Relishing My Return to Rangoon

Dr Maung Maung Nyo

My return journey to Rangoon was not so cool

I had to renew my return flight that was over due

I had forgotten to renew the BOAC ticket annually

I really forgot to do it whenever WHO renewed me.

(Senate House, University of London, England, UK)

I explained this to my Programme Officer in the British Council

She did not listen and said I must buy it as it’s my responsibility

I argued that I still had the return ticket that could be renewed

So I reported this in details to Professor Bowden to look into.

(My Supervisor Professor Ruth Bowden and Me, MMN)

She immediately called the British Council

She told them I had just finished my Ph.D.

I was entitled to a return ticket without delay

She then told Dr Bloss to intervene to pay and say

Hooray! In an hour Dr Bloss replied it was OK

I had just to go to the British Council even that day.

(A BOAC, Now British Airways, Plane Flies Bewteen London and

Rangoon Direct)

I arrived back in Rangoon on 31^st July

It was a warm wet and windy day in 1969

I was full of hope and happiness in anticipation

Of energetic implementation of the New Education

But, I found it was no different from the old days

Schools, curriculum, staff and students were in disarray.

(Premedical Building, Institute of Medicine 2, Mingalaon, Rangoon)

The Burmese people seemed to be moving slowly

They looked old and haggard growing old so early

They wore old clothes with holes and patches plenty

They were indeed poor, hungry and seemed in self pity.

(Logo of Institute of Medicine 2, Mingaladon, Rangoon)

I reported for duty the next day as needed

Deputy DMS congratulated me on my success

He gave me a week of leave for rest and resettlement

Director of Military Training called for my attendance

He too congratulated me for getting the Ph.D.

He said it was the first of its kind in the Burma Army.

He offered to help me if I needed any thing

But I said thanks and denied one needing

I was wearing the Burmese jacket and Longyi

Colonel Tun Tin smiled and said I was great in mufti.

(Professor Dr U E (Aye), Rector of IM 2, Rangoon)

I went to see the Dean at IM 2 as a courtesy

Dr U E was cold and quiet as he was reputed to be

He congratulated me for my success with Ph.D.

But he had no clue as to my position in his capacity.

CO of the Central Medical Corps called me to see him

He said he was without any body that needed teaching

That was for the new nurses cadets they had admitted

I offered enthusiastically to teach them as needed.

(Third from Left Uppermot Row: Colonel Tin Ohn, Professor of Medicine)

with Senior Staff of IM 2, Rangoon from 1964 to 1985)

Colonel Tin Ohn also invited me to DSGH

He wanted me to talk about medical research to date

I gave a talk on micturition and nerve control as researched

Doctors, nurses, house surgeons and students attended as much.

I also taught regularly at the anatomy department

As a kind of guest lecturer without assignment

But, I lectured, I tutored and I demonstrated in earnest

I knew I would be employed here permanently in fact.

(Offices of the Cabinet Ministers, The Old Secretariat, Where

Colonel Hla Han had His Office as Minister for Health and Education)

One day, Colonel Tin Ohn advised me to see Colonel Hla Han

He was the only one that would decide my position to fit plan

I therefore tried to get an appointment with him and got one

He said I had to work as professor of anatomy in the long run.

In the mean time, I had to carry on with my teaching duties

I had to teach both medical and nursing students fully

I must reside at male hostel at IM 2 as warden and guide

I had to see to it that students stayed studious without strike.

I was then to take part in 2^nd MB examination

Dr Ba Than was still active as postgraduate Dean

He was external examiner in anatomy at 3 Institutes of Medicine

He was impressed with my arrangemens, questions and ushering.

(Dr Ba Than M.B.(Cal) FRCS (Edin) FICS, Postgraduate Dean and

Examiner in Anatomy, First Chairman of M.Sc. Anatomy Course)

I was also entrusted to draw a plan for postgraduate education

To start first with an M.Sc. course in anatomy as a beginning

I drew up plan for two-year course two-part examination

The course covered basic and recent in anatomy education

Dr Ba Than liked it and approved it with a recommendation

That a WHO professor be invited from India for its inauguration.

Thus an MSc in anatomy course was started at IM 1

I was the secretary of the course to see it run

As Professor Tin Maung was on leave Chairman was U Ba Than

In fact the latter wanted me to take over the anatomy chair at IM 1

But I told him it was not the one intended for me by the minister

I advised U Ba Than to call Dr Tin Maung back to restart his career.

(The Lalekhone or Tortoise Back Building Where Premedical Subjects

of IM 1 Are Taught; The First PG Courses Started Here)

In the mean time, I took part actively in the medical education seminar

It was held in 1970 summer with U Ba Than and U E as co-chairs

I was the one proposing new measures to uplift the medical education

U Ba Than was surprised and satisfied that I was up the mark for promotion

He publicly declared that I was smart and up to the standard to be a professor

All participants particularly Dr Myo Thwe said I was sure to assume the chair.

(Institute of Medicine 1 , Lanmadaw Where Dean of All Medical

PG Courses Dr Ba Than's Office Was Situated)

I was sad that Dr Myint Thein from Mandalay resigned from anatomy teaching

He declined to be transferred from Mandalay to IM 2 in the same position

He was lecturer and head of department there and still to be a lecturer

But he did not know that he was slated to be sent abroad for Ph.D. later.

So I was promoted to professor and head of department at IM 2

Having being a major, lecturer and head of department through

I attended the convocation ceremony of IM 2 held on its campus

It was held for the graduates of first intake in 1963 as such

I recognized my old students Thein Wai, Nyunt Wai, Khin Tun etc.

Eye Dr U Ko Gyi exclaimed his pupil I was now a professor!

(Dr Maung Maung Nyo MBBS (Rangoon), Ph.D.(London)

Appointed Head of Dept. in 1970 and Professor and Head in 1972)

I became a professor at the age of over thirty three years

There were some jealousy, misunderstanding and rumors

Some thought I snatched it from the hands of some seniors

But, I was the most senior Ph.D. in anatomy at that juncture

I had been since nineteen sixty nine a major in the army

Having been head of department of anatomy since 1970

Proving my ability by opening and teaching an MSc in anatomy

Who else had done any thing like me before to compare with me?

(New University of Medicine 2, Rangoon in North Okkalappa)

I was the only one assisting U Ba Than to open other PG courses

Like MD, MS and MSc in clinical subjects without any loses

All these courses were run in Rangoon under one roof of U Ba Than

Even the MSc physiology course from Mandalay was transferred to IM 1

No body dared to oppose U Ba Than as he was rightly the GOM of Medicine

I suggested him to loosen his grip to befit the autonomous medical institutions.

(New University of Medicine Mandalay)

Looking back my 28 years of service as head of department and professor

I think I have done a lot to uplift the standard of medical education in Burma

I changed the curriculum of anatomy teaching to undergraduate students

I encouraged teaching modern anatomy to postgraduates as supplements

I opened MSc. Anatomy courses at IM 1, IM2 graduating current professors

I opened a B.Sc anatomy course at IM 2 commended by the GMC assessors

I initiated to send Burmese scholars for Ph.D. anatomy to Japan and UK

I’m still in contact with Burmese anatomists and medical educators to this day.

Dr Maung Maung Nyo

11.03.2009 (original)

Note:

DMS = Director of Medical Services; DMT = Director of Military Training

GMC = General Medical Council; GOM = Grand Old Man;

IM = Institute of Medicine; WHO = World Health Organisation

Acknowledgment: I sincerely thank all persons and organisations

mentioned in this poem for supporting me.