Adventures of a New Anatomist

Dr Maung Maung Nyo

Preamble

I was appointed lecturer and Head of Department of Anatomy at IM 2 in September 1970 when Dr Norma Saw was transferred to Institute of Medicine 1 under Professor Tin Maung who was just rehabilitated. Dr Myint Thein resigned from the post of Head of Department in Mandalay and Dr Khin Maung Sein was appointed as Head in his place.

(Staff and Students of Anatomy at Anatomy Department, IM 2 in 1970;

L to R: Sitting: Drs Aye Cho, Hnin Wai Wai, Khin U May, Khin May Than,

MMN, Kyi Win, Zaw Win 7, Zaw Win 8, Kyaw Nyunt )

Many medical people, some out of jealousy, said that I was too young to be a head of department as its post was equivalent to a professor forgetting the fact that I was already a major in the Burma Army Medical Corps. (A major is roughly equivalent to a lecturer, but perks and pays are better and status higher as it commands a battalion or regiment in the 1960s.) However, Sayagyi Dr Ba Than welcomed me as Head of Department and he called me to assist him in his post as the Dean of Postgraduate Medical Studies at IM 1.

Problems Facing the New Head of Department of Anatomy

A. Teaching Staff

As head of department I have to see to it that the department ran properly as regards teaching, examination, research and administration. So I had to ask every staff member in the department to be punctual and to work. It seemed easy as it was a small department having about 8 or 9 teachers and about an equal number of non-teaching staff, clerical and laboratory assistants. However, it was not easy as most staff here had been used to loose administration and indifferent supervision from the rector’s office. So, the first thing I did when I was appointed as the head of department was to call a meeting of the teachers and told them that I wished their cooperation in running the department at full swing and that I would fight for their opportunities.

(Dr Zaw Win (8) of Anatomy Department Becomes an Industrial Health Specialist)

I still remember three or four demonstrators, lowest rank of teachers, sleeping and talking in a tutorial day one whole afternoon and when I asked them what they were doing. They said they had nothing to do and so they were sleeping or wasting their time. I told them to study or read for their future professional development or they should be doing some research. They said they did not know how to do research. I remember Dr Zaw Win (7) and Dr Zaw Win (8) answering me they were not interested in anatomy.

So I called each of them individually and told them if he was not interested in anatomy he should ask for transfer and I would support it. Dr Zaw Win (8) applied for a postgraduate course in industrial heath and I supported his application. He was selected after an interview and he was sent to UK. The London School of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene wrote to me asking his character and I gave my full guarantee that he was good. He thanked me when he came back having seen his recommendations as shown by the secretary of the course concerned.

(Dr Zaw Win from Anatomy Department becomes Professor of Surgery)

Dr Zaw Win \(7) was having a personal problem and he had not yet decided where to go and he asked me to wait for some time. I said I would wait provided that he taught the students well with more devotion. He did and after a few years he told me he liked to go for postgraduate studies in surgery. I agreed and I asked Dr Sein Myint, professor of surgery, to take Dr Zaw Win (7) as a trainee demonstrator seconded from my anatomy department. Professor Sein Myint agreed to my request and Dr Zaw Win (7) was taken as a surgery demonstrator and eventually he was chosen for FRCS course and he passed the FRCS examination. He married a lady doctor of the anatomy department at IM2 and both have now their daughter qualified as a doctor too.

I was the teacher of anatomy for the three doctors in their family.

B. Non-Teaching and Laboratory Staff

Similarly, I had to tell the non-teaching staff to be punctual to coming to the department and to work as assigned. I would give leave and their rights fully as was allowed to them. In the old days before I was head of department some laboratory assistants came to come to the department late in office. They gave the reason that they lived in North Okkalappa and there were missed trains. I had to tell them that other departments in the Institute had similar staff and those staff were punctual. So they should try to be punctual as this was a requirement. I myself had been coming to the department to work at 7.30 am every day.

(Cover of IM 2 Old Students Homage Party to Old teachers)

I warned a few other staff who played mandolins during the school hours not to do so in the future. One senior laboratory assistant was resorting to marijuana with another laboratory assistant. He had developed social and sexual problems. I warned him to take care of himself before I resorted to disciplinary measures, but he did not heed my advice. Eventually he resigned from his post and left. His junior colleague lost his wife, his job and became admitted to the Tadagale Psychiatrist Hospital. It was a sad story that I had to give my full weight to prevent him from jailing as he gave trouble to the military authorities in Mingaladon and to invade the office of the reactor at the Institute of Medicine 1 in Rangoon.

