Dr Md Zunaid from Bangladesh reflects on the valuable learning and lasting impact of WFSA’s Global Anaesthesia Mentoring Programme.
When I first received the email from the WFSA about their new Global Anaesthesia Mentoring Programme, I was intrigued, but uncertain. I had seen a few mentions on social media, but this was the first time WFSA was launching such an initiative, and I had no idea what to expect. Still, given WFSA’s reputation for excellence and my own commitment to ongoing professional development, I applied without hesitation.
I didn’t know who my mentor would be. I simply indicated my main area of interest within anaesthesia and waited.
A few months later, I received the exciting news: I had been selected as a mentee, and my mentor would be Dr. Sarang Puranik, MD, FRCA, Consultant Anaesthetist at Kingston Hospital, NHS, UK. I was thrilled, but also nervous. Questions raced through my mind: How would we communicate? What would the sessions be like?
To my relief, Dr. Puranik responded to my introduction email within days, offering his WhatsApp number and encouraging me to reach out. I was amazed at how approachable and open he was. Around the same time, WFSA held an introductory Zoom session to explain the programme structure and objectives more clearly. That helped to ease some of my remaining anxiety.
Building Rapport and Professional Growth
Our first video call on WhatsApp set a positive tone for the mentorship. Dr. Puranik’s kind, cheerful nature and deep knowledge quickly put me at ease. I soon realised just how lucky I was to have him as my mentor.
Over the following months, we scheduled regular meetings via Zoom and WhatsApp, discussing challenging clinical cases and sharing practical insights. These sessions were consistently insightful and highly relevant to my daily practice. We didn’t follow a fixed structure for our meetings. Instead, I would bring up topics that interested me, especially in anaesthesia and pain medicine, and we would explore them together. I also benefited greatly from his real-world clinical experience, which he generously shared.
On several occasions, I reached out to Dr. Puranik for guidance on complex cases and received actionable advice that improved patient outcomes. One case in particular stands out. I was treating a 56-year-old diabetic woman suffering from adhesive capsulitis. She had previously received a steroid injection in the shoulder joint from an orthopaedic physician, but her pain had not subsided. I discussed the case thoroughly with Dr. Puranik, and he advised me to try a suprascapular nerve block. I followed his recommendation, and it worked. The patient experienced significant relief, and the case left a lasting impression on me.
From Online Learning to Real-Life Experience
What made this mentorship even more remarkable was the opportunity I later had to meet Dr. Puranik in person and observe his clinical practice at Kingston Hospital in the UK. Although this wasn’t part of the original programme design, I made the decision to visit him, and it came as a surprise to him. Nevertheless, he warmly welcomed me. It was a transformative experience.
There, I witnessed how the WHO surgical safety checklist was applied in real-time, observed structured pre-anaesthesia check-ups, and saw induction room protocols in action. I learned about the organisation and use of airway rescue trolleys with plans A, B, C, and D, and gained hands-on insight into paediatric and adult advanced airway access. As someone with a strong interest in pain medicine, I also had the chance to visit the hospital’s pain procedure room and learn about their approach to managing chronic pain patients.
One of the most inspiring moments of the entire mentorship came during that visit. Within a short time, Dr. Puranik encouraged me to reflect on what I could take back and apply in my own context. He showed me how protocols, systems, and approaches regularly used in his hospital could be adapted to improve care in my own setting. I left feeling both motivated and equipped to drive change.
A Lasting Impact
The WFSA mentorship programme enhanced my clinical expertise, confidence, and career trajectory. It also influenced my long-term professional vision. I am now working towards establishing structured anaesthesia, intensive care, and pain medicine departments in hospitals in Bangladesh, modelled on the systems I saw at Kingston Hospital. I am particularly focused on implementing protocols, improving pre-anaesthesia check-ups, emergency airway management, and integrating nerve blocks into standard care, all while ensuring adherence to the WHO surgical safety checklist.
I am deeply grateful to my mentor, Dr. Sarang Puranik, for his wisdom, warmth, and support, and to the WFSA for creating this platform to connect anaesthesiologists across the globe.
This past year has been transformational, both professionally and personally. I now count Dr. Puranik as a valued mentor and a lasting professional connection.
Advice for Future Mentees
Make the most of the time you have with your mentor. The mentors selected by WFSA are true leaders in the field of anaesthesia, and it’s a rare opportunity to learn directly from them. Be proactive, stay curious, and don’t miss the chance to gain as much knowledge as possible from their experience and expertise.
