ENGLISH SPEECH | DR. A.P.J ABDUL KALAM: Culture of Excellence (English Subtitles)

Summary

The speaker, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, inspires medical professionals to envision their legacy and strive for excellence in their practice. He emphasizes the importance of compassion, continuous learning, and innovation in medicine. Drawing from his experiences, he highlights the impact of medical advancements, such as the development of a heat shield material for missiles that was repurposed to create lighter calipers for polio patients. He also discusses the evolving landscape of medical science, including cancer immunotherapy and the use of optical scanners for early detection of neural disorders. The speech concludes with a call to embody six virtues in medical care: generosity, ethics, tolerance, perseverance, concentration, and intelligence.

Takeaways

• 🌟 The importance of envisioning one's legacy and how one will be remembered for contributing to the world.
• 🔬 The significance of ambition and the need to align it with a clear vision for personal and national development.
• 💡 The transformative power of innovation, exemplified by India's nuclear test and the development of the Agni missile.
• 📚 The role of a blueprint and roadmap in guiding a nation's progress, as seen in India's economic development plans.
• 🏥 The intersection of technology and healthcare, particularly in the development of materials for both missiles and medical prosthetics.
• 🤝 The impact of compassion in the medical field, emphasizing the need for doctors to treat patients with kindness and empathy.
• 🎓 The importance of continuous learning and updating one's knowledge in the ever-evolving field of medicine.
• 🧬 A paradigm shift in medicine with a focus on understanding the genome, proteins, and cellular processes to address the root causes of diseases.
• 🛡️ The potential of immunotherapy in revolutionizing cancer treatment by targeting the immune system rather than tumors directly.
• 🌐 The six virtues of medical care as outlined in the book 'Medicine and Compassion': generosity, pure ethics, tolerance, perseverance, concentration, and intelligence.

Q & A

What is the central message Dr. Kalam wants to convey to the medical professionals?

Dr. Kalam emphasizes the importance of having a vision for one's ambition and asking oneself what they will be remembered for. He encourages medical professionals to strive for excellence and to continuously update their knowledge and skills.

How does Dr. Kalam describe the happiness he felt after India's nuclear test in 1998?

Dr. Kalam describes a unique type of happiness that came from the successful nuclear test, which marked India's emergence as a nuclear-armed state. This event gave him a sense of national pride and accomplishment.

What is the significance of the 'heat shield' material developed by Dr. Kalam's team?

The 'heat shield' material was developed to withstand extreme temperatures during the re-entry of missiles. It was later repurposed to create lightweight calipers for polio patients, significantly improving their mobility and quality of life.

What was the impact of using the heat shield material for polio patients' calipers?

The use of the heat shield material reduced the weight of the calipers from 4 kilograms to 400 grams, enabling the patients to move more freely and even run, which brought joy and tears of happiness to the patients and their mothers.

What does Dr. Kalam mean by 'culture of excellence' in the medical field?

The 'culture of excellence' refers to a continuous process of self-improvement where medical professionals set high performance standards, work on their dreams with focus, take calculated risks, and learn from failures to achieve their full potential.

How does Dr. Kalam view the role of compassion in the medical profession?

Dr. Kalam believes that doctors should have two hearts: a biological heart and a kind heart. Compassion is essential for treating patients with pain, as it allows doctors to connect with their patients and provide care with empathy and understanding.

What are the six virtues of medical care mentioned by Dr. Kalam?

The six virtues of medical care mentioned by Dr. Kalam are generosity, pure ethics, tolerance, perseverance, cultivating pure concentration, and intelligence. These virtues are meant to empower caregivers with a humane heart.

How does Dr. Kalam relate the advancements in medical science to the treatment of diseases?

Dr. Kalam highlights the paradigm shift in medicine due to advancements in understanding the genome, protein dynamics, and cellular processes. He emphasizes the importance of innovative therapies that address the root causes of diseases rather than just treating symptoms.

