Dr. Rakesh Biswas

Medical problem solving:
-Answering information needs of individual patients and health professionals in a user driven model of health care: a proposal
Biswas R, Proceedings of IEEEP2407, Jan 25th, 2007, http://www.ieee2407.org/ws01.html
Biswas R, Proceedings of E-health Asia 2007, Feb 8th, http://www.ehealthonline.org/ehealthasia/2007/E-healthagendadetails_day3_4.asp
-Biswas R et al, The process of evidence based medicine and search for meaning, Jl Eval Clin Prac UK, 2007 (Press)
-Research in resolving diagnostic uncertainty in managing clinical problems:
Biswas R, Dhakal B, Das RN, Shetty KJ. Resolving diagnostic uncertainty in initially poorly-localizable-fevers:-a-prospective-study. Int J Clin Pract.(UK) 2004 Jan;58(1):26-8.

Medical education:
-Comparing the effect of regular formative assessment using teacher evaluated daily student E-logs on final
summative university performance in clinical medicine: A prospective study
-Problem oriented self-directed learning in medical educators and students: Ethnographic lessons learnt from an undergraduate lecture series
-Participatory lecture sessions utilizing online bottom up patient narratives alongside structured top down theory.
-Biswas R, Always a medical student, Student BMJ(UK) vol 11, feb 2003, pg 41.
http://www.studentbmj.com/issues/03/02/reviews/41.php
-Biswas R, Dhakal B et al, Medical student narratives for understanding Disease and social order in the third world, Eubios Jl Asian Intl Bioethics(Tokyo) july 2003,vol 13(4) 139-142 http://www2.unescobkk.org/eubios/EJ134/ej134h.htm

Health Sector Experience:

Associate professor (From Jan 2006-present): Department of Medicine, Melaka-Manipal Medical College and Melaka General Hospital, a tertiary care center in Melaka, Malaysia. Involved in teaching undergraduate medical students through didactic lecture classes, group discussions, bedside clinics and demonstration of practical procedures apart from ward consultation rounds and OPD consultations.

Associate professor (From March 2004-Dec 2006): Dept of Internal Medicine,
Vydehi Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre (VIMSARC), Bangalore and visiting consultant medicine, Manipal Hospital, Bangalore, two large tertiary care centers in Bangalore, India. Involved in teaching undergraduate and junior residents through
didactic lecture classes, group discussions, problem based learning and demonstration of practical procedures. Apart from teaching duties was also involved in taking independent decisions regarding both out and inpatient management and intensive care along with performance of diagnostic echocardiographies.

Asst Professor (March 2004-2002), Lecturer (2002-1999 May), dept of
Medicine, Manipal College Of Medical Sciences, Pokhara, Nepal, a
tertiary care teaching hospital recognized by the Indian and Nepal
medical councils as well as listed in the WHO directory of world
medical colleges. Actively involved in

Teaching: In this five year tenure, taught undergraduates and junior
residents by planning and delivering didactic lectures, group
discussions and problem-based learning sessions. Also demonstrated to
the junior residents practical procedures like lumbar punctures,
pleural and ascitic taps, liver and renal biopsies as well as
venesection and insertion of central venous pressure lines via
jugular, subclavian & brachial routes, along with
endotracheal-intubation for putting patients on mechanical ventilators
and monitoring them in respiratory care units. Discussing decision
making strategies for both out and inpatient management and intensive
care with junior residents and consultant colleagues was another vital
component of this teaching learning process.

Research: In this 5 year tenure, critically reviewed and communicated
patient data generated in this hospital in the form of 25 peer
reviewed international publications (List attached along with for
perusal if necessary). Most of this work was in the form of articles using qualitative investigational
narrative.

Management: Manipal teaching hospital is a tertiary care hospital
catering predominantly to a rural mountain population. The hospital
management undertakes a lot of work for poor and needy patients
by conducting camps in remote areas and subsidizing the cost of their
hospital treatment. Demonstrated an ability to work harmoniously in
the organizational structure of the hospital which values teamwork for
the overall benefit of the patient also independently managed wards
allotted along with house officers and interns. Also demonstrated the
ability to diffuse innovative ideas in patient management (some of
which have been published in international journals).

