INI-SS April 2026 Critical Care Medicine AML 2, CML 1, Dr Praveen D speaks to Dr Riddhi Kundu

Added: 2026-06-01

[00:00:00]So hello and good morning viewers.

[00:00:02]Today we have a very special guest with us today. We have Dr. Praveen Chakravarthy as you know the INI-CET results were declared yesterday evening and Dr. Praveen has done splendidly well in this INI-CET exam. He has secured rank one in CML and rank two in AML, right?

[00:00:20]>> Yes, sir.

[00:00:21]>> Yeah, so congratulations Dr. Praveen from all of us at Marrow. Like it makes us very proud when we hear hear some of our students doing so well.

[00:00:29]Huge congratulations to you as well as to your family as well from everyone at Marrow.

[00:00:35]So obviously you were telling me about your background informally, but for the viewers if you would like to introduce yourselves in terms of your training that you've received so far.

[00:00:45]>> Yes, sir. So hello everybody. Good morning to one and all. This is Dr. Praveen Chakravarthy from Chennai. I am MD in Anesthesia and Critical Care from JIPMER Puducherry. I passed out in January and since the exam was in April, I had only three months in between. So I decided to take a short break and I then I got the subscription of Marrow and I all I wanted to do was just sit and read for Critical Care alone since I don't want to mix it up with any other associates or like ICU duties or something. So I mainly wanted to sit and prepare for like Critical Care alone. So what I did was I just like I wanted to watch all the videos since during Anesthesia I just had an idea about Critical Care and we did have postings, but we needed in-depth knowledge and about the concepts. So watching the watching sir's videos obviously helped me understand the concepts in depth and which actually at least required two three months of time and which actually helped me and more than that whatever recent updates which had come I I still remember surviving sepsis guidelines video that had uploaded just like few days before my exam and I had to watch it in the airport.

[00:02:12]>> [laughter] >> So that that was also like it was the videos were up to date that's what I'm trying to say since our 2026 was a lot of updates. So more than that the like just reading notes or just reading some books didn't help me before. So that's when I I felt that watching sir's videos and taking notes simultaneously and reading it once again then next time to remind concepts.

[00:02:43]>> So you're telling like you did your MD in anesthesia right?

[00:02:46]Jipmer again is a very good institute it is one of the top institutes of India. So when you were doing your MD anesthesia like when did you like did you have regular ICU postings during your anesthesia residency and what made you like decide that okay you want to pursue critical care?

[00:03:02]>> Yes sir.

[00:03:03]So when I did my MD in Jipmer every six months we had an ICU rotation and about four to five months of ICU I had gone. So during that time the SRs I worked with and the consultants I I worked with gave me that impetus that I could work in an ICU where I'm able to deal with all departments like starting from OG to specialties to trauma to post-op cases.

[00:03:29]So when I when I when I felt that okay I'm a person like I I don't want to narrow down to one specialty. So I felt that this was a broader specialty where I'm able to deal with so many specialties and basically the the calm the calmness under chaos inside an ICU which I actually loved the most and I had the chance to actually work with a lot of cases under ECMO also. So, like with advanced support. So, which all which which also like interested me in pursuing this as a career, sir.

[00:04:06]>> Correct. So, obviously I what I feel like obviously there is the part where you study theory, watch videos and all as well.

[00:04:13]But obviously if you're working in a good ICU, I think that passive knowledge that you get from seeing patients, from discussing with your seniors, from your discussions with your faculty as well.

[00:04:22]That always helps in bridging some of the deficiencies. So, just reading obviously reading is important, but it is also important if you are part of a good ICU. Obviously that's something that you had benefit of because you did your MD from a very good institute. So, like obviously where you said that you had taken a break in between like 3 months break because you wanted to focus exclusively on critical care. So, when you decided to take the plunge that okay, I want to do critical care. So, what was your strategy? You said that you watched the videos, you made the notes, right? So, it was was it like entirely on videos and notes or would you go over and read some textbook as well?