What is the significance of cancer immunotherapy mentioned in the script?

Cancer immunotherapy is significant because it represents a breakthrough in cancer treatment by targeting the body's immune system to combat cancer cells directly. This approach has shown promise in clinical trials and may lead to new treatment methods for various diseases.

What is the vision Dr. Kalam suggests medical professionals should have for their legacy?

Dr. Kalam encourages medical professionals to envision their legacy as bringing smiles to patients, creating cost-effective vaccines, reviving primary healthcare centers, championing preventive healthcare, or contributing to finding cures for diseases like cancer and HIV.

Outlines

00:00

🚀 Vision and Ambition

The speaker begins by posing a philosophical question about the legacy each individual will leave behind in the world's history. They emphasize the importance of having a vision for one's ambitions and reflecting on how one will be remembered. The narrative then shifts to a personal anecdote about India's nuclear tests and the speaker's role in developing heat-resistant materials for missiles, which was a source of happiness and pride. The discussion also includes the speaker's work on a blueprint for India's economic development by 2020, highlighting the need for continuous learning and adaptation in various fields.

05:01

🛠️ Innovation in Orthopedics

This paragraph tells the story of how the speaker, a scientist, collaborated with an orthopedic surgeon to develop lighter calipers for polio patients using materials designed for missile heat shields. The initiative not only improved the patients' mobility and quality of life but also brought a profound sense of fulfillment to the speaker. The narrative underscores the importance of innovation and compassion in the medical field, as well as the joy that comes from alleviating suffering.

10:02

🩺 The Noble Profession of Medicine

The speaker addresses an audience of medical professionals, encouraging them to embrace the noble aspects of their profession. They discuss the dual importance of treatment and compassion, emphasizing that doctors should have 'two hearts': one biological and one kind-hearted. The speaker also highlights the concept of a 'culture of excellence' in medicine, which involves continuous self-improvement, setting personal performance standards, and pursuing dreams with focus and resilience in the face of failure.

15:03

🔬 Advances in Medical Science

Here, the speaker discusses the rapid advancements in medical science, particularly in genomics, proteomics, and cellular processes, which have led to a deeper understanding of inflammation's role in disease. They mention the shift towards treating the root causes of diseases rather than just symptoms and the importance of revisiting traditional medical approaches. The speaker also shares insights from cancer research and the promising field of immunotherapy, as well as innovative uses of technology in detecting neurological disorders.

20:04

🌟 Defining Legacy in Healthcare

The speaker concludes by reflecting on the question of legacy, encouraging the audience to consider how they will be remembered in their professional lives. They suggest various ways medical professionals can make a lasting impact, such as creating cost-effective vaccines, reviving primary healthcare centers, or becoming champions of preventive care. The speaker's message is one of inspiration, urging healthcare professionals to strive for excellence and to leave a positive mark on the world through their work.

Keywords

💡Vision

Vision, in the context of the video, refers to a clear and long-term goal or aspiration that guides one's actions and decisions. It is what drives individuals to achieve greatness and leave a lasting impact. The speaker emphasizes the importance of having a vision for one's ambition, asking the audience to consider what they will be remembered for and how they will contribute to the world's history.

💡Nuclear Weapon State

The term 'Nuclear Weapon State' is used in the script to describe a country that possesses nuclear weapons. The speaker recounts India's nuclear test in 1998, which made it a nuclear-armed nation. This event is mentioned to illustrate a significant historical achievement that marked a turning point for India's national security and global standing.

💡Economic Development

Economic development refers to the process by which a nation improves its economic well-being and standard of living. The script mentions a blueprint for India to become an economically developed nation by 2020, highlighting the importance of planning and strategic development for a country's progress.

💡Heat Shield

A heat shield is a protective barrier used to withstand extreme temperatures, particularly in aerospace applications. In the script, the speaker discusses the development of a carbon-carbon composite material for a heat shield in missiles, which was later repurposed for medical use, demonstrating innovation and the cross-application of technology.

