Medical graduates who fail to complete their one-year compulsory rural service, the penalty is Rs 10 lakh. Besides, they could also be debarred from practicing. These rules, however, do not drive them to complete the one-year rural service. Reasons aplenty. From improper infrastructure in the rural hospital to fear for life, the deterring factors are many. Speak to medical graduates and they claim that working in rural areas could be no less than a nightmare.
Consider this. Keerthy, a medical student from Bengaluru says his batchmates and him are willing to complete their mandatory service in a rural set up where they are posted. However, these students fear that they would have no accommodation to stay. "I spoke to a senior about this. We are told that their stay was not taken care of. We are a batch of 250 students. Where will they accommodate all of us?" Keerthy questions.
Going by a letter that has been written by the minister of health and family welfare, the government of Karnataka to the Karnataka Medical Council, out of 3,702 who ought to complete their rural services between 2008-09 to 2013-14, only 86 have done it so far. The rule applies to students studying in government medical colleges or those studying in government quota seats at private medical colleges. In all, 1,159 students have filed a bond promising the state government to pay a fine of Rs 10 lakh should they violate the rule. Speak to students and they say that they would rather pay the fine than serve in rural areas.
Nidhi (name changed) a student of Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute says it is the fear of being attacked that stops most students. "There have been so many instances in urban areas itself where patient attendees who are well educated have attacked interns and PG doctors. How can we be assured of our safety there?" she asks. Nidhi says that with inadequate infrastructure in the rural areas, doctors would find it tough to handle any emergency.
"It is tough to explain to patient attendees that they will have to take the patient to a private set up to save their life. Students are often at the receiving end of the patient attender's wrath even though they are not at fault," she explained. For many other medical students, the remuneration that the state government pays while they serve in rural areas is insufficient. Not all students are well to do. Having taken education loans to study medicine, they are concerned that they would be unable to clear it with the remuneration that the state government pays them.
