Media Release
Mangaluru, Jul 20: A workshop on ‘A Step ahead in Research’ and general body meet was conducted by the Alumni Association of the Father Muller College of Nursing (FMCON) on Saturday, July 20.
The chief guest for the programme was Dr Sunil Moothedath, professor and head of the department of Child Health Nursing, Amrita College of Nursing, Kochi. Fr Richard Aloysius Coelho, director, FMCI, Sr Jacintha D Souza, principal, FMCON, Dr Devina Rodrigues, organizing chairperson of the workshop and president, Alumni Association, FMCON, Sr Deepa Peter organizing secretary were the dignitaries on the dais.
Dr Devina Rodrigues, president, Alumni Association welcomed the gathering and introduced the Chief Guest for the day, Dr Sunil Moothedath. Dr Sunil Moothedath while addressing the gathering said that the alumni are the brand ambassadors of an institution and is proud of his alma-mater alumni for its efforts in growing in strength and commitment. “I feel a sense of pride to say that I am a part of the Father Muller Family. Family is the place where we get a basic foundation. People judge us by the family we come from, hence I feel proud to be a member of this family because people all over the world have high regards of this great institution,” he said. He recalled a conversation that he had with his nursing director Wendy Bartle in Muscat while he was working there, wherein she knew a lot of the Father Muller Institutions because of its fame and talent that was spread all over the world. Putting forth a thought to the alumni, he said, “As we remember our parents, we should also remember our Alma Mater, because this was where our foundation of our nursing career had begun.” He concluded that the workshop in research was the need of the hour with medicine asking for evidence based research. Evaluation of any institution is primarily nowadays based on the research it generates and publishes. He lastly congratulated the organizers and his alma mater for this opportunity to meet and learn.
In the presidential address Fr Richard Aloysius Coelho, director FMCI, firstly welcomed the alumni to the institution and Dr Sunil for sharing his experience with Father Muller from the depth of his heart, not that because he is here but for the gratitude and the respect he has for his alma mater. He was happy that the alumni were being exemplary ambassadors of the Father Muller Charitable Institutions. Man has a thirst to improve is living from fire to the wheel, bringing in revolution in the world today. Vaccination in medical science and the high end technology today is the product of research. He quoted Albert Einstein, ‘If we were to know what we are doing, would it be called research?’ Today research in all fields of medicine, dentistry, and nursing has advanced. In his morning reflection, Fr Richard mentioned that Thomas Edison was considered a useless boy in studies and was told to find another option, so was the famed theologian Arch Bishop Fulton J Sheen considered in his young age to be a poor orator. But they did not perish with the low comments but rose up and have contributed a lot to the research field. He said the economic environment of research today is good, with agencies like ICMR and UGC giving ample grants, but for which there are no takers or the research proposal is of poor quality. Therefore the thirst for research should never end, as today’s technology or medicine may be outdated or phased out tomorrow. Research should gain momentum and was proud that a legion of faculty of the Father Muller Institutions has come forward to pursue their doctorate through new research. This makes an institution proud and this process should continue. We have to be analytical and from that one can become an authority in his or her field. He thanked the speakers for coming to share their knowledge to the delegates and asked of God’s blessing on all.
The workshop had three sessions. Dr Judith A Noronha, associate dean, Manipal College of Nursing, enlightened on randomization, allocation, concealment and blinding. The second session was led by Dr Shivashankara AR, associate professor and member secretary of Institutional Ethics Committee, Father Muller Medical College Hospital, highlighted Ethics in Research. The post lunch session was on Standardization of Research Tools by Dr Sucharitha Suresh, (statistician), assistant professor Father Muller Medical College.
At the end of the programme a feedback was given by the delegate. KSNC appointed observer Shivakumar, professor department of Mental Health Nursing, Laxmi Memorial College of Nursing spoke on overall conference and gave feedback followed by the presentation of certificate to the observer by Prof Lolita S M, joint secretary, Alumni Association. The delegates were awarded with certificates and the winners of the poster and paper presentation were awarded with prizes. The judges were honored by the organizing chairperson. The workshop ended with the college Anthem. As many as 60 delegates participated from different institutions.