INI-SS April 2026 Neuroanaesthesia AML 2, CML 1, Dr Pallav Pattnaik in conversation with Dr Dheeraj

Added: 2026-06-02

[00:00:00]Hello, all.

[00:00:01]This is Dr. Dheeraj Masapu. And today we have a Dr. Pallav Patnaik who scored uh number one rank in the INI CET neuroanesthesia section.

[00:00:12]Congratulations, Dr. Pallav.

[00:00:14]>> Thank you, sir. Thank you.

[00:00:16]>> So, then uh my first question is uh why neuroanesthesia? How did you get interested in neuroanesthesia?

[00:00:25]>> Sir, from my internship days, I was like uh little bit of interested in anesthesia. Then after joining anesthesia as a MD branch, then I got to know about the neuro OTs. Then I was posted for a maximum time in neuro OTs.

[00:00:37]Then I saw the brain open, the spinal cord open, and I got more interest on the neuroanatomy, sir. Then after that, I saw also uh different types of difficult cases like aneurysm, endovascular coiling case in cath labs, and uh varieties of awake craniotomy cases also I saw, sir. And the varieties of neuromonitoring also I saw in my uh MD days. So, from that only I got uh more interested in joining neuroanesthesia as a DM course for further uh study.

[00:01:08]>> So, in uh AIIMS, I barely uh where you studied, so they're doing all these cases there?

[00:01:14]>> Yes. Yes, sir, they are doing there. Uh they are doing uh awake craniotomy cases. They were doing uh aneurysm cases, sir. They were doing uh spine cases also. They were doing spine monitoring cases are also doing there, sir.

[00:01:27]>> So, is there a neuroanesthesia trained person there?

[00:01:30]>> Yes, sir. We have Dr. Kalicharan, sir, who is a DM neuroanesthetist from uh studied from AIIMS, Delhi.

[00:01:36]>> Okay. Okay. Great. Great. So, that is why you got interested in neuroanesthesia, is it?

[00:01:40]>> He gives uh a lot of uh free hand to us, sir, in OTs. You whatever you do, you manage. If anything happens, uh call me immediately. I am there only outside OT.

[00:01:51]>> [laughter] >> Independence you got in >> Sir, helped a lot. sir.

[00:01:56]>> When you get independence, actually you'll get interest in the field.

[00:01:59]>> Yes sir actually I noticed.

[00:02:01]Yes sir.

[00:02:03]Actually the the cases were interesting sir like the aneurysm cases immediately in intraop suddenly an aneurysm bled then what to how to manage how to stabilize the case and everything sir told us to how to do initially sir was with us only initial days initially when we were posted in second year in neuro OT sir was helping a lot like this we should do you should follow a protocol and you should be go by the protocol only you should not haphazardly get tensed in a neuro OT because neuro OT is all about bleeding monitoring or he always inspired us sir.

[00:02:37]>> Great great.

[00:02:38]So next coming to pre your preparation so how many months did you prepare when did you start preparation and how did you prepare for the first part we'll discuss about the first part now. Yes how did you start preparation?

[00:02:50]>> Sir actually I took marrow from second year only sir.

[00:02:54]Then during second year during my MD days sir sir I was studying marrow like watching videos and solving Q banks but not up to that mark about the DM level sir for studying for INSS.

[00:03:06]But sir after my completing my MD like in February 2026 I completed just three months before sir.

[00:03:11]During the last from this year starting I started studying seriously for a INSS sir then from January February I was doing my duties and in OT also I used to solve some questions I used to watch videos then after that after completing my MD sir I got a full free hand I like I studied for around eight to 10 hours full day I did not join anywhere sir I kept on studying for INSS so my target was to get neuro anesthesia in a good college sir.

[00:03:40]Great great great.

[00:03:41]So basically you're saying you parallelly prepared.

[00:03:45]>> Yes sir.

[00:03:45]>> After your MD >> Sir after my MD this was my first attempt sir, first attempt only sir.

[00:03:54]I completed my in February 28th, my last date was February 28th and after that I studied for 3 months. Then I appeared in my first attempt sir in February.

[00:04:03]>> So, 3 months exclusively prepared.

[00:04:05]>> Yes sir, previously I was studying for 2 months only.

[00:04:08]Yes sir.

[00:04:08]>> Yeah.

[00:04:10]Got it, got it. So, in the in the MCQs, like what areas how what percentage is neuro, what percentage is general and then what areas and what type of questions have come briefly if you remember.

[00:04:23]>> Yes sir, yes sir. Sir, actually basically from that out of 80 questions, 55 to 60 questions were directly from neuroanesthesia sir.

[00:04:31]And rest 20 to 25 questions from general anesthesia part. That was like not too difficult, not too deep inside general anesthesia part, it was like basic general anesthesia part.

[00:04:40]But the neuroanesthesia questions were like deep questions because around 60 questions you have to score you have to get thorough through neuroanesthesia part sir.

