Dr. Rakibul Islam Masud

Dr Rakibul Islam Masud is at Mymensingh Medical College Hospital. Got his MBBS from DMC. Then BCS Health. Also has an MPH and an FCPS in Radiotherapy. That is a lot of degrees. Radiotherapy means he deals with cancer. The oncology ward at MMCH is always crowded. People come from all the nearby villages. They just sit on the floor outside his room with their reports. He sits at a metal desk. Usually looking at histopathology reports. The ones with the tiny print. He checks the staging. Sort of a grim job anyway. But he just goes through the files. One by one.

Cancer treatment is slow. Patients look tired. They bring in these big CT scan films. He clips them to the light board. Figures out the radiation dose. Sometimes he has to mark the patient's skin with a permanent marker. Just drawing lines so the machine hits the right spot. Tells the family how many sessions they need. Maybe twenty. Maybe thirty. Relatives usually ask about the cost or if the hair will fall out. He just gives them the facts. Writes down some painkillers. Or medicine for vomiting. The hospital radiation machine has a long waiting list. He signs the card to get them a date. Hands it back. Next patient comes in.