💡Composite Material

Composite materials are made from two or more different materials that, when combined, produce a material with characteristics different from the individual components. The speaker's work on composite materials for missile applications showcases the significance of materials science in both defense and medical advancements.

💡Innovation

Innovation is the process of translating an idea or invention into a good or service that creates value or for which customers will pay. The video script illustrates innovation through the repurposing of missile technology for medical prosthetics, highlighting how creative thinking can lead to significant societal benefits.

💡Culture of Excellence

A culture of excellence is an environment that fosters continuous improvement, high performance standards, and a commitment to achieving the best results. The speaker encourages medical professionals to adopt this culture, emphasizing the importance of self-improvement, focus, and resilience in the face of challenges.

💡Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy is a type of cancer treatment that uses the body's immune system to fight cancer. The script mentions a breakthrough in cancer research where immunotherapy is being developed to target the immune system to combat tumors directly, indicating a shift towards more effective and targeted treatments.

💡Preventive Healthcare

Preventive healthcare involves采取措施 to prevent disease or detect it at an early stage. The speaker highlights the importance of preventive healthcare, suggesting that medical professionals should not only treat diseases but also educate patients and communities on how to prevent them.

💡Compassion

Compassion is the feeling of empathy and understanding towards the suffering of others, often accompanied by a desire to alleviate it. In the context of the video, compassion is a key virtue for medical professionals, as it drives them to treat patients with kindness and empathy, which is crucial in patient care and satisfaction.

💡Paradigm Shift

A paradigm shift refers to a fundamental change in approach or underlying assumptions. The script discusses a paradigm shift in medicine, with new understandings of genomics, proteins, and cellular processes leading to innovative therapies. This shift emphasizes the importance of staying updated with the latest scientific advancements in the medical field.

Highlights

What is the one action that will make you great? Each person has a page in the history of the world. Give a vision to your ambition and ask yourself, 'What will I be remembered for?'

India became a nuclear weapon state after conducting a nuclear test in extreme conditions, which brought another level of happiness and pride to the nation.

Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam's contribution to developing the heat shield for the Agni missile using carbon-carbon composite material, capable of withstanding 4500 Kelvin during re-entry.

A challenge to adapt missile technology for medical purposes: Using the lightweight carbon composite from missiles to create a much lighter 400-gram caliper for polio patients, reducing the original 4-kilogram weight and bringing joy to the children.

The importance of combining compassion with treatment in the medical profession, stressing the need for doctors to have both a biological and a kind heart to alleviate patient suffering.

The concept of 'culture of excellence': Excellence is not an accident but a process where individuals continuously strive to better themselves, not in competition with others, but with themselves.

Medicine is undergoing a paradigm shift with new advances in understanding the genome, protein dynamics, and inflammation at the root of many diseases.

Cancer immunotherapy: A promising approach where treatment targets the body’s immune system instead of tumors directly, showing potential for significant breakthroughs in cancer treatment.

A breakthrough in early detection of neural disorders: Using optical scanning technology typically used in eye care to detect disorders in neurons and photoreceptors in the brain.

Six virtues of medical care that every doctor should possess: Generosity, pure ethics, tolerance, never giving up, pure concentration, and intelligence.

Doctors must cultivate pure concentration when treating patients, ensuring that they truly understand the patient’s condition beyond just diagnostics.

The medical profession is rapidly evolving, requiring constant updates in knowledge to keep pace with new treatment methods, diagnosis tools, and equipment.

Will you be remembered for bringing smiles to patients or creating cost-effective vaccines that save lives? Each one must derive their own vision of what they will be remembered for.

Preventive healthcare is essential, especially in the areas of cardiology, diabetes, and infectious diseases. Doctors should also teach families about prevention to extend the impact of their care.

Doctors should strive to remove the pain of patients with compassion, becoming both healers and teachers in promoting long-term health solutions.