[00:04:55]Like what was your preparation strategy during these 3 months?

[00:04:59]>> Uh sir, initially I actually wanted to understand what are the concepts in critical care. So, I was a little clueless initially. So, that's when I thought okay, let me jump into the videos initially.

[00:05:11]Uh then halfway into the videos I understood okay, then okay, this is the core critical care. So, I wanted to expand my knowledge. So, I did refer to certain books such as Washington manuals. Just kept as kept on the side.

[00:05:27]But uh like majority it was videos, taking notes, and solving MCQs I had kept in the towards end only, sir.

[00:05:35]Because first I wanted to build up my foundation and I didn't want to just blindly solve MCQs without knowing the concepts. So, solving MCQs was towards end.

[00:05:45]Uh but it was like basically videos, taking notes regularly, Uh revisiting the notes again and again. It was a little bit volatile, to be honest. And so and and I did have to like refer Washington with our marrow notes, also, sir.

[00:06:01]>> Correct. So, this is again I this is I think the main strategy that I also recommend to all students to make their own notes. Obviously, marrow gives you notes as well, but I feel that when you make your own notes, it kind of helps in uh, giving some sort of a reinforcement for your brain automatically. So, so were the notes you were like were the videos useful in terms of like clarifying your concepts?

[00:06:23]Because like obviously you didn't study any big textbook. Washington Manual at the end of the day is just a handbook, right? So, just in the videos, like were they were they helpful in terms of like clearing your concepts in terms of the different topics of critical care?

[00:06:36]>> Yes, sir. Especially, I would like to in infectious diseases, sir.

[00:06:40]Since in anesthesia, we have very little exposure to antibiotics and only in ICU when we get the posting, I go and see.

[00:06:48]So, especially when it came to infectious diseases, the latest the main advantage was it was the the videos were all evidence-based videos. So, whatever concept was given, there was some study or trial which was referred to. So, it made sure that I need not go back to the guidelines and I need not read the guidelines again. So, especially for example, if it is an IDSA guideline for infectious diseases, so the code was already there in the notes.

[00:07:16]So, it was already given by you. So, that made it simple even easier for me.

[00:07:21]And it it would be it infectious diseases was the one which was like very intimidating because since I had very little exposure. So, that was just an example, sir. Other than that, the the second was the mechanical ventilation, especially asynchronies, which had always given me nightmares. So, those that video with especially the graphs the mainly the real time ICU ventilator pictures sir. Now, I mean graphs I can Google online but the real time ventilator pictures were in the video so that I could relate. I could actually go back to my ICU and compare last year I'm talking about. But anyways mainly infection with mechanical ventilation sir. These were >> Right. And in terms of MCQs like you said you did the MCQs later. So, like what would you like obviously that is a sound strategy because initially your knowledge might be deficient. So, obviously you need to build up some knowledge before you attempt the MCQs.

[00:08:20]Otherwise sometimes you can get disheartened also that you're not getting anything correct. So, like in terms of MCQs like you did them you gave solved all the marrow MCQs and you gave the GTs as well.

[00:08:32]>> Yes, sir. I actually solved all the modules but the most important help for me was the mini tests which were there in marrow sir.

[00:08:40]It because like till the last minute there were mini tests even in statistics there was a mini test if I remember. So, the modules yeah obviously they helped me but what the mini test did was it was live and it kept giving us a deadline like the rank will be displayed within this period. So, it made sure that we actually attended the mini tests including since it was including there were some anesthesia questions also. So, in all these INI SS almost like 18 to 20 questions are from anesthesia sir. So, only after solving >> Yeah, so basically that was going to be my next question because like when I was doing the recall videos for the last year's INI SS I saw that there were a lot of questions from anesthesia which obviously I felt it was a bit unfair because like people who are coming from medicine background they'll be at a disadvantage. But having said that that was the exam paper last time around. So, that's why I was going to ask you also like how was the exam paper this time around like how how was the paper? What were the high yield areas? Like the stage one exam basically.

