How to Study Medical subjects .

A question most frequently asked  is how to study .My only answer is ," Like this ' !
Sitting at a large table and on a chair at a comfortable height , well lighted , well ventilated and well cooled with books spread out and with paper ,sketch pens and your imagination .

1.Speed reading technique at the front , First make mind maps of the contents .You will get a good idea of  the positions to be read .

2.Write the date when you would like to complete a certain chapter or a book .

3.Find out the chapter headings , main headings ,subheadings as well the key images .They would be diagrams, tables ,charts,graphs and photos.

4.Always have  Mind maps of the basic concepts .Specially in Anatomy , Physiology and Bio-chemistry .These will help you learn the basic concepts in Pathology, Pharmacology and Micro-biology .These will help you understand basic concepts in Final year subjects like General Medicine, General surgery ,Obstetrics and Gynecology .Plus the minor subjects .
Having an idea of your basic anatomy is essential .

5.Make a file and preserve these mind maps .Get them scanned and documented in a computer ,At teh same time make giant Mind maps and put them on the walls .

6. Make Revision mind maps as often as possible .

Have Fun !

                             

                                Mind mapping my way to success

The year 2010 was the year which showed me the way to success .After reading Brian Tracy's book Goals I write my goals for the year 2010 in the first week on January .One of then was to make a hundred mind maps and another was to learn how to do a power point presentation .We never had computers in school nor in college .

Interestingly after I wrote my goals and made extensive plans to achieve them ,in 6 months only I completed a 100 mind maps besides attending a workshop by an internationally acclaimed mind map trainer  Dharmendra Rai in Mumbai .He is Mumbai's first mind map trainer and has done the maximum number of workshops in India .

From Mind mapping I moved on to Accelerated Learning for the 21 st. century .

I went on doing power point presentations because after the workshop I did one on Mind mapping .This was appreciated by all as it had only pictures and nothing written except for captions .You will find a PPt. on slide share titled Mind mapping ,final .

One fine day after I had finished an operation my staff told me that your photograph has come in today's newspaper. I was very confused and could not understand as I was still concentrating on writing the post operative instructions for the patient.

Later when I went down to the office I saw the newspaper in Gujarati with this article and  my photograph .At that moment I knew that this is going to be my future .The title translated into English means ' For providing information use pictures instead of words .

ALL because of writing my  goals specially  learning Mind mapping .

Dr. Chandrashekhar Ranade.

India's Foremost Mind Mapper 

                                                                     

                                                                     The Brain

Recent research by neuroscientists has revealed that the Two brain halves work somewhat differently from each other .The Left side is predominantly associated with Linearity . Language , Logic ,Lists ,Sequence ,Mathematics and Science .The Right side is associated with  Rhythm, 3 -D, Imagination ,Colour and Music .Our traditional education systems focus largely on the left side aspects keeping the right side separate .This leads to incomplete ,lop sided thinking .

Merging of both the sides of the brain leads to whole brain or Gestalt thinking .
To understand the structure of the brain from within ,look at a walnut and you will immediately understand it .
The Brain is an Organ whereas the Mind is the higher function of the Brain concerned with Speech , learning and Memory .
Mind mapping uses both the sides of the brain leading to synchronization of the brain halves thus leading to Radiant thinking.
By making a mind map ,the middle part of the brain known as Mid brain is activated which in turn activates the sensory cortex.This in turn makes us notice the various events occurring around us faster. 
The brain is more of an Image processor rather than a word processor .It understands images better than words .
Pre-historic cave man used images on the walls when language was not invented .Egyptian hieroglyphics too used pictures .Cartoons too use images .
This is how mind mapping is effective as it uses images and key words along with colour and curved line .The branching and sub branching resembles the microscopic structure of the nerve cells .

Dr. Chandrashekhar Ranade.
27-03-2017/Monday 

                                                           The Speed reading book  1

One of my earlier mind maps ,I find that this is the single most subject which I have been consistently  mind mapping every year since 2010 February .This is probably since reading is  one of the most basic skills that a an individual uses, literate  or illiterate .

The natural language of the brain is in pictures . Pre -historic man made simple drawings on cave walls even before language was invented .A major part of the brain is concerned with visual representation whereas only a small part is concerned with language .
The brain is more of a Visual processor rather than a word processor .
Most of you must have discovered by now that only about 20 % of the words are relevant .In technical subjects it is more .

Tony Buzan had initial difficulties in studying .He eventually discovered that by encircling Key words and connecting with lines he could perform better .Along with his brother Barry ,they developed mind mapping .
With the techniques described you can increase your speed to THOUSAND  words per minute in 28 days or even 7 days .
You can make it to TEN THOUSAND words Effectively too.
The Mind map Organic Study Technique ( MMOST ) is a unique system of reading scientifically .

