This is a post for all the budding medicos as a reply post for a post which went Viral made by Ex IMA President, Dr Neeraj sir. Respected sir as a senior person has excellently penned out the real situation of medicos in future. yes there is a real threat for medicos, but no one can stop the increase of medical seats and specialties. After reading that post many students started getting depressed and started messaging me of future after putting this much hard work. Here I would like to pen out some important issues which will boost up your energy to proceed in your career as Doctor…
Yes, there is supersaturation from MBBS to MCh/ DM in every metropolitan city to 2nd level towns. But does this stop your earning as a consultant or practitioner. I will pen out how I settled in a second level town in a under developed district in Tamilnadu. When I entered to this town, there were many criticisms from my own Colleagues to Assistant professors. When I started my practice in 2015, I used to see only 4-5 patients per day and I used to have a a marketing person who will go and meet every doctor and ask them to refer surgical gastro cases ( for endoscopy/ colonoscopy or consultation)… Though I am one and only Surgical Gastroenterologist I could not see big number of cases ( Not more than 10 case per day for more than 2 years)… Some times I used to get frustrated seeing the practice scenario in periphery and I used to feel depressed that I made a wrong decision of settling in a small down with full degrees…
I took a break and analyzed why the patient strength is not increasing past 2 years? I have all the degrees to attract the patient crowd- MS, MRCS( UK), Dip Lap, MCh ( SGE), FMAS along with all Gold medals and Distinctions…? Then why my practice is not picking up??
I found out the following reasons:
- Reason 1: Initially I thought that once I enter the other speciality consultants and surgeons will refer me cases as I am the only speciality person seeing Gastro cases. But soon I realised from few cases, even the closest surgeon who used to call me for help in emergencies referring patients to Chennai or Pondicherry, the case which can be easily operated in this town itself. Yes, I realised our own colleagues won’t refer patients as they really have the fear that if they refer a patient, that patient will thereafter follow us and won’t come to their clinic. Except for countable friends most other people in your own town will not be ready to give hands to lift you in practice.
The Solution I made: I immediately stopped the marketing person who used to go to places to meet doctors to make them refer as there is no use to make the doctors realise that we are there. I found it’s not much productive and started focussing on other ways of making us prominent in the city.
- Reason 2: I started my practice in a Hospital run by one of my close friend. That’s a busy hospital and I felt when I started my practice if I sit in a busy hospital we will pick up easily. That’s absolute wrong my dear friends. there is a proverb in Tamil " Eli valayanalum Thani Valai- means whoever you may be you must have your own place even if it’s small"
The Solution I made : I immediately started building my clinic with 1200 square feet size and named it as RRM Gastro Superspecialty clinic and started to work for my own BRAND from 2017. If I was sitting in some one else’s hospital- definitely because of me that hospital may grow but my name or Brand will never come out.
Reason 3: Persistence. I have my own friends who are not ready to sit in a place and have patience to pick up the practice. Seeing poor input of patients , they vacate and go to some other place . Please remember to have a good practice there is an Incubation period of 2-3 years. You must be dedicated and committed to the patients. The first reason to pick up a practice is the availability as per your scheduled time.
The solution I made- I fixed a time for my OPD only from Monday to Thursday only 4-7 pm… Yes even now I could not make it perfect because of the classes and coaching institutes
Finally please remember, the one person who will make your practice pick up is sitting in front of you as a patient. If you are humble to him, if you can explain him what disease he has in his language understandable, if you could make a treatment with Quality drugs ( Good Brand of drugs instead of Generic poor quality drugs) definitely he is going to be alright and you will have no time to treat patients…
This is the secret behind the practice. The final win of your long travel of 15 years of study ends at how your practice is going to be and how you are going to earn… You must never work hard to achieve this but you must work wise to reach this…
So don’t worry about the future- there may be hundreds of practitioners around you even with same specialty- Please remember The Lion is identified by it’s ROAR .
Will pen down more Tips and Tricks in Practice… For every sword there is a sheath- For every Doctor there is a place to practice.
All the best…Stay Confident and Work towards your DREAM- don’t get diverted by various negativities… You are a winner and you will put a bench mark in medical field when you stay strong and wise…
Dr R Rajamahendran
MS, MRCS, MCh(SGE)
Consultant GI and HBP surgeon
Director, RRM Gastro Superspecialty clinic
Villupuram, Tamilnadu