The winding road through the herds of buffaloes in the rural area of Delhi led to a dead end and I got down to ask for direction yet again for the Govt. dispensary. I was hunting for data for my thesis for my MD degree. I was to interview the medical officers and the nurses posted in the hospital and dispensaries of Delhi.

I had almost finished collecting the data and this was supposedly my last leg.

An old man readily told me the direction inside the galis and I finally reached my destination: the dispensary. I waited for the lone lady doctor posted here. I readied my questionnaire and was eagerly waiting for the doctor. After sometime she appeared and I introduced myself and told her the purpose of the visit. She was a trained specialist in obstetrics and gynecology and she was wondering why I had come there for the thesis.

I finally explained, "Ma'am when you did your thesis, you did in a hospital bases study. Similarly for our degree in Community Health Administration we do in the field and come and talk to you. I am trying to assess the management training needs for doctors in the field and for that I want your opinions …" She immediately said, "OK, I know now."

Then I finally took out my erstwhile long questionnaire which I had meticulously shortened by decreasing the font size and printing on both sides of the paper. Still then her eyes widened seeing the questionnaire. I was trying to pacify her and I was thinking hard. Over the conversation I realised that she had also joined through UPSC and had served for 5 years in Delhi Govt.

Then, I immediately said, "Then, Doctor Sa'ab, (even though she was a lady doctor here in this part of the country they have the habit of addressing like this!) You must be an SMO?"

To this she raised her hand and told, "Mujhe khud pata nahein hain!(I don't even know myself) Sometimes they address me as MO and at other times they address me as SMO."

"Oh! Then madam' you better check whether your ACRs have reached Nirman Bhavan or not. At times when it doesn't reach your promotion will not be in time."

And we talked on about the delay in recruitment and promotion and the erratic official procedures and so on. I didnt talk for my questionnaire for about 2 or 3 minutes

"Ha! Doctor Saab show me your questionnaire. What should I do?" and the questions were asked and in no time they were through. She offered me a cup of tea and I finished the programme.

Then I immediately headed for the bigger Hospital where I intended to interview the administrators. During the study of training need ideally we ask the likely trainees about what they feel they should be trained (technically called felt needs) and also see what and how they do things to get an idea of their expressed needs.

When this is through we go to the experts or experienced to find out what they think of the training we should impart to the lower workers. This is the formative need. So I was then heading for finding out the formative needs of the management training of doctors and nurses.

I walked inside one of the DMS's (Deputy Medical Superintendent) room. He happened to be a senior colleague with whom I worked with in my earlier posting.

"Ah, I didn't recognise you, you have gained weight. What brought you here!" I explained the purpose of my visit.

Then he said, "OK, but don't take much time. I am very busy".

I promised him a two minute interview and started, "With your 25 years of experience what do you think we should be training the new doctors…..what should be the duration and method of the training? Should they be taught about team function promotion, service rules,…" and so on and we continued.

He leaned back and gave me his opinion and about the lacunae in the system and we must have spent about ten minutes and I finished. "Bas itna hi tha?"(Is that all?) I then requested him to get an appointment from the Medical Superintendent himself. He then called up the MS and asked him about the interview.

I thought it as smooth sailing and happily I reached his room through the PA. "Yes, doctor you talk to the DMS. I don't have time. They will tell you everything." I reasoned that I needed his opinion.

But he was adamant and said, "Show me your questionnaire. Oh this is quite long and sorry I can't do it." "Sir, I'll shorten it and take two minutes precisely."

Finally to my surprised he agreed and immediately I started in the middle of the questionnaire, "Sir, unlike IAS and IPS officers who undergo induction training before they resume their office we doctors are not given this type of training. Do you think we should also be given?" to this he brightened up and said, "Yes, we should be given and it should be for at least one month in some training institute."

And we happily continued and in about 2 minutes we finished and I took a photo with him to be pasted in the thesis.

As I drove back home triumphant I remembered one occasion when a management student came calling at my residence and I had brushed him off saying I don't have time. Today I was facing the same thing. Today I think from my side, "Why are these people so uncooperative when a study was done for the benefit of the doctors. Soon their days will be over and the young blood will come to replace them. Why don't we all help making a policy for their trainings and for making better doctors for tomorrow."

Someone had even asked me why I didn't just fill up the forms at home. Crazy people!

But when I reached home I realised that interviewing someone was a technique and I was learning them now and this was part of my project. I had also learned to start with the right question to the right man!