[00:09:42]>> Yes, sir. Uh the high yield areas were the usual infectious diseases, sir. My MDR organisms, hemodynamic monitoring. Uh and they also asked a lot of shock ER to ICU shock states and all those were asked a lot this time. And for anesthesia, I always feel yeah, obviously medicine people would be unfair, but coming from an anesthesia background, I don't think we need to specifically prepare for anesthesia. If we have a proper 3-year experience clinically with anesthesia, I think that will be more than enough to solve. Uh from anesthesia, uh questions were like standard to our level only, sir. And apart from that, a lot of recent updates, sir. Especially I wanted to mention trials.

[00:10:33]Like ATHOS 3 trial, ATTICA trial, and all these were asked. ATHOS 3 was surprise since I actually read it from marrow. I didn't know that the trial had come. So those were the surprises, sir. Like and for example, methylene blue which you discussed 2 days before the exam.

[00:10:54]Uh in the video.

[00:10:56]Yes, the septic shock. So methylene blue's mechanism was asked this time. Uh and uh Uh and especially the scoring. Actually, surviving sepsis guidelines was a lot was asked from the latest guidelines, sir. So that video in on the brink of the exam was probably would have been a Like five to six questions were from surviving >> Yeah, because like obviously surviving sepsis guidelines it is like one of the core things in critical care, right? At least in terms of sepsis. So that's why I put out the video and that's why I also asked my arrow that they put it in the YouTube channel as well. So that like even if somebody doesn't have a subscription, they should be able to watch that video because anyways, you should know that if you're working in the ICU. Doesn't matter whether you're appearing for the exam or not. So, so and then obviously you had the stage two, right? So, in terms of the stage two, how was the like how was your experience?

[00:11:49]>> So, stage two initially I didn't know what was the pattern going to be, sir.

[00:11:56]So, I just prepared the same core critical care concepts which were there and then the interview came up. So, it was a PowerPoint presentation this time where they had given me a clinical scenario.

[00:12:08]Actually, the scenario was of an acute encephalitis kind of a picture, sir. And if I actually see the infections related to brain chapter page three or four you would have mentioned about CSF lactate and that was my last question in the interview, sir.

[00:12:28]>> Okay.

[00:12:28]>> So, they wanted me to they just asked me like what would you do with the CSF after lumbar puncture in an ABG machine.

[00:12:35]So, even though I have not done it, but just the the the additional concept helped me.

[00:12:42]And then there were two spotters which was given, sir. There was a CT spotter and there was a ventilator graph which showed over distension kind of a picture.

[00:12:54]Yes, sir.

[00:12:54]Yes, sir. And aortic dissection CT was given, sir. I mean everything was like uh uh if it directly from the preparation only.

[00:13:04]But encephalitis I hadn't expect, sir.

[00:13:06]The one drawback I felt was uh uh even though I have experience in managing anesthesia cases, when it came to these kind of a fever with altered sensorium, uh the experience part was a little lagging. So, theoretically maybe I would have answered, sir, but I wish I I experience practically I will experience those cases in future.

[00:13:27]>> Yeah, so think that experience part only comes when you're working in an ICU, right? That's what That's why I said initially that you're working in a good ICU when you see those cases, then you have that kind of a algorithm of about how to go about it. And as far as CSF lactate is concerned, I think they've been asking this question repeatedly.

[00:13:42]So, it is one of the favorites of this aims people. I even like I don't know whether you are You you might not have attended, but in the stage two like prior to stage two we have taken I had taken a a class for marrow and even in that I had mentioned about them asking or they like CSF lactate is something that they've asked over the years.

[00:13:58]>> Okay, sir.

[00:14:00]>> So, it's like something that has been asked previously as well. But like and obviously the stage two pattern I think has also been kind of unchanged. But I think in this year like you mentioned they had shown a PowerPoint so they probably >> Yes, sir.

