LONG POST ALERT. MOSTLY FOR FINAL YEAR AND PRE FINAL YEAR STUDENTS AND ANYONE THINKING ABOUT WHATS THE WAY FORWARD*
I have been reading the posts of numerous people since yesterday and it’s a pathetic situation to say the least and I being a UR myself, share the sentiments with you. Infact ,I consider myself lucky (and may be even privileged) that I made it through last year and am currently pursuing my Residency. But then , what is the way forward from here?
It really doesn’t take much to realise that the situation is gradually going to worsen in the coming years.I for one don’t believe in PILs when matters pertaining to reservation policies are concerned ,cause let’s be honest it’s a process where we as individuals have little to do and also very little to understand ,and it’s this incapacity which I feel ,on the part of the ‘aspirant’ that makes me feel it’s futile. More importantly, Groveling for a seat in the court of law is very taxing.
So where does that leave us ?
1.In my opinion,Indian Medical Graduates or let’s say people who are in their second,third and final years really need to consider their options in Foreign Shores when it comes to post graduate medical education. But then there’s a glaring lacunae in this regard.
We really don’t have an ecosystem or let’s say a coaching trend that hons and promotes such aspirations.
I feel the coaching institutes,here can really come up as a “game changer”. It’s a fact that majority of students cracking the PG entrances enroll with some form of coaching modalities. If these institutes can bring out tailor made coaching modules for USMLE or PLAB,that could act as a much needed push in that direction.
- I am sure many of you are already thinking what about the finances? It’s a known fact that USMLE,PLAB or for that matter any Foreign Licentiate Examination is a costly affair and requires a higher capital investment compared to the amount one shells out for an Indian PG.
In the West,Academic financing is a huge business and it’s a very necessary trend that is gradually picking up pace even in India.
We as medicos aren’t really aware of such trends but then if you have a word with you’re techie friends ,some of whom apply to foreign universities for MS and PhD many of them take resort to these Financing companies.
So if gradually, a sizeable, cream Indian Medical Graduate population shifts their focus towards such exams ,I feel there will gradually develop a robust financing environment even for Medicos,that today exists for techies .
- We must promote students taking up MBBS to learn atleast one foreign language of their choice. Cause majority of the countries have a very difficult language test (Japan recommends Level 7 Japanese Proficiency Test for Physicians seeking Residency positions,which is the most difficult Japanese Language Exam)which acts a big hindrance for indian medical Graduates when it comes to securing Residency positions.
We need this measure so that We don’t overcrowd and overburden the USMLE and PLAB opportunities. There are plenty of countries in the world where medical training is great,hence learn a language of your choice which will give you an edge when you are applying for residency.
I know this has already become long and I Haven’t said anything that is going to mitigate the ‘immediate’ damage that has occured. And honestly, for people who have already joined the rate race and have already been a part of it,there’s not much you can do , unless you’re willing to say change course and start afresh.
This is not a problem that has taken this form overnight. It’s been there for a long time and the solution is to be developed over a long time.
Untill an unless,The “Deserved” Indian Medical Graduate starts leaving the country,Don’t expect the government to give two fucks about the murder of merit that it is normalising every year.