of cases than any other medical school. The world-class conferences that happen at AIIMS are any medical student’s best opportunity to rub shoulders with the finest talents in the field.
The internship in Haryana’s villages
We have a mandatory rural service as part of MBBS at AIIMS. I was posted three months each in the rural health centers of two villages in Haryana. I stayed in the hospitals as there were no other options and worked day and night. There was so much that needed to be done. I consider it as an invaluable learning experience.
A career in my country
I look forward to building my career in India. The three-year PG course and super specialty lie ahead and I want to focus on that right now.
Archana is the second daughter of Bangalore-based Malayali couple Sasi Chemmenkottil and Jyothi Vengalil.