Transcripts

first friends i want to leave you with a

thought today what is the one action

which will make you great

every one of you has a page in the

history of the world

what is that page

how do you make that page which is going

to be referred by the prosperity

there is a need to give a vision to your

ambition

what i will be remember for what will be

each one of us has to ask the question

what they will be remembered for

president said and

there in may

we saw first time how 48 degree celsius

would be there

and outside the outside temperature

and then midday we conducted a

new test

and that made india a nuclear weapon

state

and

that also gave me

another type of happiness

then i said okay these are all some

different some space i said we prepare

for the nation i prepare for the nation

india 22 division how by the year 2020

india can be a economically developed

nation we give a blueprint a roadmap

in 1998

with the complete

areas specified and what should be done

and this book

finally a book also from india turned

into his famous book

and all these six and another work and

including parliament discussed and

politically they accepted those days so

all this happened

but

she

you know student when you're taking

class you know

she said i didn't ask on this thing

but you give me one thing which gave you

bliss on you know placements are not

equal and disarmament

now

finally

i told them

see when i was in drdl hyderabad

i was working as a director of the

establishment and also we specialize in

composite material how to make a

composite material

the agni missile

the introduction i gave for again

carry what is called a heat shield

because when it reenters with 15 times

the sound speed

re-entry time

before two thousand kilometer goes

the temperature outside will be normally

4500 degree kelvin

it will be burning it's a flame

that means inside

inside the nose cone inside the heat

shield the material what you carry it

may be any important material

and that should be in temperature the

room temperature what you are having

this is the requirement

so if we developed a material what is

called carbon carbon material

so you know carbon composite this carbon

carbon material

we developed it the tip we have put this

follow so that whenever

temperature very high temperature flame

comes in this will protect the inside

will be always 25 28 degrees celsius

so this very light material be used

so this is this is called heat shield

for again

one day after pretty print

professor

professor b and prasad

at that time was in his office of

medical science

he's an orthopedic surgeon orthopedic

surgeon one day

he was visiting me

orthopedic surgeon was visiting my lab

i showed him the precious

thing that he chilled she lifted he

found it's very light very light very

light because i always say very light

and then

and heavy it's strength also you see

very high high temperature strength also

very low

so strength will be kept always so all

this thing was highly impressed he said

kalam i want to take you to my

orthopedic ward in new jersey medical

science so he put me in his car

took me to the hospital

and took me to the orthopedic ward

there are 30 40 people

who are having knee surgery

and about 15 young boys and girls

they had

the

caliper fitted you know for a polio

patient they fit the caliper

that calipol each both calipers put

together weighs four kilogram

he told me

see that as soon as we went they were

removed that caliper they did not wear

it as soon as we saw the doctor

immediately started fitting it

so so heavy it's not so uncomfortable he

told me you see the seam and you have

got a fantastic material for the use of

missile why not you use that material

missile material

use it for this

my job question

so we took this a challenge

we took dimension

we take 22 volts we made in two weeks

time three weeks time

and then

we got

15

15

um

calipers

only we call it a for floor reaction

orthosis we follow

and

i took it to the hospital with my team

composite team

and we fitted to each

child

and a child when they were so light they

started running

because that four kilogram becomes 400

gram four kilogram

water 400 gram

the children were so happy

and

they started running

when the

when the mother saw this one

they thought i saw the tears i said that

was the bliss i got i thought

so

my

uh all of you

my feeling is better answers as my

student

all of you are fortunate to be in a

noble profession

to remove the pain with compassion and

experience very important

see one is treatment

another is compassion

both

today i was

in trivial

school

i

don't girl asked me no question but 12

questions were there

uh one question she asked

before our question i answered as what

class your study

the girl said i am 10 plus one

what subject you okay she said medical

subject she has taken that's biology

medical science

and physio physics

bioscience all these things he has taken

and i hope you are becoming a doctor

i said yes i

i my dream is to become a doctor so that

i can remove the pain she said fantastic

statement the government i want to

