Tirupati: Importance of empathy among medical fraternity stressed

Tirupati: Chairman of Asian Institute of Gastroenterology, Hyderabad and Padma Bhushan awardee Dr D Nageshwar Reddy said, "Empathy is most important in the field of medicine. It is important to give empathy to the patient and their relatives. One can become a good doctor only when they start empathising with the patients and that is called Art of Medicine."

He delivered the convocation address at the 10th convocation of Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences (SVIMS), a deemed university in Tirupati on Saturday. Underlining the importance of Art of Medicine, Dr Nageshwar Reddy has said that medicine is not just science. It is a combination of art, science and empathy. In rural areas even if the most advanced instruments are not available, one can become a best doctor by caring for the patients, he said.

The second Vice Chairman of the SVIMS and TTD Trust Board Chairman YV Subba Reddy has given away various degrees to the students on behalf of the Chairman and Chancellor of SVIMS University YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. In all 487 candidates have got their degrees including DM, MCh, MD, PhD, MBBS and others and 17 meritorious students have received gold medals. On the occasion, he called upon the doctors to extend their full cooperation to the CM's efforts in making the state as 'Aarogyandhra Pradesh'.

The Vice Chancellor and Director of SVIMS Dr B Vengamma wished that the outgoing students will participate in implementing these schemes. Dean Dr M Hanumantha Rao, Registrar Dr Sreedhar Babu and other faculty, students and their parents have participated.