Doc Venu Passion & Profession

Dr.Venugopalan.PP: Medical graduate of Govt. Medical College Calicut. Postgraduation Anaesthesiology and Emergency Medicine.Director and Lead Consultant in Emergency Medicine -Aster DM Health Care, Site Director-GWU, Regional Faculty AHA, Formerly Expert Committee member KRSA and Deputy Director MIMS Academy, Founder and Executive Director Angels International Foundation and Trust.Master Trainer in World Guinness CPR Training.Spouse Dr.Supriya; Blessed with Dr.Neethu and Dr.Kamal (Son in law)

Sunday, March 2, 2025

Landing in No Man’s Land: An Abrupt Diversion in My Professional Life

The years 2006 and 2007 were turning points in my life—etched in both my personal and professional history forever. Until then, I had spent 18 years as a clinical anesthesiologist, particularly specializing in high-risk pediatric and ENT head & neck surgeries. From 1997 onwards, I had been a working partner with Dr. Ravi, Dr. Manoj, and Dr. Mohanakrishnan when they established the Institute of ENT & Head & Neck Surgeries. My expertise in safe anesthesia techniques, especially in high-risk cases, made me a trusted and valued team member among my surgical colleagues.

I was deeply embedded in the operating theater family, fully engaged in a profession I cherished. Alongside my clinical work, I had a strong inclination toward academics and medical training. I served as the Director of the MIMS School of Resuscitation and as the Coordinator of MIMS Academy, actively involved in CPR & Trauma Care training, Code Blue activities, and postgraduate medical entrance coaching. Prof. K.K. Varma, the Director of MIMS Academy, was a guiding force in my academic endeavors, and Dr. Bijay Raj, a dear friend and family medicine specialist, played a crucial role in running the PG entrance coaching programs, which were strongly endorsed by Dr. Azad Moopen, Chairman of MIMS.

Dr Azad Moopen

Prof KK Varma

I was also actively engaged in life support training for doctors and EMS professionals. In 1997, I had the honor of serving as the Organizing Chairman of Resuscitation 1997, a national conference on cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) under the mentorship of Prof. M.R. Rajagopal—a veteran anesthesiologist who revolutionized modern anesthesia practice in Kerala and pioneered palliative care in India. He was my Maha Guru, inspiring me to strive for excellence in my field.

Resuscitation 1997 - Media support Prof MRR is addressing the gathering

Mr.Jacob Punnoose IPS inaugurated the CME. Interestingly, Mr.Punnoose became the state chairman of ANGELS( Active Network of Life Savers) in 2016

The banner mentioned as emergency medicine in 1997

However, fate had an unexpected path in store for me. In 2007, precisely a decade after my first deep involvement in resuscitation, I found myself at a crossroads—a sudden diversion that would redefine my career and shape the future of emergency medicine in India.

A Bold Move into the Unknown

The turning point came after a contradictory conversation with the Head of Anesthesia, which left me deeply unsettled. That morning, I made an impulsive yet life-changing decision.

I approached Dr. Abdulla Cherayakkat, MD of Aster MIMS, and proposed a bold idea:

"If you entrust me with the responsibility of transforming your casualty department into a world-class emergency room, I will bring palpable changes. Let me know if you are willing to take that risk."

Dr. Abdulla paused for a moment and replied,

"Give me one hour. I’ll get back to you after discussing it with Dr. Azad Moopen."

Exactly one hour later, at 11:30 AM, my phone rang. It was Dr. Abdulla, and his words changed my life forever:

"Dr. Azad has approved your mission. You are now in charge of transforming MIMS Calicut’s casualty into a state-of-the-art emergency room."

Dr Abdulla Cherayakkat
Managing Director

With that single decision, my professional identity shifted overnight—from a seasoned anesthesiologist to an emergency medicine pioneer.

At that time, Calicut MIMS casualty was a chaotic, unstructured space, managed by hourly-waged doctors who acted more like traffic controllers than emergency care providers. There was no structured approach, no standardized protocols, and no vision for emergency medicine as a specialty.