remove the pain

but you know i said my answer was

you know normally we all of us human

beings

we have one biological heart isn't it

or is you and me all of us got one

biological lot

but doctor should have two hearts i said

apart from biological heart they must

have one more heart

so the question of

i asked what is a second heart

you nobody you will then finally i said

it's a kind heart

because doctors and leaves

medical service needs compassion to the

patient because

you find not one patient

you have to treat hundreds of patients

with pain

in that environment you have need

kindness

and compassion

so i visualize all the doctors

they've got two hearts good doctors

now medical profession one of the

important thing friends

when i see

dr

of life and all your life

i see one great quality we need what is

called culture of excellence

culture of excellence all of you can

hear me

last row

now friends you will belong to

the medical community

of multiple fields

you should stand for a culture of

excellence

the excellence not by accident

it is a process

where an individual

continuously strives to better oneself

the performance standards are set by

themselves

they work on their dreams

with focus

and are prepared to take calculated risk

and do not get deterred

by failures

as they move towards their dreams

then they step up their dreams

as they tend to reach the original

targets

they strive to work to their potential

in the process they increase their

performance thereby multiplying further

their potential

this is an unending

life cycle phenomena culture of

excellence they are not in competition

with anyone else

but themselves

that is a culture of excellence

i am sure each one of you

will aspire to become a unique

with culture of excellence

because that is needed

when you see a patient

and the diagnosis method changed

and the treatment methods are changed

and you are the one area you have to be

completely

updated continuously

that means your knowledge should

continuously needs needs needs addition

addition addition

friends medicine

when i'm seeing all of you medicine

and undergoing a paradigm shift

the understanding of genome

the dynamics of proteins

and the ability of technology to see

various process of the cells

have zeroed on to inflammation

inflammation at the root of all the

diseases you will agree

now with these discoveries

also came a scientific advances in

understanding the underlying mechanisms

of disease

leading to innovative therapies

that focus on addressing the cause of

disease instead of just treating

symptoms

it is essential our medical scientists

and clinicians

working in the field of healthcare and

research how to revisit traditional

pharmacological approaches

to medicine and healthcare and develop

scientific treatment protocols to use

them for many acute and chronic disease

and disorders

now when i am telling you in 2013 that's

the last year

a cancer research

found a sea change

in research and development

because i visited anderson laboratory

in

usa

according to the science journal

is called the advanced of sciences aaas

promising research emerging from the

clinical trials

of cancer immunotherapy

cancer immunotherapy

in which treatment targets the body's

immune system risen tumors directly

tumor flow you know in cancer

you will treat something it will come

somewhere else okay

so

the

so then

the question is then 2013 research says

the immune system targets the body's

immune system

in which rather than the tumors directly

the treatment pushed t cells and other

immune cells to combat cancer

so far this process works only for

certain cancer and few patients

it is considered to be an important

scientific breakthrough though the

ultimate impact on the disease is not

known it was reported the results so far

have been highlighting its success

it is possible

immunotherapy in future

my

may find solution for many other

diseases only person i can ask on dharma

whether it's possible

but i was there a few weeks back

at edinburgh university

i i saw something i thought sharing to

the young doctors

chandran

in one of the

laboratory showed his work on deploying

technologies typically used

for eye care professionals

and use it to develop detect neural or

disorders

let me read it professor chandran is

from edinburgh university

a laboratory i visited

cancer laboratory

showed his work on deploying

technologies typically used by eye care

professionals

and use it to help detect neural

disorders

using optical scanner devices

his team is mapping the inside of the

eye

particular

they are going further

and targeting the optical nerve

a small opening into the retina which

carries neurons and photoreceptors

from the eye to the brain

using the advanced technology they have

they are able to peep down the optical

nerves in the specific region of the

brain and make a long channel and

cross-section image of it issued by

number of images

these

images clearly show

any odd neural pattern

or any potentially adhesive neural form

thus using this technology process

chandraneth steve is able to direct

