Heroes of Healthcare International Lecture Series – Special talk by Dr. Anil D’Cruz

‘Heroes of Healthcare’ an International Lecture Series was organized on the 11^th of March, 2012 by the Gulf Medical University, Ajman wherein internationally renowned medical experts are invited to deliver talks and interact with the faculty and students at the University.

Gulf Medical University, Ajman, United Arab Emirates as part of the Heroes of Healthcare Lecture Series hosted a special talk by Dr. Anil D’Cruz who hails from Mumbai, India. Dr. D’Cruz began his lecture by emphasizing on the three important elements that is essential to become a successful doctor – Education, Research and Service.  While inculcating the sense of dedication he also enumerated many examples and instilled amongst the students  the essentials of becoming a good doctor. “The need to challenge the dogma is very important for a medical professional”, he added.   Dr. D’Cruz strongly feels that doctors must update themselves on medical research and tailor their practice accordingly.  He also emphasized on the students to go through the randomized control trials which is otherwise known as evidence based medicine. “A good doctor is one who combines his clinical experience with best external evidence which combines with research.  “To become a successful healthcare professional right attitude towards a patient is a must”  Dr. D’Cruz advised GMU students during the Heroes of Healthcare International Lecture Series.

While interacting with the students he emphasized that while communicating with patients it is equally important to talk and listen to them attentively. “Doctors must be innovative in their practice and audit their work for better patient outcome”, Dr. D’ Cruz added.

“Knowledge comes from research.  You should be the doctors of the day than of the past”, Dr. D’Cruz said in his concluding remarks.

The Founder President of Gulf Medical University, Ajman Mr. Thumbay Moideen alongwith  the Provost of  GMU, Prof. Gita Ashok Raj bestowed a special memento – Heroes of Healthcare Award to Dr. Anil D’Cruz in recognition of his invaluable contributions to healthcare and medicine throughout the world. While congratulating Mr. Moideen for Gulf Medical University possessing one of the best infrastructures in the Middle East, Dr. Anil D’Cruz  said that he was highly impressed with the tremendous progress made by GMU  and wished the very best in the future too.

Later, Dr. D’Cruz alongwith Mr. Thumbay Moideen had an audience with His Highness Sheikh Ammar Bin Humaid Bin Rashid Al Nuaimi, Crown Prince of Ajman and other members of the Ruling family.

About Dr Anil D’ Cruz :
Dr. Anil D’Cruz is the Director at the Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, India.  In addition, he is Professor and Chief, Department of Head & Neck Surgery at the hospital.  The Head & Neck Services at the Tata Memorial Hospital are one of the busiest in the world registering over 7000 new cases and performing over 2000 major surgeries every year.

He teaches for the Mch Specialty Training Program in Surgical Oncology and is actively involved in teaching post graduates in Otorhinolaryngology, Head Neck Surgery, General Surgery and Surgical Oncology.  He is also an examiner at various Universities across the country.  Dr. D’Cruz is a member of numerous professional bodies in India and abroad and has just completed his tenure as President of Foundation of Head & Neck Oncology (2008-2010), India as well as Secretary for the Action Council for Tobacco Control (2007-2009).  He has also served as a member of the Task force for Chronic Diseases at the Department of Biotechnology Ministry of Science and Technology Government of India. He is currently President of the Asian Society of Head Neck Oncology.

He is actively involved in research in Head & Neck cancers and plays a pivotal role in numerous trials. He has been Global Principal Investigator as well as part of the Steering Committee of a number of multicentric, multinational trials. Some of these include a Phase1 trial to evaluate the role of interstitial PDT in the treatment of Head & Neck cancers, as well as targeted therapy in the concurrent, adjuvant and palliative settings. His major areas of interest in clinical research are management of neck metastasis, conservative laryngeal and laser surgery, cancers of the oral cavity and thyroid as well as quality of life issues. He is currently running a large prospective, randomized, controlled trial to evaluate the role of elective neck dissection in the management of early oral cancers. He is pioneering research in the use of curcumin in Head and Neck cancer patients for which he receives funding from the Government of India’s Ministry of Science and Technology Department of Biotechnology. He is a part of a project to develop and validate Molecular Cytogenetic Studies/Proteomics in oral cancers. Results of this work have been filed for a patent.

Dr. D’Cruz has more than 125 peer-reviewed publications and chapters to his name and is also an editor for a two volume text book on Head and Neck Surgery.   He has delivered more than 250 invited lectures and orations both nationally and internationally including the prestigious Eugene Myers International Lecture in Head & Neck Cancers at the American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery.  He is a member of the Editorial Board of Head & Neck, Oral Oncology Associate Editor of Head & Neck Oncology and a reviewer for several scientific journals both national and international.

The Experts Committee of Gulf Medical University invites nominations from doctors who wish to be included on the elite list of Heroes of Healthcare. They can either nominate themselves or get nominated by their respective institutions.