Even the Medical Council of India (MCI) had not yet recognized emergency medicine as a separate specialty. This official recognition would only come on July 21, 2009. But in 2007, we were stepping into uncharted territory, with no existing framework to follow.

The challenges were immense—staff training, doctor training, triage implementation, restructuring protocols, architectural changes to the ER, interdepartmental coordination, and more. Yet, Dr. Azad Moopen, Dr. Abdulla Cherayakkat, and the leadership at Aster had unwavering faith in me.

First batch of FEM residents

This was the exclusive logo for ER endorsed by the Chairman

Many of my colleagues were shocked by my decision. They could not understand why, in my forties, at the peak of a successful career, I would abandon a secure and established role for an unstructured and unrecognized field.

But I knew one thing:

If I had to survive and succeed in this new domain, I had to de-learn everything I had practiced for 18 years and start anew.

And that’s exactly what I did.

A Personal Experience That Strengthened My Resolve

My determination to revolutionize emergency medicine was deeply personal.

In 2005, two years before this transition, I survived a near-fatal accident. While driving home after work, a tipper lorry crashed into my Opel Corsa, leaving me with a fractured foot and facial lacerations. I was conscious and instructed bystanders to take me to MIMS Hospital, where I worked.

What happened next was shocking.

As I lay in the casualty ward, a junior resident medical officer (RMO) approached me with a razor blade and, without any assessment, partially shaved off my left eyebrow—a completely unnecessary and unscientific procedure.

At that time, there was no structured triage, no ABCDE approach, and no standardized emergency care. The casualty was literally a place where everything happened “casually”, with minimal oversight.

That painful realization fueled my determination. When the opportunity came in 2007, I seized it without hesitation.

Laying the Foundation of Emergency Medicine in India

With the support of Dr. Azad Moopen, Dr. Abdulla Cherayakkat, and international experts like Dr. Bobby Kapoor (GWU), Dr. George Abraham (IIEMS), and Prof. K.K. Varma, we worked to establish a structured Emergency Medicine training program.

GWU inspection at MIMS Calicut

A pivotal meeting at Taj Hotel, Calicut, brought together key stakeholders, including:

Dr. Bobby Kapoor, Dr. George Abraham, and Mr. John from GWU
Dr. Azad Moopen, Dr. Abdulla Cherayakkat, myself, CFO Jayakrishnan, ER Salahuddin, and Er Abdul Rahman from MIMS

The decision was made:

MIMS Calicut would launch India’s first structured two-year Emergency Medicine Fellowship Program.

On July 1, 2007, the program began with 10 residents, supported by monthly faculty visits from GWU and top Indian emergency medicine specialists like Dr. Tamorish Kole and Dr. Babu Palatty.

Dr Tamorish Kole

I dedicated myself entirely to this mission—training doctors, running public education programs, developing EMS networks, lobbying for recognition, and traveling across India and abroad. I introduced FAST ultrasound, triage protocols, infection control strategies, EMRs, mock drills, ambulance networking, CMEs, and workshops.

Dr Bobby Kapoor USA - He was the person who brought down International EM to India and personally, he introduced me to the International EM world for the first time

Dr.Judith Tintinelli, who wrote the most authentic textbook in Emergency medicine

Parallelly, Dr. Abdulla initiated discussions with Dr. Sahadulla, Chairman of KIMS Trivandrum, to launch the same program there, hoping to reduce overall costs. Dr. Ashish Nandi was appointed ER head at KIMS, but unfortunately, KIMS could not sustain the program in the long run.

Dr Ashish Nandi

Looking Back: A Historic Leap Forward

Today, as I reflect on this journey, I realize that leaving anesthesia for emergency medicine was not a diversion—it was destiny.

What started in 2007 at Aster MIMS Calicut has since evolved into a nationally recognized specialty, transforming emergency healthcare in India.

The no man’s land I stepped into has now become a structured and respected domain.

And I am incredibly proud to have been part of this history.

Because sometimes, the most unexpected paths lead to the most extraordinary destinations.