Strange to note this is never mentioned even in a medical college wherein we get to study the Anatomy and Physiology of the brain.
Now imagine what exactly will you do with the Extra time you create for yourself when you start reading Effectively your study books ,magazines.e mails,sms's and whatever you read !
This is important as it will give an impetus to practice Speed reading .

                                                        Accelerated L-Earning for the 21 st. century 

Mind mapping is the core of Accelerated learning for the 21 st. century.
But accelerated learning is a much broader spectrum of learning how to learn in the 21 st. century .
The biggest challenge in the 21 st. century are scarcity of time ,attention and trust .
People all over the globe are looking for ways to create time ,attention and trust .

Fortunately extensive research in the past 10 -15 years in the neurosciences and the way the brain works has provided us with solutions .
There are as many as 10 intelligences that the human brain can have .
There are as many as three learning styles namely visual,auditory and kinesthetic .
There is new light on how the memory function works.So also the effect of light, environment ,aroma,group learning .
Also the effect of music ,colors ,rest,sleep, hypnosis and trance - like states ,exercise and games including video games .
I have hyphenated the word learning into L-Earning to emphasize that the eventual outcome of learning is in earning .
A degree certificate does not necessarily ensure earnings.
In fact according to Brian Tracy 98 % of the billionaires and millionaires are poorly educated and are  poor .
This means we need to focus the education on skill building rather than information hoarding which most often is forgotten conveniently after examinations .

Accelerated L-Earning is focused on Results, Results and Results !

Within every child there is a hidden Genius potential .Our purpose is to tap it .
Accelerated learning after my own experiences has been given a totally new perspective.It is the Indian perspective  where the core essence is in meditation and refining exercises as proposed by the 3 SRB i.e.3 Step Rhythmic Breathing or ' Laya Yoga ' proponents .

3SRB is scientific as it focuses on the regular breathing pattern at the universal rhythm of 12 times per minute .
The refining exercises designed by Maharishi Patanjali is focused on the refining of the balanced reactivity of the automatic nervous system lending you the necessary pause which we most often fail to have before anything which disturbs our thinking .

For more information ,next post !

Dr. Chandrashekhar Ranade ,
India's Most Admired Mind mapper .
23-03-2017.

                                                                THIS is a Mind map !

When I First started mind mapping I was so excited that I approached various institutional heads about mind mapping.
I was  often asked ,"What is a mind map "?
I immediately would show them a mind map and say ," THIS is a mind map ."

I was  often told ," Oh ! We know all about Mind mapping .It is simple .What is there in it ?"
We have been doing it since school !
I would show them this mind map ,autographed by the One and only Tony Buzan
They said  ," O yes yes ! We make them just like this  .
Anything else ?
Stumped , I would ask them to show me their mind maps  for which they would take an inordinately long time to locate them .When they did locate one , they were  far from my mind maps.
And their enthusiasm level was way below that which mind mappers posses.
Surprisingly twelve out of the fourteen institutional heads were women.
I am still trying to research this .
For whom is it meant ?
Here again I am stumped .My lack of communication skill.
When I read Tony Buzan's books in 2008 -2010 ,it never occurred to me as to whom it was meant for. I realized that if I had  come across this when I was a medical student I would definitely have fared better .
When you see an apple you eat it .
You do not like a philosopher ponder over it and ask questions .
Mind mapping is for those who are looking to create extra time , energy and credit, academic, financial and social  for themselves .Interestingly most of those who ask this back out saying they do not want anything extra.
Does it work ?
Even after having quoted the numerous multi-national  companies which use mind maps they ask me this .
A mind map does not work by itself .When your brain works in creating a mind map , then a mind map is created .
I need to meet more people .


 I have searched on YouTube for mind mapping in medicine .
I do wish they First show one and then start talking about them .

Simply put :
A Mind map is a document ,
Which keeps  you in the present .
Mind mapping is an activity ,
Which unleashes your Infinite creativity ,
A mind mapper is a worker ,
Who is his own creator .

Mind mapping is Simple ,Scientific and Scintillating .
1.Simple .It is so simple that even a 6 year child can do it .There are books written by Tony Buzan on mind mapping for kids ( Three ).This is because at the age of 6 the eye-brain -hand co-ordination develops and the child is able to hold a pen and pencil.

2.Scientific .Drawing the central image helps you to focus.This activates the reticular activating system ( RAS ) in the brain which in turn activates the sensory cortex .So you are sensitized to whatever you are looking for and notice it earlier than you usually would .

3.Scintillating .Images , colour ,words and curved lines stimulate the brain which is the language of the brain .

