Empathy, ethics bedrock of medical job: CJI
Deepankar Sharda
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, August 10
It was an emotional moment for Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud as he visited the PGI campus today.
His daughter, Priyanka, a child with special needs, was admitted to the institute after she developed respiratory distress while the family was in Shimla on a vacation in 2021. She was kept in the Critical Care Unit (CCU) for 44 days and the CJI used to visit her on weekends. While his wife stayed with the child for the entire period of her treatment, the CJI would spend hours in the PGI corridors and interact with young doctors. Little did he know then that he would hand over degrees to the graduates on the campus.
The CJI narrated his experience while addressing the gathering at the 37th convocation of the PGI, which he attended as chief guest.
“I remember a female police officer telling me...Yaha jo bhi ataa hai, has kar jata hai (Whosoever comes here, goes back with a smile). These lines were enough for us to settle our hearts down. As a parent, it’s not easy to sit outside a CCU while your child struggles,” he said.
“I remember Prof GD Puri, who would be present at the CCU even at 3 am. He would even answer my phone calls within 10 seconds. The positive attributes by Prof Vivek Lal (who is the current PGI Director) is still in my memory. The young doctors become friends and long discussions about their careers become a part of my routine on weekends. I had never imagined handing over degrees to young graduates today, but I am very happy to be here. This institution holds a special place for me and my family,” he added.
After awarding the toppers, graduates and postgraduates, the CJI advised the young doctors to anchor their medical careers in empathy and ethics. “Empathy and ethics are not mere abstract concepts, they are the bedrock of your medical journey,” he said, adding, “As you step into the world as healthcare professionals, remember that your technical skills are only part of the equation. It is your compassion, your ability to listen and your unwavering commitment to ethical practices that will truly define your success and impact on the lives of your patients.” The CJI made a humorous example from the Bollywood flick “Munna Bhai MBBS” to highlight the importance of compassion. “While reflecting similarities between medicine and law, the CJI noted that both professions are guided by principles such as beneficence, non-maleficence, autonomy and justice. He underscored that these fields share a common goal, which is to serve humanity with compassion and integrity.
“The journey as medical professionals is not just about healing the body, but it is also about uplifting the spirit and ensuring justice in healthcare,” he added. He also stressed technology had the power to revolutionise medicine, but it must be guided by compassion and equity.
The CJI said the language used in courts is English but to make common people easily understand their cases, verdicts are being translated in regional languages with the help of Artificial Intelligence. From 1950 till 2024, around 37,000 verdicts have been delivered. A total of 22,000 judgments have been translated into Punjabi and 36,000 into Hindi.
508 awarded degrees
A total of 80 graduates from various medical disciplines were awarded medals for their academic distinction and 508 graduates received their degrees in various disciplines, including MD/MS, DM/MCh and PhD courses.