early disorders and administer

preventive care in in the in the typical

area

now friends i would like to say that

six virtues

of medical care

one we have to process over the medical

care

let me now share with you six virtues

which a medical caregiver should possess

this

i have read in a book titled medicine

and compassion

ordered by

a reporter among buddhist monk reporter

caused by

a david ostrim md

it's a nice book

name of the book compassion and medical

care

the his according to the others

first virtues generosity

that is the doctor should have a mind of

generosity

second virtue is pure ethics

because

just now i had

a specialist natick area is here

ethics area

and that's i'm very happy to know may i

know sir who is that sir who is special

special medical medical ethics

okay so first one two generosity the

second word is pure ethics

third is tolerance

because you will be numbers of pain your

doctor or nurses

they always then they miss something

that's why tolerance the fourth is

specific doctor never gives up

never gives up

he will always say

i can save this situation

or say

prevent the disease or cure the disease

fifth is cultivating pure concentration

when you see a patient

he should feel my doctor sees me

sees me through

not just

people thermoscope would get away

and the way you treat the patient

he feels in this

the

cultivating the pure concentration of

the patient the last virtue is

intelligent

that means no

field in the country

in the any part of the world

a needs update

because medical field in equipment

in diagnosis in treatment continuously

every day is changing fortunately

internet is there

these virtues will empower the

caregivers with the humane heart

i am sure the medical

who are present here and elsewhere will

have all these six virtues that will

reinforce confidence of the citizen in

the health care system

so finally in conclusion i would like

say what i will be remembered for what i

will be remembered

for okay

first friends i want to leave you with a

thought today what is the one action

which will make you great

every one of you has a page in the

history of the world

what is that page

how do you make that page which is going

to be referred by the prosperity

there is a need to give a vision to your

ambition

what i will be remember for whatever

each one of us have to ask the question

what they will be remembered for

and

if you find an answer

for this question a few lines

that that of that of out of box idea

will drive you for the rest of your life

you will definitely thinking something

different on our out-of-box mission

what are

they can i visualize along with you

i am not a doctor

but i want to visualize along with you

each one of you will derive your own

vision

to remember for example serious light

when you see this light

immediately we remember a personality

even though yellow tissue was discovered

faraday

long long ago but application was given

a person thomas alvarez

when the light you see thomas

when the telephone bell ring is used

remember

so what a lady who got two nobel prizes

you will remember it's madam curie

because one for discovery of radium

however she treated

cancer patient using the radio

for both she got two nobel prize

so they're all unique people

so what i will be

remembered for

you would be definitely thinking

something different

an out of box mission today what are you

going to say today what i will be

remembered for

can i visualize along with each one of

you will derive your own vision

i am not putting boundary condition will

he be remembered for bringing smiles of

a health and joy to all the patients

when the patient reaches you

you will be having haunted by patients

but smile can you wear the smiles

will he be remembered for helping

creating a unique cost-effective vaccine

against malaria my radio is not going

out of our country

and thereby saving more than one million

people mostly children

and who are in trouble

will he be remembered for creating a

roadmap

for reviving the 23 000 primary

healthcare centers across the nation

which would enable them to deliver the

much needed primary health facilities to

a remote region

my trust doctors want to be in madras

nobody want to go to primarily

will he be remembered as a champion of

preventive

this is very important sir will he be

remembered as a champion of a preventive

health care in the areas of cardiology

diabetic and infectious diseases

because you would be the great teacher

you are treating a patient

patient doesn't come alone he comes with

his family

and when the

patient gets cured you become a teacher

when you teach when you tell him how to

how he got the disease how it can be

prevented he will give you attention to

you he will care for you

will he be remembered as a great teacher

in preventive care for diseased families

of patients

will be remembered for contributing in a

unique way in finding a cure for

diseases such as cancer

and hiv

now friends my best wishes to all of you

for success in your mission of removing

the pain of the needy patient may god

bless you all

[Music]

[Music]

you