[00:04:51]>> And then so, MCQ is over next viva. So, how did the viva go and what can you explain the process of viva? How they send the link, how they conduct, how many people will be there?

[00:05:03]>> Yes, yes sir. Actually the one day before they informed us that they will give a link and they gave a link through our email ID. Then they said to join the email ID before 30 minutes and stay in the room.

[00:05:16]So, that they will the host will join, make you join now when the previous candidate gets over the exam. So, I stayed in the room, I switched off the camera and microphone. When they came they told me to on the camera and switch on microphone. Then I joined the room then in front of me like there were five to six consultants were sitting and they were they introduced themselves and they started asking questions sir.

[00:05:39]>> So, can you just let us know like what are the few areas they covered or one example if you can tell us what question they asked?

[00:05:46]>> Yes sir.

[00:05:46]>> Something like that.

[00:05:47]>> Sir, the very first question they asked was that the normal case that we do in neuro is actually they asked if they were doing operating a case of meningioma and you did a craniotomy and in the meanwhile the brain is bulging. So what will you do? In that step what what are the steps? What are the protocols? What drugs will you give? What concentration?

[00:06:06]What is the dose?

[00:06:08]And how will you manage?

[00:06:10]That type of question, sir.

[00:06:12]>> Got it. Correct.

[00:06:13]>> So basic questions they will ask but you have to answer in a very structured way.

[00:06:17]>> Yes, sir. They they actually usually ask a protocol wise manner. First manner, second, third. Not haphazardly going into like if for any craniotomy cases we should not directly jump into mannitol, giving mannitol, giving hypertonic saline. We have to initially say like you have streamlined manner.

[00:06:32]First we'll hyperventilate. First we'll see the position of the head, neck.

[00:06:35]Venous drainage.

[00:06:36]>> Yeah.

[00:06:39]Nice. Nice. Nice. So what else they asked apart from this one? Like how much time length of the interview goes? Like 5 minutes?

[00:06:48]>> Sir, they said in in the invitation they said for about 10 minutes. But my exam was around four, sir. Three to four minutes. So there was a rapid fire.

[00:06:56]>> I saw.

[00:06:57]Okay. Okay.

[00:06:58]Got it, sir. So hardly maybe one scenario will come.

[00:07:02]>> Yes, sir. One scenario, one spotter and one key one question they asked from theory.

[00:07:09]To me they asked.

[00:07:11]>> Got it. Got it. Got it. I understood.

[00:07:13]>> Yes, sir.

[00:07:16]>> So next So now I think any college you can join. So in this session what are the college options you have?

[00:07:23]>> Sir, in this for this I have NIMHANS.

[00:07:25]And then I have PGI Chandigarh.

[00:07:28]Then I have AIIMS Jodhpur.

[00:07:30]Then I have AIIMS Bhopal, AIIMS Bhubaneswar.

[00:07:34]And then AIIMS Bhatinda and Bibinagar, sir.

[00:07:38]>> So you See if I am in your position I'll have only two options mainly. NIMHANS or PG. NIMHANS or PG correct now?

[00:07:46]>> Yes sir.

[00:07:48]>> So now which one would you choose? NIMHANS or PG?

[00:07:53]>> Sir I am thinking to join NIMHANS sir.

[00:07:56]>> Okay.

[00:07:57]>> Yes.

[00:07:58]>> Welcome to Bangalore.

[00:08:00]Your choice was a very good choice and because I studied there there will not be a better person to tell about the place and uh uh and like I studied 10 years back and now it has evolved to even more better level the equipment wise. They you know more ICUs are added now and more advanced it became actually in this 10 years period.

[00:08:21]So it will be like one of the best places to learn neuro anesthesia.

[00:08:26]>> Thank you sir.

[00:08:27]>> So then Dr. Pallav very nice actually so nicely you planned your career. You are coming till here. I I want you to actually continue on the same pace and become a very good academician plus clinician and a combination in future.

[00:08:42]And you should also guide the juniors in future on how to actually crack the examinations and how to become like you in future.

[00:08:51]>> Yes. Thank you.

[00:08:52]>> Okay then thanks for joining Dr. Pallav and one thing I I forgot so uh So how do you do you recommend Marrow for preparation for the juniors?

[00:09:05]>> Uh yes sir I recommend Marrow only because uh I have seen the videos of you sir. They are elaborately discussed in every aspect sir. And the questions they ask in INI SS sir.

[00:09:17]The questions are also from your content only sir or hardly rarely from any other sources but all are being discussed in the Marrow videos sir and the Q banks are the best sir. And the tests the GTs the mini tests the subject tests they are also good sir and giving a GT and reviewing a GT is a good thing because a GT should be reviewed thoroughly sir.

[00:09:37]Because by reviewing a GT, we can know more questions about other aspects of your analysis.

[00:09:44]>> Got it. Got it. Got it.

[00:09:47]Superb, then.

[00:09:48]I think thank you for joining.

[00:09:51]So, thank you. Thank you all. That's it from this video.

[00:09:56]And thank you.

[00:09:58]Thanks.