How does India's PG medical education system fare?
India's PG
Medical Education System is undoubtedly one of the worst systems in vogue.
Here a doctor is assessed by
his performance on a single exam which has least common and known topics from
19 Medical Specialities/Subjects. One confusion and you are out of the race.
The result people settle for
Specialities which they have little or Zero Interest in.
So, a person who wants to be a
cardiologist becomes a surgeon, a aspiring surgeon becomes a patho or
microbiologist and a student who even topped his Pediatrics paper settles for
Physiology or Forensic Medicine only because, in a span of 3 hours he couldn't
answer the random questions on diseases which are rarest.
This system is also the result
of the earlier generations of doctors in India, who changed the profession and made
doctors a commodity. Why does a person who is a specialist opens up a chamber
and see all kinds of patients??? He sits with his shop with all his speciality
degrees and someone with may be a fellowship in Cardiology treats patients of
common cold. This practice by the earlier generations KILLED the very idea of
General Practitioner or Family Physicians.
These early doctors never
faced any entrance exam for their degress, they just spent their lives post
MBBS in the department of their choice and went on to earn degrees.
But, the system for our
generation is totally opposite and fucked up.
You don't get to choose the
department you like based on your 5.5 years of experience but, become eligible
after getting safe from being eliminated in the MOST UNSCIENTIFIC EXAMS of
modern times the AIPGMEE/DNBCET etc.
Moreover, during MBBS they
don't teach you anything. Leaving the premier institutions they don't teach you
to save lives but, just teach you not to kill anyone.
Open Challenge to all Interns
of the country, how many of you honestly can ACTUALLY physically do a
Resuscitation or another Life Saving procedures.
We Indian graduates know all
the theory, but, how many actually have the knowledge not information of XYZ guidelines
2010, 2015 etc???
The answer would be very very
low.
Even after getting into MD/MS
again you are taught nothing extra in a structured manner. They will claim to
have a good academic environment but, in reality the majority of PG seats in
the country are crap. And after the ordeal of memorising 19 subjects, the PG
resident is also exhausted and enjoys the relief, until he realises "shit
I'll be a specialist in a few days, I need to learn". Then starts the
practice of oiling your "boss" /"guide" to actually teach
you.
Now coming to Medical Research
in India. This is nothing but a JOKE.
PG thesis are a mandatory
clause hence, all PG residents of the country do "some research"
about a topic which he has least idea about or interest in only to follow the
"guide". Because, this thesis will get accepted and you will get your
degree.
Majority of these so called
"mandatory researchers" don't even know what a Research Protocol is,
or what is a Research Methodology..
Reason: Simple. Nothing was
taught in UG except a irrelevant thing in PSM which every MBBS Graduate
copy-pastes to pass.
Many don't even know what an
Indexed Journal is or what the hell is Impact Factor. Maximum his guide knows
and he is taught is National/International Publication.
UG research is another matter
altogether, which some intelligent students use to lengthen their CVs to
eventually LEAVE INDIA, to learn REAL MEDICINE abroad.
In short, it's not our fault
or fault of the Teachers or the Colleges at large, but, the SYSTEM IS WRONG and
NEEDS TO BE SCRAPPED and REFORMED.
Or else Medical Education will
continue to be a Journey between Entrance Exams to eventually create parrots
not Doctors.
AIPMT (Be the Boss of PCB
including Botany and Zoology)
To learn Superficially in MBBS
(remember you don't pass MBBS, you are being passed)
AIPGMEE: Exam of memory with
minimum Relevance.
MD/MS: Not in your dream
branch to complete a thesis to answer a Research Q which is not even yours.