Professional development: Demonstrated an ability to work within a
system of clinical audit which reviews and monitors patient management
decisions with regard to morbidity and mortality. Also utilized skills
in diagnostic fibre optic esaphagogastroduodenoscopies (learnt during
senior residency in hepatology, PGIMER, Chandigarh, India) for
providing diagnostic esophagogastrodudenoscopy support service
performing 15-20 procedures per week along with a team of gastro
physicians and surgeons in this hospital. In the last 5 years, till
date performed more than 1000 independent unsupervised diagnostic
fibre-optic esaphagogastroduodenoscopies without any major
complications. Also utilized the training provided in diagnostic
echocardiography by this institute since january 2000, initially with
a professional echocardiologist in Calcutta and subsequently with the
professor of medicine and consultant cardiology to support the rapidly
growing cardiology services in this hospital. Performed on the average
10-15 diagnostic echocardiographies per week and reported them
independently. Also gained a fair understanding of ultrasound and
utilized it in performing ultrasound guided procedures like fine
needle aspiration of tumors, abscess with gratifying results.
An initial interest in wanting to handle all the individual organ
components in the human system was supported by this 5 year working
environment and this led to an advanced overall knowledge of internal
medicine and a decision to remain a lifelong internist physician.

1998-99 Senior Resident in (Dept of Hepatology) PGIMER, Chandigarh, a
large referral and teaching hospital in India deemed to be of national
importance.
Actively involved in management of acute and
chronic liver diseases, performing liver biopsies and assisting in
endoscopies & ERCPs. Submitted a few papers for publication.

Teaching and research: Actively involved in teaching junior residents
in the form of bedside clinics as well as on the job. Participated in
various clinical meetings and journal clubs by presenting as well as
chairing a few. Published a paper on "Endoscopic Variceal Ligation in
pregnancy", in Jan 2000 in the journal GI Endoscopy and one on
endoscopic sclerotherapy of gastric variceal bleeding with
n-Butyl-2-Cyanoacrylate in the Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology
(2002).



1995-98 Junior Resident in (Dept of Internal Medicine) PGIMER,
Chandigarh. Worked in Rheumatology, Hematology, Oncology, Nephrology,
Gastroenterology, Endocrinology, Cardiology, Neurology, Hepatology,
Respiratory Medicine, Pediatrics, Psychiatry, Dermatology and
Emergency Medicine and Critical Care, etc. Evaluated both out and in
patients, discussed lines of management with consultants. Gave
chemotherapies, intrathecals, and inserted central venous pressure
lines via jugular, subclavian & brachial routes, apart from
venesection. Intubated and put patients on mechanical ventilators and
monitored them in respiratory care units. Also did lumbar punctures,
pleural and ascitic taps as well as liver and renal biopsies.

Teaching and research:
During junior residency participated in various group discussions,
seminars, grand round, clinical meetings, clinico-pathological
conferences, mortality meetings by attending most of the sessions as
well as presenting and chairing a few.
Completed a thesis on "The predictors of response to endoscopic
dilation in corrosive strictures of esophagus." This was accepted in
June1997 as a requisite for the MD degree.

1993-94 House Job: In Cardiology and Intensive Coronary Care, Calcutta
National Medical College. Performed OPD, Ward and ICCU duties as a
first on call.

1992-93 Rotating Internship: Exposure to Surgery, Gynecology and
Obstetrics, Community Medicine apart from Internal Medicine.



Technical Proficiencies: Medical Education, Medical problem solving,
Echocardiography and Color Doppler: Independent operations and reporting.
Endoscopy (Diagnostic upper gastro intestinal tract): Independent
operation and reporting.
English language proficiency: IELTS completed with 8 in all the bands. Working knowledge of basic computer applications.

Core Competencies:

Enthusiasm, pro-activity and commitment to professional service

Analytical capabilities, familiarity and comfort with scientific and clinical data

Team collaborator, ability to be successful working in virtual, multi-cultural teams

Flexibility and willingness to learn fast and grow professionally

Extra Curricular Activities:
Participated with voluntary non-governmental organizations in
providing Medical aid to remote rural areas of the Sunderban Tiger
Reserve.

Accompanied mountaineering expeditions to Himalayas as a
treating physician.Did a basic mountaineering course from Institute
of Mountaineering, Manali, Himachal Pradesh, India

Written a novel " The Conscious Notebook," unpublished

Qualitative ethnographic need based research on health information for all, E health, M learning, qualitative approaches to evidence based medicine, telemedicine, medical education, etc.

Developing ideas to generate marketable solutions to individual patient and health professional users.