A mind map is a document which may be compared to a city map or a route map .It is a ' Thought grabber and a great Organizer .It is often compared to a mirror as well as a multi-purpose Swiss army knife .
There is a central idea represented by an image in the center .Branching from it are other associated ideas ,each idea represented with an image and a word .Since the branches radiate ,mind mapping is also known as ' Radiant thinking .Each idea is an explosion !
The simpler the image the better .
Mind mapping has multiple benefits .
Most important is what do You want for yourself ,personally .

Goal setting is the commonest use of a mind map in business situation .

Dr. Chandrashekhar Ranade,
17-03-2017/Friday .

                                                          Dreams do come True !

1995 December .
I had written an article on the Consumer Protection Act which was published word by word in the Gujarat Medical Journal  ,though it was a four page one .It had received rave reviews .It was written with suggestions for the medical fraternity to change the medical education system and update it with the importance of training the medical students in the art and science of communication .
Little did I know then I had written my own destiny, for my life followed what I had written .

I did a course in Human Resource management (1997) to be followed by a 1 year stint ( 1999) in marketing and sales.
Much later it was followed with me taking an avid interest in Neuro Linguistic Programming ( 2000) the science of excellence in communication .
Around the same time  I cut down various activities  and focused on my private practice as a doctor .
But God has a master plan for all of us .
In 2008 a friend ,philosopher and guide Ashwanikumar Trivedi ,Guru in Time travel suggested to me to try mind mapping .Though there were plenty of books on mind mapping in the Ahmedabad Management Association (AMA ) library it took me a good six months to pick up my first one .For two years I kept on reading them intermittently , when eventually in 2010 I decided that in that year I would do a hundred mind maps .By February second week I had completed Sixty five mind maps and by 30 th. June I had done my First hundred !Some of them were mind maps of medical subjects like Anatomy and Physiology and some in my speciality i.e. E.N.T. O yes ! I would get up early at 5.00 in the morning and do some of them .
In 2013 I along with my wife Dr. Abha Ranade had an opportunity to visit the Gujarat Adani Institute of Medical Sciences( GAIMS ) ,Bhuj .A senior colleague was taking a lecture and invited us to attend it .It was an opportunity which we accepted little knowing that one day my dream of making changes in medical education was going to come true .We sat on the benches along with the undergraduate students .It was at that time I felt a strong feeling in my chest that if I were to be in that postion of our senior colleague it would be wonderful .
It was less than a  year in 2014 that I got an opportunity to join the Institute as Assistant Professor in the Department of E.N.T. Next year in 2015 I was delivering lectures in the same lecture room ,i.e. room number 5 .My dream had come true !
The 'Secret ' in action ?!
In this photograph I was sitting where you see the students sitting on the left side of the lecture hall. .
It was exactly two years later in 2015 that I was standing on that very platform where I wanted to be .
Twenty years later when I had written there should be changes in medical education I was making those very changes using Mind maps and video clippings to make learning fun .

Dr. Chandrashekhar Ranade,
11-03-2017,Saturday .

Focus !

Focus !

The ' Secret ' of success is summarized in one magical word and it is Focus .
This picture reminds me of Three stories .

One .It was in 2000 when I was extremely occupied in doing many things besides my private clinical practice .I would go to way off charitable hospitals as well Ahmedabad's First corporate hospital ,go to Matar , a village in Kheda district of Gujarat  ,involved in religious events ,go to learn French to Alliance Francaise, as well take training from NIS - Sparta in sales and marketing .Was into Reiki and Pranic healing .Besides I had completed my PGD-HRM from IGNOU .Hence I would attend HR conferences as well as medical conferences .
I once met the Director of Torrent Research Center Dr.Gautam Dutt as a very close friend of mine Ketan Doshi had suggested to me for guidance .I did a presentation after which he said ," You are not focused. .He them made an offer to me to join his research department .Interestingly though I had agreed I did not join as there was an earthquake and my decision changed .
I soon decided I would focus on my private practice as a E.N.T.surgeon .
Well and good ,for eventually I did only those activities which were profitable to me financially .
The central dot in this picture reminds me of this .

Two .In the yoga practice that I follow ( Laya Yoga ) there is a term ' Relaxed attention .Here too you focus on the scientific way of breathing .When you master it ,your emotional reactions to whatever occurs around is  minimized and you remain mentally i.e. intellectually and emotionally stable as well physically sound .The effect of your past 'Karmas' too are minimized and you learn to pause before reacting , very essential in the present fast moving 21 st. century .

Third .The most memorable story associated which I had heard from a good friend of mine ,Dr. Lalit Kapoor well known Cardio Thoracic surgeon .This was way back in 1989 - 90.
The story is of a Swami who was sitting in the market place crying silently .A group of youngsters passed by .They asked the Swami as to why there were tears in his eyes .The Swamiji asked them "What do you see on the wall behind me ?" They replied ," Of course a Black spot ".The Swamiji replied ,"This is why exactly I am crying .Don't you see the entire white wall ?"

