My Role Models in Medicine

(Dr Maung Maung Nyo)

I admire great Burmese physicians
They're my eternal shining lights

One treated my groin infection right
Another cured my dangerous dog’s bite.

I look upon medicine as a noble profession
Where saintly people are in congregation
They're there to help diseased population
They cure all without any personal ambition.

I have heard of Colonel Min Sein
He made Burma’s heath certain
Daw Yin May maintained lady’s terrain
They were Burma's top medical brains.

Dr Ba Than could claim a niche spot
As the doyen of Burmese medical lords
He was a surgeon, professor and artiste
He was successful in all fields he practised.

Colonel Min Sein followed Burma’s government to Simla
To avoid cruelty and persecution of Japanese intruders
But, U Ba Than remained to serve his people in Burma
It was during the World War II, a sorrowful soulless saga.

Many doctors joined Aung San during that era
Dr Hla Han and others served as military doctors

They sacrificed their lives for the country's future
They all fought for an independent bright Burma.

Colonel Shwe Zan was with the British

He was a physician very patriotic

He shed his rank to serve the Burmese

He became our professor of physic.

After independence foreingn doctors left Burma

Health services were depleted of doctors

It was more so in the military arena

Burmese medical students shunned military careers.

During that time a few patriots volunteered

Myint Aung, Maung Maung Aung, Hla Shwe, Kyaw Sein Tun

They fought against the KMT invasion with boom

Tin Ohn, Maung Maung Myint became new broom officers.

I was fortunate to be taught by such great teachers
Not just medicine, but patriotism plus human behaviour

They were great patriots and selfless doctors
They looked for benefits of Burma first over others

I salute them whenever I can remember wherever

They are my first and foremost teachers benefactors.

Dr Maung Maung Nyo
24.10.2008 (original)