You might have heard, doctors from India are recognized all over the world and our country has produced some of the best professionals who are contributing in all areas. India has the highest number of medical colleges and produces around 50,000 doctors every year. Despite this fact, our country produces minimum and less skilled numbers of peer-reviewed research papers per year. Isn’t it worth questioning what’s the rationale behind it?
Have we limited this journey of being a healer to passing some exams, getting a higher rank and owning the tag. Is it above our passion, hobbies, peer connects and family bonds? We burned out every cell in our body just to take the next step on the ladder. Do we know what will be the end of this journey?
If that is the destination where you wanted to be, then kudos! But if not, hold back and relax! Don’t be a part of the rat race. If there is an invisible box of thoughts just break it don’t be another sheep in the herd. A true doctor needs the wit of a lion, you can memorize every fact in this world and you won’t serve the purpose. Your name will be written in the books when you create one of yours.
Our current medical education system does not focus on acquiring true skills, it does not appreciate contributions made to our profession and this science. But if we really want to compete and stand at an international platform with our heads high, we need to focus more on research and innovative side of this profession, or else we will keep showcasing our false sense of pride in knowing the facts and guidelines formulated by other people for a different set of population.
Here is an example, every textbook we read says PCI within 12 hours of ACS. How many cath labs do you think we have? Forget about metro cities we have, but what about a man living in small town? Forget about the villages, how many of them can actually afford that treatment line of intervention? How many times have you read the text and wondered, is it practically possible in India?
Did you know we have copied the same data even in our statistics classes? There was a reason – because on preventive level we never know what will be the stats and how will we work on that part without the accessibility to the rural and urban areas.
We have some of the best minds, minds that can do wonders not only for our nation but for all humanity. Why not just break the box that has held our subconscious minds so strongly and let it have a free space for our thoughts?
Thank you !
Dr Ashish Jain
Former Doctor Intern at LSU Health care Shreveport
(HOH -Creating the socials)