THE SURGICAL MIND — A BEGINNING
The idea of starting my own YouTube channel for surgical teaching was first planted sometime around 2023 by one of my students—who also happened to be my HOD’s son. He said something that stayed with me:
“Sir, everyone in our college knows you teach well, but nobody outside knows you.”
At the time, I didn’t quite understand why I needed to be “known” beyond my college. But that sentence planted a seed.
I have always enjoyed being on stage. From my school days—when my parents encouraged me to participate in every elocution competition—to becoming the school pupil leader and later the President of my college, I discovered early on that I loved addressing an audience. There’s a thrill in it that’s hard to explain. Every time I stood before a crowd, I wanted to tell a story. Whether it was a farewell speech for my school principal or my own farewell address in college, it always had to be a story.
Teaching, however, was a completely different story.
If school and college were among the best phases of my life—largely because of inspiring teachers—my MBBS years were quite the opposite. I disliked the way I was taught and, to be honest, I loathed most of my professors. At that time, the idea of becoming a teacher myself felt very distant.
Post-graduation changed everything.
It transformed me academically and personally. It gave me confidence—not just in performing surgeries, but also in teaching. I was fortunate to train under some exceptional professors in surgery, and their influence shaped me deeply. They made me want to give my students what I had once longed for as a learner.
In 2014, I joined as a Senior Resident in General Surgery, and my first teaching assignment was with BDS students. Most faculty avoided these classes, believing the students were disinterested and that the effort wasn’t worth it. I was even warned that the batch could be difficult.
But I’ve always believed in one simple principle:
What good am I if I can only teach the toppers?
They will do well regardless. The real impact lies in reaching those who struggle, those who seem disinterested—those who need someone to make the subject come alive.
So, I took it as a challenge.
To everyone’s surprise—including my own—the students responded incredibly well. I enjoyed teaching that batch immensely. Even today, 12 years later, I still meet those students, and they remember those surgery classes. In fact, I recently met two of them while getting my teeth scaled—and they spoke about those 2014 classes with such enthusiasm that it stayed with me long after.
After teaching three batches of BDS students, I was eventually “promoted” to teach MBBS students—and from there, things only kept getting better.
Some years later, one of my own students—by then an MBBS graduate—approached me with an idea to start an app called Dr Polaris, focused purely on MBBS teaching rather than NEET-PG preparation. This excited me. It was an opportunity to teach a wider audience in a way I truly enjoyed.
We experimented extensively and ended up creating over 120 surgical videos, while he collaborated with faculty across 19 other subjects. The app initially gained good traction. But over time, we realized something important—the learning preferences of students had changed. Long, 45-minute lectures were no longer what most students wanted. They preferred concise, exam-focused NEET-PG content.
The landscape of teaching had evolved—and we had to accept that.
Later, I was invited by DocTutorials, a platform specializing in NEET-PG and FMGE coaching, to conduct two three-day live sessions in Kerala. I must admit, the first day was a struggle. My MBBS teaching style didn’t translate well to the NEET-PG format. I adapted over the next sessions, and while the feedback improved, I still wasn’t fully satisfied.
And that thought kept returning.
For the past three years, the idea of starting my own YouTube channel had been quietly growing in my mind—a space where I could teach the way I believe in, while still adapting to what students need today.
The intent was always there.
The hesitation was in the “how.”
Until one day, I decided—if not now, then when?
I set up a small recording space in my room.
And THE SURGICAL MIND was born.
https://www.youtube.com/@TheSurgicalMind
Now, I can teach the way I want. I can create when I want. And most importantly, I can reach students everywhere—freely.
It’s a small beginning.
But a long journey lies ahead.
And as they say—
Rome wasn’t built in a day.
