Medical Education-The UG Scene

The following scenarios may look odd for those who are complacent but not for those who are looking for a change:

Scenario 1: John Frusto

                     Currently in Seventh month of internship.

    Hi, this is John. I am not so happy these days. In fact, I cannot remember the last time I wasn’t frustrated since I took MBBS. I study in a private medical college and my father gave lakhs as capitation and tuition fees. I came here with a notion that this course will be skill-learning centered one. On the contrary, I’ve been cramming up Gigabytes of information for my exams and still doing it for my PG entrance but even in the seventh month of my internship I am not confident of securing an IV line, let alone conducting a labour or suturing a minor wound. I feel like I am a fact-book. My friends say,” Chill Frusto! Don’t be so frustrated man!” But this is not the thing that I opted for 5 years back. So frustrating.

Scenario 2: Vikas Videshi

                     In MBBS III Prof

Hey there, I am Vikas! My father is a doctor, so MBBS was an obvious-cum-secure-cum-forced choice! He wants me to go to the States for my PG. I’ve been reading all the expensive recommended books. I’ve the complete series for the MLE, you know? And the premium access to Kaplan videos and question bank. I’ve already given my Step 1. Life is so set there man. It doesn’t matter what branch I get, I’ll be earning in dollars! Green card baby! Hahaha! I can ratto-fy every fact brother, been doing this since the UG entrance days. I even know the pH of vitreous humour to 16 decimal points. What concern me are my poor communication and performance skills. My friends appreciate my knowledge and others are jealous. But my poor skills have always let me down in practicals and ward. I just hope this is not repeated in Step 2. Why can’t they just take MCQs like in AIPG?

Scenario 3: Samarth Kumar Vidrohi

                     In MBBS Final Year/III Prof

Namaskar! I am Vidrohi, Samarth Vidrohi. I am President of my Institute’s Student Union. I openly and strongly criticize this UG curriculum. Five and a half years! Are they nuts? Tonnes of useless, obsolete procedures and knowledge. For? Just for clearing exams and PG entrance. I can’t really comprehend the need of so many PG seats for basic sciences like Anatomy when they are crying that there is shortage of doctors. They are creating a positive market for specialists but there are half the number of PG seats compared to UG seats. When a skilled UG can handle most of the healthcare demands of the country why are they forcing everyone to cram-up PG entrance MCQs instead of preparing skilled, compassionate and thinking doctors.

Scenario 4: Ram Bharosey

                    In MBBS III Prof

Helloji! Myself Ram Bharosey from Chhapra, Bihar. I come from a village. I will set up my clinic after I get MBBS degree in my city. I want to work for my people. But my friends advised me to go for PG as in today’s scenario there is a poor scope for UG doctor in a market of specialists. Is it true? I think I should join a coaching. I am not sure.

Scenario 5: Chandrasen Bhanvvra

                    In MBBS III year

Hi. I am Chandrasen. My friends call me Chandu. I am from a middle class family. I have been good in studies so opting for Medicine seemed a sound choice. I’ve got a fairly good amount of idea of how things work here. It’s an amazing field to work in but people here seem to be in shackles. I don’t want to be like that. I am thinking to move into a much open field where things are in your control. Business? Management? Administration? I’ll figure out soon.

Scenario 6: Ashish Vaidya

                     In MBBS Final year/III Prof

Hello. This is Ashish. Since childhood, I’ve always dreamt of being a doctor. I can connect with the feelings of people. I love listening to patients and I take every human body as a beautiful challenge to learn. I think I was made for this. Few friends of mine are reluctant to communicate with patients and have an unconcerned attitude. I believe that we should have been taught something on behavioral and communication skills and professionalism given the rising problem of misconduct. Maybe they could have tested our communication skills and humanistic approach, in addition, during the PMT examinations.

Disclaimer: This is a work of author’s imagination. Any coincidence will be incidental.