(Dr Ba Than MB (Cal) FRCS ( Edin), Dean of Postgraduate

Studies in Medicine at IM 1,Rangoon)

When some non-teaching staff members complained that they did not have enough money to buy food for them I venture to lend them my own money without interest to tide over the crisis. This news spread and other employees of the Institute of Medicine 2 would also like to borrow money from me.I had to explain that I did this for my staff members as a family of workers and the Institute should help other employees by establishing a money loan association that they did later. But the borrowers numbered more than the savings and ultimately it burst. I helped the employees in the workshop section of the Institute and 4 or 5 carpenters and foremen borrowed money from me. But I lost some money as some of them defaulted.

Students and Examinations

Medical students are well known for committing truancy, practical jokes and juvenile tricks due probably to long hours of study and intimacy with one another. However IM 2 students were famous for their devotion to study, obedience and good behaviour except a few. But that few gave a lot of problems. Some would not come to the dissection hall at all and would come to it just to show their face to take presence of attendance. Some would not sit in the tutorial attentively, but played with others like children by sending paper kites and arrows or by hiding the slippers worn by their friends. Many of them would fail in the class tests. As the new system of education allowed their marks to be kept secret they were not ashamed.

So I posted the marks obtained by all students on the school notice board so that every one in the class knew each other performance. Parents of some backward students told me it was against Dr Nyi Nyi’s instruction. I told them I was doing this for the good of the students and there was none a head of department could not or should not do for his students to know the marks of their performance. It was true in America some professors kept the performance of students kept secret and let each student concerned know individually, but in some courses professor let know the whole class in the class and discuss about the results. And I increased the number of tests in the class to raise the students’ performance. The performance did improve

For the truant students I would call them individually to my Office and warned them that I would invite their parents to come and discuss with me if they failed to improve and I did so for some students. Their parents had to come from far away places like Dawei (Tavoy) and Sittwe (Akyab). So they had to control themselves and improve. Some hard headed students had to leave the medical course for ever as they would fail the second MB examination for 3 times that was the maximum attempts allowed. I was liked by good students and detested by bad students. Some students were insolent. They would even vandalize my new car bought by loan from the government. One failed twice at the second MB and final part 1 and 2 examinations. Fortunately he qualified, but he was not employed by the government, so he did not have a chance for further study. Initially he was a good student, but carried away by the freedom and folly of his fiendish friends.

Many students complained that they would fail when I took over the anatomy department in 1970. I told them I had no favour or hatred to any one of them and I would examine them justly for anatomy paper in the coming 2^nd MB examination. They were relieved later that I was lenient, fair and most of them passed the 2^nd MB examination at first try having eight of them gaining distinction in anatomy out of 100 students. The Institute of Medicine 1 had about 200 students and only nine of them gained in distinction in anatomy. Actually, Institute of Medicine had more students gaining distinction in anatomy every year compared to Institute of Medicine 1 proportionately due to the fact that IM 1 had more average students.

Postgraduate Course in Anatomy

The ministry of education issued an order that postgraduate course be initiated soon in Burma with Dr U Ba Than as chairman and I as secretary with Dr U Myint Thein and Dr Khin Maung Sein as members. U Ba Than asked me to look for the necessary facts and feed him. So I did all the ground works to establish an M.Sc. anatomy course. At that time Dr Tin Maung was given medical leave by Dr Ba Than as he was found wanting in his work. Dr U Myint Thein resigned in early 1970. I alone was available in Rangoon to strive for the establishment of the M.Sc. anatomy course.

(Dr Daw Khin Win from Anatomy Departemnt at Im 2 Continues in

the Anatomy Studies to be Awarded Ph.D. by London University)

I drew a curriculum consisting of two parts: Part 1 is for basic techniques and foundation subjects to do research in anatomy. Thus M.Sc, candidates have to learn histology techniques including electron-microscopy, library science, descriptive statistics and museology. He candidate will also learn in details that he had already learned in his medical course namely histology, neuro-anatomy, genetics and embryology. At the end of one year the candidate sits for the first year examination and on passing it he or she can work for the thesis to be submitted for the final M.Sc. anatomy examination. The curriculum closely resembles that in existence at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi, India. It was tailored for our need to train the candidates for teaching anatomy in our medical schools. Professor Ruth Bowden of London gave me valuable advice whenever I requested.

