We are a group of older doctors scattered across India: working in metros, small towns, remote villages, hills and other places. We stand with you and share your anguish with the happenings of the National Eligibility-Cum-Entrance Test undergraduate and postgraduate entrance examination in the country, both of which were cancelled in June.
We are aware that many of you are feeling disillusioned by the system and by the medical profession. Many of you also sense a lack of career opportunities. We are writing to share some information that you may find useful and some advice based on our collective experience.
Over the years, we all have heard opinions related to doctors and the medical profession – “Medicine has lost its charm”, “Becoming a doctor is not worth the effort” and the like. Such opinions have grown louder in the last few weeks. Our request to you is don’t give up or question your dream of becoming a doctor.
Between us all, we have healed lakhs of patients. When you treat a woman with a complicated delivery, or an adult with extensive tuberculosis, or a child with severe malnutrition, or perform a life-saving emergency surgery and when you see a life being saved before your eyes, the feeling is priceless. Probably nothing else can give you this kind of a high. As you can guess, we are all very happy being a doctor.
Please persevere, there will be great things to come.
We also want to share a few good options that young doctors can pursue, apart from house jobs and post graduation. The Christian Medical College, Vellore, offers a Post Graduate Diploma in Family Medicine. One can also work at a rural hospital through the Rural Hospital Network or pursue a rural fellowship to explore alternate paths.
You can also reach out to Equitable Access to Health Care Consortium for exposure to and learning from ethical and equitable healthcare organizations.
You may also want to link up with Medico Friends Circle, a national network that works towards health for all.
We would also like to draw your attention to this TedEX talk, which exhorts young doctors to think differently and work in areas where there is a need for doctors instead of where the facilities are. We assure you that working in such areas can bring enormous fulfillment
Being a doctor is a privilege and brings in much joy, respect and fulfillment that few other professions do. For that, do not be enamoured by the money or job security alone, but be open to possibilities of an alternate vision of being a doctor: where empathy, excellence and service drives you. Please do not be tempted to use unfair means to pass through any exams or advance in your career, and start on the wrong foot.
If you have questions and would like to connect with any of us, you are very welcome. Please email us and we promise to respond. We are where we are due to the guidance and support of our seniors. We are only passing on something that we have received in abundance.
Our best wishes to you all.
1. Dr Amruth Jacob, Basic Health Care Services, Rajasthan. Amruth.jacob@bhs.org.in
2. Dr Anand KM, Milestones clinic for children, Kochi. anasan4@gmail.com
3. Dr Anand Bharathan, Sri Ramakrishna Hospital, Coimbatore. anandbharathan@gmail.com
4. Dr Anand Zachariah, Christian Medical College, Vellore. zachariah@cmcvellore.ac.in
5. Dr Anoop Kumar Gupta, Epic Hospital, Ahmedabad. anoopgupta@msn.com
6. Dr Arun Kshetrapal. Kshetrapal Hospital, Ajmer
7. Dr Ayshwarya Revadkar, Freelance Obstetrician, Maharashtra. Zerogravity8686@gmail.com
8. Dr B Ekbal, Kerala Sastra Sahitya Parishad, Kerala. ekbalb@gmail.com
9. Dr Evita Fernandez, Fernandez Foundation, Hyderabad. evita@fernandez.foundation
10. Dr Gargi Goel, Basic Health Care Services, Udaipur. gargi.goel@bhs.org.in
11. Dr Kartik, Rishi Valley Rural Health Centre, Rishi Valley PO Andhra Pradesh. ruralhealth@rishivalley.org
12. Dr Lalitha George, Tribal Health Initiative, Sittilingi, Tamil Nadu. regilalitha@gmail.com
13. Dr Manish Sharda, Sharda Nursing Home and Diagnostic Centre, Ajmer. anirudhsarda@hotmail.com
14. Dr Michael Galvin, Retired haematologist, National Health Service, UK. drmcgalvin@hotmail.com
15. Dr Nandakumar, Ashwini Gudalur Adivasi Hospital, Gudalur, Tamil Nadu. Ashwinigudalur@gmail.com
16. Dr Neelam Kler, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi. drneelamkler@gmail.com
17. Dr Nithin Ignatius, Resident Doctor, AIIMS, Jodhpur. nithin666bdco@gmail.com
18. Dr Pavitra Mohan, Basic Health Care Services, Udaipur. pavitra@bhs.org.in
19. Dr Prabir Chatterjee, Amader Hospital, Bankura, West Bengakl. prabirkc@yahoo.com
20. Dr Pradeep Ninan, Distance education Department, CMC Vellore. pradeep.ninan@cmcdistedu.org
21. Dr Priyanka Paul, St John’s Hospital, Trivandrum. Priyanka.paul@gmail.com
22. Dr Ramakrishna Prasad, Academy of Family Physicians of India. dr.rk.prasad@gmail.com
23. Dr Ramani Atkuri, Community health physician. Bengaluru. atkuri@gmail.com
24. Dr Randall Sequira, Physician, Odisha. randallsqr87@gmail.com
25. Dr Ravi Narayan, Community Health Adviser, Bengaluru. chcravi@gmail.com
26. Dr Ravikumar, Tribal Health Initiative (THI), Sittilingi, Tamil Nadu. ravi.sittilingi@gmail.com
27. Dr Regi George, Tribal Health Initiative (THI), Sittilingi, TN. Regilalitha@gmail.com
28. Dr Saibal Jana, Shaheed Hospital, Dallirajhara, Chhattisgarh. saibal.jana@gmail.com
29. Dr Sanjana B Mohan, Basic Health Care Services, Udaipur. sanjana@bhs.org.in
30. Dr Sharmishtha Patil. Gram Seva Trust, Navsari. sharmishthapatil1441@gmail.com
31. Dr Shrinidhi Data, Resident doctor, Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Wardha Maharashtra. shrinidhidatar@mgims.ac.in
32. Dr Shyamsundar Raithatha. Purna clinic, TIDE trust, The Dangs, Gujarat. ss007.office@gmail.com
33. Dr Sudipta Mahto, Sirumalai Initiative for Tribal Health and Rural Affairs Kodaikanal, TN. sitharatrust@gmail.com
34. Dr S Sitaraman. Ex-Head, JK Lon Children’s hospital, Jaipur. drsraman.jp@gmail.com
35. Dr Uma Chaitanya, SOCHARA Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Chaitanya.tpg@gmail.com
36. Dr Vinita Patni. Lifecare Hospital, Jaipur. drvinitapatni@hotmail.com
37. Dr Vivek Karthikeyan, Sirumalai Initiative for Tribal Health and Rural Affairs Kodaikanal, TN. sitharatrust@gmail.com
38. Dr Vasundhara Rangaswamy, Independent Rural Health Physician, Vadodara. vasusemailid@gmail.com
39. Dr Yogesh Kolkonde, Sangwari, Chattisgarh. yvkalkonde@gmail.com
40. Dr Yogesh Jain, Sangwari, Chhattisgarh, yogeshjain.chhattisgarh@gmail.com
41. Dr Nishi Gupta, Santokba Duralbhji Hospital, Jaipur. guptadrnishi@gmail.com
42. Dr Johnny Oommen, Community health physician, Odisha. jamoommen@gmail.com
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