“Unthinking respect of authority is the greatest enemy of truth.”
– Albert Einstein.
A decade ago, a Pathology Professor once told me not to bisect the uterus in the operating theatre.
I gave him the reason I bisected the uterus and gave him references (including pictures from a very good gynaecologic oncology book showing how the uterus can be ‘bread-loafed’ in theatre). In early stage, grade 1 endometrial cancer, it could help me make a decision whether to perform pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy or not.
I asked him why I shouldn’t bisect the uterus.
He told me: “I say don’t bisect the uterus.”
I have seen and I have had to work with many people like this professor. In our part of the world, if you do not take no for an answer without a reason, you are seen to be disruptive, always challenging authority and disrespectful.
Hopefully this will change. We need a change to make good progress as a nation.