The important thing is to get the necessary reagents and equipment to start the course. I went to the Department of Higher Education and saw the Director (now Director-General) U San Tha Aung for help. I gave him a list of chemicals and reagents I required and he promised me to get them quickly and he asked U Maung Maung Chin, the procurement Officer, to order them soon. Both fulfilled my requirements in a few months. Then, I went to see Dr Chit Swe, Professor and Head of Department of Mathematics at Rangoon University, to teach my candidates some basic statistics. He complied readily. I also saw Dr Ko Ko Gyi, Professor and Head of Department of Zoology, at the Rangoon University, to teach comparative anatomy. I undertook to teach histological techniques, genetics, history of medicine and neuro-anatomy. Thus postgraduate anatomy course was opened at IM 1 in 1971-72 academic year. Dr Ba Than was chairman of the course and I was he secretary of the M.Sc. anatomy course.

(Institute of Medicine 1 Where All Postgraduate Medical Courses

are Centred in 1970)

It was fortunate that many people helped us to teach the PG course in anatomy. Professor N.H. Keswani of India came twice to Rangoon, first to advise us and secondly to teach genetic and neuro-anatomy to the first batch M.Sc. students. He congratulated me strongly for being able to organize the course almost single-handedly. Professor Emery from Edinburgh also came to Burma and he gave me his textbook on medical genetics to be used in the course. Professor Bowden praised me for teaching an all round PG couse whose graduates were up to the international standard. She agreed to take some of PG students for Ph.D. in London University. I am really proud that I have produced world level anatomists since the early 1970s. Many of them are now professors in Burma and abroad.

Marks and Grading

Burma had been used to giving marks to school tests and examination performance of the students. However, since 1964 with the advent of new system of education instituted by the Revolutionary Council the Education Ministry has asked all schools, universities and Institutes to give grades instead of marks for student performance. There would be only 5 grades:

Grade 1 = Poor ,Grade 2 = Fair, Grade 3 Satisfactory, Grade 4 = Good, Grade 5 = Excellent

There was much confusion among the teachers as to what the grades stand for and how they equate with marks or per sent of marks. There were two strong views:

View 1: 100 marks is equivalent to grade 5 and 100 divided by 5 correspond to 20.So grade 1 is 0 to 20, grade 2 between 21 and 40, grade 3 between 61 and 80 and grade 5 between 81 and 100. Grade 5 means distinction (D).

View 2: A grade is a general assessment of student performance compared to others in his class. So, mean and standard deviation (SD) of the student performance of the whole clas be taken into account before assigning to students with grades. If the class size is small and there is no time to calculate the mean and SD, the convenient method is to take the marking system of old Rangoon University. By this 50 % of marks is pass mark and 10 is usually the SD. Therefore grades are given as follows:

Grade 5 = 75 % and above (Distinction after Viva Voce)

Grade 4 = 63 to 74 %

Grade 3 = 50 to 62 %

Grade 2 = 25 to 49 %

Grade 1 = Less than 25 %

I had to explain this marking and grading to my colleagues.

(Old Convocation Hall of the Rangoon University Where

Other Universities and Institutes in Rangoon Are Holding Convocations)

But, Dr Ba Than did the simplest method of grading. He gave Grade 5 to students who got Distinction, Grade 3 to all those who passed and if they are above average he gave Grade 4. Those who failed were given Grade 2 or 1, mostly 2. I would say the old man was wise.

I later understand that the five grade system was based on the criterion referenced evaluation and it is good as I attended a Master's Course in medical education at the Michigan State University in USA.

Other Postgraduate Courses

Sayagyi U Ba Than was at first Rector of the Institute of Medicine 1, then he was retired from that post and reappointed as the Dean of the Postgraduate Courses in Burma attached to his former Institute. His rector post was given to Dr U Pe Kyin, retired Director-General of Health Services. But U Pe Kyin was a former pupil of U Ba Than, so was the Minister for Health and Education, Colonel Hla Han. General Ne Win, Head of State, was his son-in-law. So U Ba Than was omnipotent in the medical world he took all PG courses in medicine under his control including the M.Sc. physiology course opened at Institute of Medicine Mandalay since 1967.

I had to assist Dr Ba Than and he openly relied on me for advice with higher education in Medicine. He once asked me whether it is true that an M.Sc. is higher than a Ph.D. I told him it is nonsense as those who could not matriculate for Ph.D. are allowed to work for M.Sc. and that there were two types of M.Sc. courses; one by examination and course work and another by research. We Burmese have resorted to both methods and it was good for training future teachers and research workers. When Professor Keswani told him exactly as I said Dr Ba Than was convinced.