And this is exactly what I want to say .
To be successful Focus on What you want and Have rather than on what others are doing and their negative points .Focus on the Good points in others and tell them in a gentle manner for appreciation is rare and very few people believe it .
Next article is How and why of Focusing and achieving the success you deserve !

Dr. Chandrashekhar Ranade,
India's Most Admired Mind mapper .

An exceptionally well researched , well written book ,"What to say when you talk to yourself ' was written and published in 1982 by Shad Helmstetter  .

An eye ,ear and mouth opener, it opened my  mind as to how ingeniously we learn to self defeat ourselves .Thanks to  ingenious well wishers like parents,siblings ,friends ,teachers ,relatives neighbors,bosses and strangers ; by the age of eighteen years 80 % of the people are afraid of drawing,singing ,learning anything new and public speaking . We have heard on average 1,48,000 times a 'NO'.You are too young,too stupid ,inadequate ,cannot draw and will not amount to anything .Too fat ,too slim, too short ,too tall,mentally retarded .Look at him /her .Three people who were considered ' unfit for education ' were Dr.Albert Einstein.Dr.Albert Schweitzer and Thomas Alva Edison .

Failure of any sort is criticized .The weak bow down slowly, gradually and steadily.Only the strong 20 % go ahead and become successful despite failures .
Our dreams are then very successfully buried deep in the ground with a heavy stone slab on it and many of us sitting on them including our ingenious well wishers , lest the dreams  awaken  and arise.  .
We have many sayings ,aphorisms which advice us to work hard and be happy with what we achieve.Quite fine .Probably said by a defeated person or a rich man wanting to exploit fellow human beings .
Analyzing successful people it has been found that they have an excellent self image .There very inner dialogue is positive .They see,hear and feel positive .
More like seeing a half glass full or half glass empty .

To illustrate this about one and a half years back in 2015 ,I very distinctly remember an incident where four of us doctors had gone to a way out restaurant in a car at night .It was about 8.00 p.m. and very quite .Just as the doctor who was driving the car parked it under a tree ,he immediately reversed it and parked it a few feet away .His explanation was that a swallow might shit on the car roof .
I blew up instantaneously though I kept quite .
At eight o' cock in the night  in a place away from the city which sparrow ,for they are very rarely seen will shit on his car only .As if it was waiting for him to park in that desolate place .

The ' Secret ' to success is to work on your self talk and self image .Much before the ' Secret ' movie and book came out this has already been mentioned in the ' Bhagwad Geeta.'
It is a sin to think poorly of yourself as well make others believe that there are inferior .
Inspiring others as well as yourself to unleash your giant potential is the most pious thing that you can ever do .
And this is exactly the purpose of creating this blog .This is the main work an individual has to do throughout life .Rest of your achievements follow this basic work.
Since the past eleven  years this the only thing I have been doing continuously everyday and every moment .Before writing and talking I convert a word into a positive one should a negative one arise .

Dr. Chandrashekhar Ranade,
7-03-2017/Tuesday .

Fear of failure is the commonest fear .

Specially the fear of public speaking .In the present 21 st. century where time and timing are essential this fear can cost you time, energy and credit ;which may be academic ,financial and social .It is people who speak up confidently do well in life .

Mind mapping, a multi-purpose thinking tool often compared to a Swiss army knife is the ideal tool to boost your self confidence and place you in a place where you would like to be.

Simple to learn , it is scientific and scintillating .

So simple that even a child of 6 years can do it .

The most focused use of this tool is in the arena of Public speaking and personality development. Besides the boosting of self confidence, it will help you remember facts and figures confidently

After having mastered it you will be able to stand anywhere and talk confidently.

 Specially in a job inter-view.

The scientific basis of this is that the brain is more of a visual processor than a word processor .With the use of images, colour, curved lines and key words your ability to inter –act is exceptional and at lightning speed.

Your intuition level, creativity are also increased.

After having mastered it , I personally can talk anywhere at any given time .I am more confident, competent ,self assured and comfortable while talking in public .

At a recently concluded medical conference in Belgaum, I was faced with an awesome task of addressing internationally acclaimed senior doctors .Since I had mind mapped my presentation, it was a day when I stood confidently, smiling face ,shoulders squared ,feet apart ,chest expanded and looking squarely into the eyes of the important people in the audience .Thus I overcame my intense fear of addressing the senior doctors.

If I can do it, so can you!

Dr . Chandrashekhar Ranade.

India’s Most Admired Mind mapper

3-03-2017/Friday