A hundred aspirants compete for a single medical college seat in the present times. As the years are rolling by, the competition is rising and so is the craze for the Doctor prefix in one's name. The prestige and respect associated with a doctor's profession are doubtlessly attractive and are a major reason why so many students are up for the battle. Another reason is the fire in the belly that 18-year-olds carry, to serve the nation and its people, and the enthusiasm to make it big in life. However, after the battle is fought and one has landed a seat when congratulations have been poured in, reality bites. Medical school is one of the toughest experiences a student has to undergo.
One has to think of the long journey which a medical career brings. It doesn't end but starts with MBBS, after which, a student has to go for an internship, postgraduation, speciality and so on. Nowadays, MBBS alone is not enough, and thus, the completion of studies takes about 15-16 years, excluding the drop years, experts say. They add that a student may be obliged to drop a few years along the journey, as the road is tough and not without competition. This is not all.
There will be sacrifices
"One has to sacrifice youth, personal space and family time," says Dr Karthik Nagula, the immediate past president of Telangana Junior Doctors' Association (T-JUDA). He mentions that unless one is prepared to make the sacrifices, one will find the MBBS course highly depressing. Alisha Lakhani from Shantabaa Medical College in Amreli, Gujarat, and National Zonal Coordinator, Indian Medical Association's Medical Students' Network (IMA-MSN) says, "One thinks that life is fun and easy in a college, where one can enjoy a lot of extracurriculars. But medical college is not like that. Even passing an exam becomes a great challenge."
Since it is mostly the top brass of a class who opt for MBBS, the course is filled with heavy competition. Additionally, the internal and final exams themselves are made tough, as they are meant for students who would be handling people's lives, says Dr Rishiraj Sinha, National Executive Member, Federation of All India Medical Doctors' Association (FAIMA). "There is the pressure of attending classes and practicals as well. One has to maintain 75 per cent attendance in theory and 85 per cent in practicals," he adds.
As many as 19 subjects
Coping with a few subjects in schools to coping with 19 subjects in MBBS can also be overwhelming for students. "The pattern in schools is different. In MBBS, starting from Day One, students have to attend 12-hour learning sessions. Mugging up lectures will no longer help and they have to focus more on self-study. It takes a few months to get acclimatised to," explains Dr Sharad Agarwal, National President of IMA HQ. "About 50 per cent of MBBS students fail in some or the other subject," Alisha mentions.
The picture doesn't get any better post-MBBS, as NEET PG has its own share of challenges. Heavy patient load, long working hours and lack of basic facilities in hospitals tend to trigger depression among doctors. The news of harassment and assault on doctors make it worse, implying that the respect doctors command has pitifully declined. Dr Sinha opines that this is the reason deserving and meritorious candidates shy away from opting for branches they are passionate about or are the right fit for, and end up choosing branches in which the chances of such incidents are less.
Is the medical profession not the gold it appears to be, then? Dr Lakshya Mittal, Vice-President of the United Doctors' Front Association (UDFA) mentions that all the pressure and burnout one faces during the journey vanishes if a student has joined MBBS just for serving people. Speaking about his personal mantra, he tells, "I perform a surgery and after it is successful, if I get my patient's love, it makes my day, no matter how tired I am." Similarly, he advises students to go for MBBS if love for medicine, interaction with patients and earning their love gives them a boost. "Students who feel they can make money should not choose this profession," he adds.
Moreover, one gets to meet a variety of people while pursuing MBBS and the mingling helps to combat the pressure, says Dr Sinha. "Just like a soldier's job appears tough to the masses, a doctor's job appears tough to non-medicos. But we are trained to handle the situation during MBBS and further," Dr Agarwal comments.
Advice from seniors and experts
In addition to the obvious dedication, determination and hard work that one has to put in, being kind, humble and respectful for everyone, including faculty, seniors and patients, is the key to survival, they say. Dr Agarwal adds, "A coaching culture has sadly evolved nowadays, which pressurises students to prepare for NEET PG right from the second or third year in MBBS. This becomes an unnecessary burden for students and should be avoided. What one learns during MBBS and the subsequent internship is the basic foundation. It wouldn't do to lose focus."
