Share this to ppl who ll benefit from reading this: FEW FACTS A 12TH STANDARD PASSOUT SHOULD KNOW BEFORE CHOOSES MEDICINE AS A CAREER: SO the 12th results are out. Another batch, another set of counseling. Btw I graduated from madras medical college in 2011. My memories went back to May 2005 when I cleared 12th exams and was roaming around neyveli to enquire about medical colleges, which one to choose, etc. My parents were happy and my teachers were happy about my marks though I dint know my rank at that time. As a MBBS graduate, I thought I will pass on few facts about medicine which a 12th passout should know before he goes for the medical counselling. most of what I write here were unknown to me in 2005. ( most of the points that I write here may sound negative but that is the bitter pill. There are a lot more positive aspects about medicine which you will hear from everyone who encourages you to choose medicine) - Medicine is a profession that will give you a sense of satisfaction at the end of the day. No two days will be similar. No two patients will be exactly similar. The profession is challenging but that actually makes it more interesting too. - Medicine is a long, strenuous profession. Given the competitive nature of the society and never ending pressure on you to earn more, you cant just stop with a MBBS degree. You will have to do a PG degree, either MD or MS, to have a decent enough life for the next 30 to 40 years. - Timeline : 5.5 years MBBS(provided there is no mandatory rural service) + 3 years of PG(2 years for diploma course) + 2 to 3 years of superspeciality(esp for MD general medicine and MS general surgery candidates) = 8.5 to 11.5 years - though the timeline says roughly 10 years, in real time it may not be the same. There are about 40000 MBBS seats in India and only about 11000 PG seats per year. This leaves roughly 29000 MBBS graduates who wont be able to enter PG each year. this has been going on for past few years and there are roughly about 150000 MBBS graduates waiting to enter PG seats. To be short, PG entrance is not gonna be easy. most MBBS graduates spend about one year to prepare for the tough PG exams before cracking a good rank and enter their field of choice. There is a larger percentage of students who are not able to enter PG and end up as a MBBS doctor or enter govt service or go to other nations for higher studies. - Timeline may also get affected by the bond for PG studies. For example, if you do a PG degree in tamilnadu, you may have to do 3 to 5 years of government service after your PG to earn your degree or cough up 20 lakh rupees to break the bond (FYI- the stipend for a PG trainee in TN is Rs.15000/month). So this may increase your overall timeline from 10 years to 13 years. - Lets take the foreign route for MBBS grads which was popular few years ago- most countries have shut the doors for graduates from other countries to enter their nation for higher studies. One nation which is currently allowing MBBS grads is USA, which is where I am currently in training. Entry into other countries for training remains a mystery or prohibited. - MBBS difficulties: If you think MBBS will be a continuation of your 12th standard biology, you may be wrong. MBBS studies is a whole different subject altogether. The preparation method is different. Rot learning wont work, which is why most students find it difficult to master first year of MBBS. You have to learn to study differently, understand concepts and write them in the exams rather than copy paste from book. Once you clear first year, the rest of the MBBS journey will be less tougher. -Peer pressure: Remember a classmate from your 12th standard who just about manages to score 1000 in 12th board exams and end up in a XXX engg college. In four years he will end up in a XXX IT company and earn 25000/month, exactly at the same moment you start your final year of MBBS. You should have the courage and maturity to overcome the depression you will get on seeing him enjoying his life. Though on a long term, you will end up as a successful professional, it can be very tough as a MBBS student to ignore these peer pressure. You will start to wonder why you chose medicine and struggling. Believe me Medicine is far more rewarding profession and you will learn it one day. - On your youth and bachelor life : medicine will rob your youth age. Given the timeline, you will understand that you will have to study at least till 28 to 29 years of your life to become a settled professional. That can be very tough esp the phase between 22 to 28 when everyone around you seems to enjoy their life. You will be running around the hospital, admission days, night duties, etc. This according to me is the biggest sacrifice you will have to make for this profession. - On an individuals self esteem: This is one thing that noone will tell you. You have to be dependent on your parents for at least 7 years after you enter MBBS. Your house surgeon stipend is around Rs.8000/month. That will be the only year when you can be independent i.e not ask your dad for your expenses. It can be really really tough on your self esteem to keep asking your parents for money for all your expenses after final year of MBBS when most friends of yours who studied engg would have started to earn and spend their money. You will feel really low at that point for choosing medicine. This holds good for most students from middle class families. Plus that one year u spend for PG coaching classes and your living will again come from your dad in most cases. To keep asking them for money even at the age of 25 can be very depressing. - Life after all your degrees: This part I guess most of you know very well. How many of you have seen a doctor in their home at 8 pm in the night? how many doctors do you know manage to take a long leave of about 10 days? though there may be very few doctors who manage to have a decent time in the evenings, most doctors practice in the evenings from 5 to 10 pm on most weekdays and some on sundays too. This may take a toll on your personal health and also in your family life, your attention to your children in the future. - wealth: if you think medicine is a high earning profession and that is the main reason for choosing medicine, think twice. Your real earning life may start by 35 years only. Till then, you will earn just about enough money to make your ends meet each month. These days corporate hospitals like apollo, miot, vasan eye care hold the key and they pay you a fixed monthly salary depending on your speciality. You will have to work for few years, gain trust of the people, develop a patient database to earn more. Unless you own your own hospital/ clinic, making lot of money in short term will be impossible. The well known saying by most parents when you study for 12th boards Just study hard this one year. Once you get a good mark, your life is settled and you can enjoy in college may not be entirely true for a medical profession. In fact your real test starts only after you finish 12th. In short - do not just take a MBBS seat because you got a rank that can fetch u a MBBS seat in a govt medical college. Think hard and clear before you take this important decision. Dont budge to the pressure from your parents, grandparents, sister, relatives to choose medicine. After all you are going to face all the happiness and sorrows in your life from now on. Your life will have a lot of ups and downs, lot more challenges in the future. Be aware of all the scenarios before you make this decision. I didnt know any of the above in 2005 but I am happy at this point of time for choosing medicine as my profession but not before passing through a lot of difficulties. Given the uncertainities in other professions, IT slowdown, etc, MBBS still remains a safer option for 12th passouts, but not before you go through financial, emotional hurdles. THIS IS ENTIRELY MY VIEW ABOUT MEDICAL PROFESSION. DONT JUST TAKE A DECISION FROM THIS POST. MY AIM IS TO GIVE YOU THE INFORMATION. MY ADVICE IS TO TALK TO OTHER MEDICOS TOO BEFORE YOU COME TO A CONCLUSION ON WHETHER MBBS IS THE RIGHT CHOICE FOR YOU. ALL THE BEST AND GOOD LUCK
Posted on: Sat, 10 May 2014 00:54:45 +0000
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