People often ask me the very intriguing question as to which college I like more, my former LMDC or my present college IIMC. I answer them by saying one is my Makkah and the other is my Madina (coincidentally they are almost the same distance from one another as these two Holy Cities); one is my first love the other is my present love and when asked which one is which, I am never able to respond. Sometimes it is just too difficult to prefer one ideal to another; it is just like asking who does one love more, one’s mother or one’s father.
23rd December, 2011 was a very special day for me and now as I remember, it is a very sad day in a calendar year for me, for this was my last day at LMDC. I really felt I had to write down my thoughts, despite my extremely busy schedule, about the great memories of my special college that has given me so much. I say ‘my’, because I tend to own an institution where I work. I think it is only after owning one’s workplace one attains the level of devotion and dedication that is required from an individual by the institution. That’s why I always prefer to say my country, my city, my college etc, just like I say my home. I just wish everyone would think along these lines: signs of a true patriot!
They say Lahore is Lahore and I have to agree! For as I think of it, even the famous 22 number route buses and the Qinchis plying the various roads of Lahore gave me as much pleasure, if not more, than riding my car for a ten minute ride to my present college. The food streets, the parks, the Badshahi Mosque, Minaret Pakistan etc but most of all the loving people; there is just that special feeling about the city that one probably cannot express in words.
I feel very blessed to have met such wonderful people at LMDC including my colleagues, the students, the administration and the owners especially Prof. Shaheena Asif. How can I ever forget the fatherly figure of highly renowned professor of Pharmacology, Prof Hidayat. I feel very honored to have worked under his guidance. He encouraged me throughout his tenure as the head of department. It was a pleasure working with some of the finest pharmacologists in the country including Prof. Saeed Anwar, Prof. Naveed Ansari, Prof. Shah Murad, and Prof. Riffat Butt. Then I had the most awesome colleagues including Dr. Salman, Dr. Asiya, Dr. Shazia, Dr. Owais, Dr. Kanwal and the very special Dr. Fatima! I don’t think LMDC will ever be complete without her. Her strength, her resolve, her helping and never-say-die attitude is probably what saved my life when I when I had a severe hypoglycemia attack during my stay at the doctor’s hostel of LMDC, for which I shall always remain very grateful to her.
How can i forget the clerical staff of LMDC who helped me and served me a lot, from the lab technician Mr. Hafeez, the lab assistants Mr. Amin and Mr. Saif the highly professional lab technician Mr. Khalid Awan and last but not the least, the all-rounder with amazing capabilities, the all-lovable Naib Qasid Mr. Jan Mohammad! Even remember our sweeper Mr. Pervaiz, nice loving Christian with whom I shared a lot as well!
The administration at LMDC especially under the leadership of Prof. Shaheena Asif and Principal Prof. Majeed Chaudhry and formerly Prof Tasneem Majeed is the most supporting administration for any faculty providing the ideal working environment and providing ample opportunities for advancement in any field.
But the most important people that I miss the most are the students of LMDC. For it is largely due to them, I have attained my current position. I met the most brilliant and most respecting students at LMDC. There is so much talent among students of LMDC that brought me to the strong belief that students of private medical colleges are as good as, if not better than, the students of government colleges. They gave me the inspiration to write my first published book ‘ Nauman’s Textbook of Pharmacology’, the first edition being dedicated to the students of LMDC and for which I was given a handsome cash award. It is probably due to this small effort that students of LMDC, still give me the respect and continue to acknowledge me today for which I am very grateful. Thankfully Alhamdu-lillah, we are still in contact through social media including facebook and twitter and I continue to receive new friend requests from the wonderful students of LMDC!
It is because of them that I was awarded ‘the best teacher award 2011’ at LMDC and given the certificate on welcome of new first year on that very last day at LMDC. That to me was a very great farewell not often given to a teacher leaving a medical college. I am highly indebted to everyone at LMDC especially to the students for everything they have given me. Thank You. Thank You very much. God Bless you all!
Dr. Muhammed Majeed gained more than 15 years of research experience working with some of the major pharmaceutical companies like Pfizer, Paco Research and Carter Wallace. In 1988, he started Sabinsa Corporation – a nutraceutical and pharmaceutical promoting company which also gives importance to all types of research works. As far as Dr. Majeed was considered the transition from researcher to a business person was really challenging. But he came up with flying colors in the industry. Sabinsa Corporation is New Jersy based and has more than 60 employees presently.