[00:14:12]Yes, sir.

[00:14:14]>> uh image-based questions. So, I think that is something that will be um the uh uh the trainees who are like aspiring for the future interviews that is something that probably they also need to be um well-versed with like in terms of image interpretation and all those things. So, so now that you've got this wonderful rank, um so what is your plan now? So, you're planning uh like which institute are you thinking of in terms of preference?

[00:14:40]>> Uh yes, sir. My um dream from MBBS was to go and study in AIMS Delhi, sir. So, uh I would obviously lean towards AIMS Delhi only even even though it's like a little very far away from my home and but I'm up for the challenge, sir. I want to go and uh join AIMS Delhi, sir.

[00:14:58]>> Yeah, absolutely you should. AIMS is a like a wonderful institute and like you'll make a lot of It's not just about academics, but you'll make a lot of friends, you'll have a lot of connections and networks. And and obviously you'll develop other aspects and other skills as well in terms of like publishing reviewing literature and all those things that are good if you do it from a central institute. And now that you the privilege liberty so definitely in Delhi definitely something and obviously like we have a wonderful WhatsApp group as well we invite you to that as well.

[00:15:32]>> Thank you thank you sir.

[00:15:33]>> All the people who have been or currently doing so like they are in so we have this immune group named insensitive so obviously you'll be part of it as well eventually when you join so >> Sorry to sorry to interrupt you sir just I forgot to mention one more consultant who helped me Dr. Kandaswamy Dr. Kandaswamy sir from JIPMER like he actually I think he's also an alumni of aims Delhi sir so he also helped me a lot with my preparation initially initially he like the push which I required like because taking a break was something very huge for me sir personally.

[00:16:14]So he gave me the push initially so I just wanted to mention >> Yeah yeah absolutely I know Dr. Kandaswamy very well in fact I met him in a conference recently and we were having some discussions about this that and all and he's really is very well read guy very very very a capable consultant and very teaching oriented and an excellent excellent person as well so and obviously I didn't ask you maybe but like you would want to thank anybody else like apart from Kandaswamy your family or anybody else that you would like to >> Yes sir I I like to thank my family obviously sir because financially they had like supported me for these three months apart from that my friends like like when I felt a little left out that others have been like progressing going for jobs like joining SR ship where I was like back to square one they supported me especially Dr. Kaushik Dr. Hariganesh Dr. Manasa Dr. Sneha Dr. uh uh Keerthi Hassan all these people are like my friends from JIPMER sir so they helped me through it and definitely I I would like uh uh all this victory to all these people and especially my guide Dr. Priya from like I know even if like I passed out of even if I didn't join back he was like very supportive and Dr. also from Dr. Babu from the he was my HOD.

[00:17:42]So the list will go on sir, but I would like to keep it >> Absolutely. Absolutely.

[00:17:48]Yeah, so you know it's great. Wonderful. Wonderful actually Praveen. I'm I'm so proud of you. You all not just me. All of us at so proud of you.

[00:17:57]We really hope that you do wonderfully well in your career and you obviously are going to join a a prime institute.

[00:18:03]So again that is one good thing that you have just got rid of this exam stress now and whatever the results and all. But obviously make sure that you use this three years well because getting into aims is one thing, but you should also make sure that you learn and you'll have a wonderful peer group there. All wonderful people who will be working with you. Your colleagues and all. So they are very good in their own right. Your seniors and well and they'll be always be faculty who will be willing to discuss stuff with you. So you should make use of this three years so that at least when you come out you'll feel that okay I've gone away from home for three years, but it has made the entire journey worth it, right? And I'm sure you'll be you'll go into a wonderful critical care physician. So we'll stay in touch Praveen. Let's catch up.

[00:18:45]And >> Thank you so much sir.

[00:18:48]Yes sir. Thank you so much sir. Thank you so much. I'm glad sir.