This came as a comment with regards to my first post on the MBBS Examiners, unlike my account (which is highly exaggerated and almost fictional), this one’s REAL…

One particular professor of paediatrics in my time was particularly good:

Prof: What do you understand by thalassaemia intermedia?
Student: Eh? Something in between thal major and thal minor in terms of severity..like HbE-thal?
Prof: Are you sure?? O dear….tsk tsk..
Student: No..no…it’s a form of thal major
Prof: Good…good…so HbE-thal is a specific form of thalassaemia major?
Student: Yes…
Prof: Very good…tell me more…so what forms of thal major are there?
Student: beta thal, alpha thal, HbE-thal
Prof: Good…good..what else? HbS-thal? HbC-thal?
Student: Yes…yes…
Prof: And they all need transfusions regularly?
Student: Yes…yes..
Prof: Good …good….and thalassaemia is a qualitative or quantitative defect in haemoglobin synthesis?
Student: Er..quantitative?
Prof: Are you sure?? *sigh…O dear…o dear!
Student: No…no…qualitative..qualitative…
Prof: Ah…very good, very good…so beta thal, alpha thal are all qualitative disorders in Hb synsthesis?
Student: Yes…yes
Prof: Very good…very good…so in HbS disease, there is an abnormal haemoglobin HbS, in HbE disease, there is an abnormal haemoglobin HbE, would you say that in beta thal there is abnormal Hb beta and in alpha thal, there is abnormal Hb alpha?
Student: Y….ess?
Prof: Very good, very good…in fact you are so good that you have re-written my entire lecture on thalassaemia. Why don’t you come back in 6 months’ time and tell me more? (smiling) Don’t look so puzzled…you have just failed.

— Comment by mushroom

Thanks mushroom, for sharing!