Photos courtesy of Eric Gordon

Report from Eric Gordon

As a 4th year student at the Weill Cornell Medical College, I  traveled to the CMC Vellore this past February. My experience of India was truly wonderful and unforgettable. This was in part due to the kindness of medical students who had arrived in Vellore before me and were happy to share many useful tidbits of information sparing me the agony of learning things on my own the hard way. I arrived in Chennai (Madras) in mid-February about 6 weeks before the temperature grows unbearably hot for almost anyone including locals and after meeting a taxi driver with my name on a placard at the airport exit (kindly arranged for me by the Principal's office.)   I experienced driving in India for the first time via the 3 hour trip to Vellore. Driving in India may be summed up in the following manner: Four directions of traffic on a two way road with one lane. 

On arrival in Vellore,  I stayed  the first two nights at the Hotel Prince Manor. At the time it was an easy decision to do this because I was exhausted from traveling, experiencing culture shock (Vellore was far different than ANY place I had ever been and the only map I had was not very helpful), and the price of about $16 U.S. per day for a comfortable air conditioned room with cable TV seemed very inexpensive. Once having adjusted to the different economy of India, I found that I was paying way too much compared to the Hospital Annexe, which ranges from between 100-200 Rupees per day depending on whether or not you have a roommate. 

When I finally did make it over to the Annexe I met "The Manager" for the first time. She was and is by far the greatest source of useful information for a visiting medical student. She can tell you what things should cost (because, as I learned, many prices are not fixed in India but require "bargaining"), where things are and how to get to them (good places to shop, eat, bank, visit), and who you should be meeting to arrange for placement around the hospital as a "Visiting Medical Student Observer." Her office is located on the first floor of the Annexe. One of the other great helps that "found me" were the other medical students who had been there for at least 5 days before me. 

One of them (who's father is a surgeon that I had actually watched operated about 6 years earlier - it's such a small world!) easily picked me out as I was "enjoying" my first meal at the YWCA Canteen next door to the Annexe. This was quite an experience because I had never eaten with my hand before (Indian style that is) and let's just say that things were a little messy. Between my appearance (blond hair and fair skin) which attracted much attention wherever I went, and all the food running down my arm due to my inferior dining skills, I stood out for a fellow visiting medical student to locate me among the crowd. I recommend the vegetarian food at the Canteen (the omelets are quite yummy). 

Following this culinary experience which was a good lesson in how to laugh at myself and take life less seriously, I made my way (with the help of this other student) to visit Mr. Emmanuel at the Curriculum Office. Let me warn you that he drinks a lot of tea throughout the day and during his "tea breaks" he cannot be found. When going to visit him it's important to have with you two passport sized photos, payment (you do this by bringing Indian Rupees to the "Hospital Accounting Department Office" located through the main hospital entrance and then a left turn, before entering the Hospital Chapel, down the hall on the left side), and an idea of what services you would like to rotate through while you're at the hospital. One's choice of rotations is a matter of personal interest more than anything else although it is helpful to speak with other visitors.

With an interest in Orthopedics, I chose to rotate through Ortho for one week (there are three teams and I was on Ortho III with Dr.'s Samuel Chitcharanjan, Chief Consultant, and Arthur Daniel, Senior Consultant, (see photo right);  Hand Leprosy Reconstructive Surgery for one week (HLRS - started by Dr. Paul Brand in 1948, now supervised by Dr. George Anderson); and then spent the remainder of my time out at the CHAD Hospital with a one day visit to the Karigiri Leprosy Hospital. My rotation at CHAD was the most unique and rewarding in many ways. It included traveling into surrounding villages with the College of Nursing Community Health program (CONCH) to visit patients in their homes. Typical visits included prenatal exams (performed by nurses with female medical students), well-child exams, and dispensing medications at roadside. I was struck by the kindness and generosity of villagers who often invited us into their homes and would not let us leave without gifts of food in spite of the fact that many of them live well below the Indian standard of poverty level. 

A trip to Vellore wouldn’t be complete without a little travel on weekends with other visiting medical students. My most memorable weekend included a 15 hour train ride (2nd class AC, about $30 roundtrip) to Kerala. About 45 minutes by auto-rickshaw from Trivandrum (where the train line ends) is the resort of Kovalam - complete with beaches, good restaurants (fresh seafood), and nice places to shop. Together with a fellow visiting student, I also had the pleasure of joining 4 local fisherman for a half-day trip in the Arabian Sea (check out the internet for "Sport-Fishing in Kerala"). 

Overall my time at Vellore was wonderful and unforgettable. India has been called a "litmus test for travelers" and can be a difficult place to get comfortable when coming from a place like the United States. The CMC provides medical students with an opportunity to see medicine in India practiced at the highest standards, and a taste of India in an atmosphere which I found to be kind and very accommodating. 

Here are a few helpful tidbits of information for visitors: Get the Lonely Planet Guide to India or South India Food: Excellent Tandoori chicken across Scudder Way from the small gate entrance to the CMC; Darling Residency(auto rickshaw about 30R) Great Vegetarian; Chinatown Hotel & Restaurant (across street from hospital to left from small gate about 300 yards) Good Chinese food; Vijaya Café (across from main gate of CMC) ice cold bottled water & tiffens (lunchbox if you go to CHAD) - try a Masala Dosai; YWCA Canteen: next to Annexe within CMC Hospital grounds. Travel Agent: Guwahati Travel - 1st left off Gandhi Road on right side. There is a grocery store near the Darling Residency. Internet: along Scudder way across from main gate to right on 2nd floor. Banking: Andhra Bank (National) Scudder way (request from the Manager of the Annexe that someone escort you there). You may use a Visa card to get cash. There is also a bank machine across the street from the CMC College Campus main entrance. In general places in Vellore do not accept credit cards. It is often difficult to use 500 Rupee notes as well so try to save smaller bills. Finally - bring long pants or skirts. Generally people do not wear shorts in spite of the warm weather.