What It Takes to Be a Doctor in India and Why So Many Doctors Are Leaving Medicine.
Hi, I am Dr. Mandar Mandlik, consultant Homoeopath at Shree Vijay Homeopathy Clinic. Over the past three years, I’ve worked into clinical documentation, quality auditing, and healthcare startups. This journey gave me a unique opportunity to interact with doctors from various specialties, and I’ve gained valuable insights into the challenges they face.
For a typical medical student in India, becoming a doctor is a long lasting path. It takes six years for an undergraduate and at least another three years for post graduation, with super specialization adding several more years. While this timeline may seem daunting, it’s particularly challenging for first generation doctors. Without a family background in medicine, as they face additional financial, emotional, and academic pressure.
After years of education, doctors are met with a narrow set of career options. They can:
1. Work in a hospital, often for a modest salary, which may not reflect the effort they’ve invested in their training.
2. Start their own practice, which comes with its own set of challenges, including significant financial investment, setting and overcoming the waiting period, competition in a saturated field, and the constant stress of maintaining profitability.
3. Join government services, often in remote areas with limited basic facilities and infrastructure. While government jobs offer stability, doctors are frequently posted to rural locations where they face a lack of resources, frequent abuse, minimal support staff, and challenging living conditions. This can lead to professional dissatisfaction despite the noble cause of serving underprivileged communities.
4. Explore academic roles or transition into advisory positions in tech or pharma, options that remain underexplored but offer a viable alternative to clinical practice.
This leads to a critical question: why are so many doctors transitioning to non clinical roles?
The truth is, medicine in India is no longer just about serving patients. The healthcare ecosystem has evolved. Many doctors are finding that non clinical roles offer better work life balance, financial stability, and the opportunity to apply their skills in innovative ways.
For example, roles in clinical documentation and quality audit allow doctors to improve patient care indirectly, ensuring that medical records and processes meet the highest standards. Likewise, healthcare startups and pharma companies offer opportunities for doctors to contribute to product development, medical research, and business strategy.
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