Syndromic Rhyme

Excerpt

I found the poem titled “Syndromic Rhyme” by Sanjeev Narang [1] very interesting. The author does not intend to present the use of poetry beyond being a memory peg to hang medical facts. However, poetries have been used as pedagogical catalysts as also to raise ethical sensitivities among students and nurses. There have been few studies regarding poetry-based medical education. One such in depth study analyzed learners attitudes towards poetry-based education. It revealed that the poetry sessions may provide an environment for emotional exploration, which could broaden understanding of self and others [2]. There is perhaps only one article which describes an attempt by a professor to teach diagnosis through poetry [3]. We at the Association of Surgeons of India, Nagpur chapter have been conducting a state level surgical quiz since last 10 years for undergraduate students. The most interesting part for the students is the cryptic clues round. Herein we provide cryptic clues to the participants. There is a distracting theme too, but those who focus on the clues unravel the answer soon enough, although they may not be required to use all the clues. It is a learning experience with an entertainment quotient for the students. It is an enriching experience for the quiz master too. The clues lead you to a surgical condition, procedure, or a complication. Below is given one such cryptic clues question and the answer and its explanation follows.

Lee was handed the ball,

To remove Chaminda once for all,

No sharp cutter was used for his fall,

All tail-enders were out without scoring,

Twice in 3 months boss, No kidding!

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