He also asked me whether FRCS and MRCP are higher degrees. I said these fellowships and memberships are good technical qualifications, but they are not degrees as they were not given by any university but, by the respective royal college. I told him in England all the degrees are conferred by the universities excepting one bachelor degree admitted by a board of study recognized by the authorities. But, generally, degrees are given by the universities, diplomas by universities, colleges and institutes, certificates by any institutions or organizations. I was lauded by the holders of Ph.D. and M.Sc. Degrees but booed by the FRCS, MRCP and FRCOG diploma holders. But, I won and since then there no longer was any dispute about them and what a higher degree means.

Clash with Sayagyi U Ba Than

One day U Ba Than told me whether It would be good if the 2^nd MB course were reduce to one year duration as it was done in UK and the West. I told him it was not good for Burma as it had already been reduced from 2 years and also because our students were not good in English. Besides we had supplementary examination that would take 3 months to repeat the course briefly and to conduct the examination. But he asked us to reduce to one year for 2^nd MB course. I was more sorry than indignant for my students and I wrote to the Minister for Education and Health not to reduce the 2^nd MB course further.

One day Dr Nyi Nyi invited me to see the minister at his office and I found Sayagyi Dr Ba Than sitting and chatting with Colonel Hla Han, the minister. Both smiled and asked me to sit. Colonel Hla Han then said Sayagyi U Ba Than was our father in medicine and we respected him very much, but at the same time young people like Major Maung Maung Nyo were coming up with good intentions for Burma. Since Maung Maung Nyo had written the letter to him copied to U Ba Than they would not reduce the duration of the 2^nd MB course immediately, but they may consider it again in the future as U Ba Than had agreed. He asked us whether we agreed and I said yes. U Ba Than said Major Maung Maung Nyo was very brilliant and brave, but he was a bit talkative. Dr Nyi Nyi recorded the transactions and they let me go. I was happy and satisfied. Dr Ba Than was gracious.He wrote a forewrd for my first book in Burmese, The Scientific Basis of Marriage (Theik-pan Ni-kya Ein-htaung-the Bawa).

Professor of Anatomy at IM 2

I was not deterred by U Ba Than’s anger, but I continued serving him and teaching his PG students at IM 1 for anatomy and surgery. All PG clinical students had to attended the basic science courses at IM1.Mandalay PG students had to come and join the course.

Dr Khin U May came back from London with a Ph.D. and she was now an assistant lecture with me. She said she deserved to be appointed the professor and I was given the Head of Department post as there was no other person. I did not say any thing as I was wearing a major uniform and I was holding the Head of Department in Anatomy equal to or destined to be professor.

(Professor Maung Maung Nyo and Dr Nan Ommar M.Sc. Anatomy

from IM 1, now Associate Professor at UNIMAS, Kuching, Malaysia)

But, Dr Khin U may bolted at U Ba Than’s assignment for her to teach his PG students. She sent a letter to him that she would no longer teach the PG students as she was just a mere assistant lecturer. U Ba Than was angry and he wrote to the Rector of IM 2 U E (Aye) and to her that teaching PG courses was an honour and that it did not determine a teacher’s position. But he would look for higher post for her if she continued her teaching. U Ba Than asked my opinion and I said I agree with him. She was later transferred to IM 1 as lecturer and I was appointed as Professor and Head of Department of Anatomy at IM 2 in 1970. I opened B.Sc anatomy course in 1972 and MSc. Anatomy courses in 1974 at IM 2 after Dr U Ba Than’s demise in 1973.

Conclusion

I was happy to be teaching anatomy to both undergraduate and graduate course in Burma beside opening specialized course in anatomy as B.Sc. anatomy and M.Sc. anatomy courses. I was fortunate to be able to organize them as the Minister and senior persons were in full support of me knowing my good intentions. After all I did not practice medicine for money and I was wholly devoted to teaching, research and medical education through out my life. I am grateful to all the people who helped me beginning with Colonel Hla Han down through Dr Nyi Nyi, U San Tha Aung and many professors at Art and Science University of Rangoon. I also thank and pay homage to Dr U Ba Than, Professor Bowden and others in making my career successful and stimulating.

Dr Maung Maung Nyo

M.B.,B.S. ( Rgn, 1961), Ph.D. (London, 1969)

19.03.2009 (original)