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Medical Students, Doctors Seek Careers Abroad Amid Challenges in India

Medical students and doctors in India increasingly seek careers abroad due to high education costs and limited opportunities, opting to study and work overseas.

By Pingal Pratyush Singh
New Update
Medical Students Opt Out of India

Medical Students, Doctors Seek Careers Abroad Amid Challenges in India | Representative image | Photo courtesy: Special arrangement

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Medical students and professionals in India no longer see medical education and the profession as lucrative. An increasing number of them are choosing to study abroad. Furthermore, many graduates prefer to pursue their medical careers outside India and also practise overseas. This trend raises concerns about the future of healthcare in India, as the brain drain of talented professionals could increase the existing shortages in the medical field.

Challenges and Aspirations of Medical Students Studying Abroad

Anita Singh (name changed), a third-year MBBS student from Gauhati Medical College and Hospital, shared her aspirations and challenges with The Probe. "I always wanted to pursue a medical career. I gave my NEET exams, but the first attempt did not go well because of Covid-19 in 2020. I attempted again in 2021. Now, I am planning to go abroad. I am preparing for the United States Medical Licensing Examination. It is a three-step exam, and I am planning to take up the first step this year."

Her primary motivation to go abroad stems from her cousin's experience in the US. "My cousin pursued his education in the US, and he says it is very good there. In India, there is a heavy load of patients, but in the United States, as far as I have heard, the system is very different. The population is less, and the infrastructural facilities are better," she explains.

Anita, however, clarifies that she does not intend to settle in the US permanently but definitely wants to study there due to greater opportunities. She believes that significant changes are needed to make Indian medical education and the profession more lucrative in India. “Doctors need to be protected. We are seeing so many cases of violence against doctors, and medical professionals don’t feel safe in India," she states. "The learning needs to be more structured. Students keep moving from one thing to another in India. The syllabus and the way classes are set up should be more structured. This must be left to the professors and the teaching faculty, but there is no feedback system to understand the pulse of the actual on-ground educationists."

She continues, "Most of the time, we have our professors telling us that this is not the structure they like to follow but that this is what has been given to them. That is not a very desirable situation. Much needs to change in India to make the medical education and profession more appealing and secure for future doctors."

We spoke to another Indian student, Chinmay Nirwan, who is currently pursuing his final year

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