Im Publication master. I help or rather assist young doctors like you ( No, no .. Please dont presume me to be an old folk I’m as young as you are), it’s just that i have more experience in writing scientific papers ) to write a thesis or get their research papers published in indexed medical journals. I’m writing this note to just let you know that you are a hero for me. It’s a sad fact that for a large section of society doctors have become synonym of demons but as you know that’s not a reality.

 The trigger for writing this piece was an interview which I just listened to. It was a podcast in which the owner of a drug company was talking how their turnover can be increased exponentially were it not for the underdiagnosed conditions. He was like … the doctors don’t diagnose conditions such as anaemia… if they diagnose it properly, we can have an exponential rise in our sales and all. I wondered how we can be reduced to such a level. Are we just machines who are supposed to be “diagnosing” diseases so that sales of some drug companies can grow?

 Be it as it may be.

 But if you are a doctor, you are special to me. Because I know what it takes to be a doctor. This piece of writing is for you to understand that though it’s a noble profession you should not be behind it at the cost of your relationships and families. in my whole career (I did MBBS and MD from one of the top 10 medical colleges of India) I’ve come across many friends and colleagues who suffered incalculable losses because they feared the consequences of not obeying their seniors (which unfortunately themselves were doctors) and they even today regret not doing enough for their families or even for friends. They even regret today for being not there when their loved ones needed them the most. 

 I know a colleague of mine whose father was in ICU and he couldn’t get leave from his medical college eventually he could only go later when his father was already put on ventilator and eventually his father died. Many young medicos are so mad behind NEET PG and PG seat of their dreams that they completely ignore their personal relationships. Many have lost their loved once because of this mad rush of study and securing a PG seat. I’m not saying you don’t work hard or study hard but don’t do it at the cost of your relationship and family. Believe me 20 years down the line you will really regret not doing the things you should have done at appropriate time. And you with a PG degree of your choice would eventually regret like hell if you did what you did at the cost of your loved once. The time will never come back for you. Many years later you will cry with tears of blood and hope for turning the clock backwards but that will remain what it is “just empty hope”. Do not think that a PG seat or even a super specialization degree will change your fortune. In this time of start-ups young men and women in their twenties are building businesses worth billions. Watch any episode of shark tank India and you will realise that those who are selling pickle or even flowers are generating revenue of crores.

 So as a senior or junior whatever you think I am, my advice for interns is that study well for post graduate seat and secure it as soon as possible. There is no point in wasting years studying. Study hard and secure a seat but in this mad rush do not ignore your personal relationship. Do not backtrack your families. Rather balance everything and see to it that you don’t regret ignoring relationships behind mad rush of securing PG seat. Believe me no PG seat is going to change your fortunes and the time has changed. If you are not bright enough you won’t be able to do anything even with the best PG seat. If you don’t believe me, go to any taluka place today and you will find a dozen MD or MS doctors.

 My advice to PG resident is most important part of this letter (or whatever you consider it). Look you have secured an admission to a PG seat but you are not slave. If you find something which is profoundly affecting your emotional and mental health then you need to stop and ask yourself “Am I doing this thing right?” is it necessary to go on tolerating everything for the sake of a degree. If anybody needs you particularly if your mother or father and if you are not getting leave then do you have really have to wait there till your mother or father is on ventilator. Is it worth doing? Someone’s wife is about to deliver a baby, someone’s child is sick all these situations demand your presence. You cannot remain hundreds of kilometres away from your loved once when they are suffering. And learn to open your mouth. It is always better to regret opening your mouth and saying what needs to be told than regretting later for not opening your mouth. If you have feelings towards someone, tell him or her. He or she is not going to kill you. If you need to go home tell your seniors that you need to go home. Whatever you want to say please for the sake of your own self “Say It”. You are not going to be hanged. But if you keep quite today fearing the consequences you will regret for entire life.

 For those who just passed MD/MS I want to just tell that this is the most crucial time for taking a decision. You want to marry someone then this is the time you must act. You want to do super-specialisation then put all your efforts and secure a seat. If you want to start private practice then do it with all your force. One thing you should be very careful about is trying to do multiple things at a time. Do not join a service anywhere if you want to do super specialisation and rather only study and secure a super-specialisation seat. I’ve seen people who have joined as medical officer and thought that they will study as well as do service and then for 5-6 years they are just doing service. Of course, if your financial condition demands that you start working immediately after MD then join a part time job somewhere and study simultaneously. You will have to tweak the things as per your conditions. But remember this is crucial time and you must be doing what you are supposed to be doing.

 For PG teachers, associate professors and even professors. Please understand that a PG resident who has just joined your department is vulnerable. You don’t know what battles he or she is fighting. You don’t even know from what background they are coming. Some of them are fighting financial problems. Some of them have ailing parents in their homes. Some of them are fighting depression. Some are vulnerable because of their shattered relationship. Handle them with care. Behave with them as you want your child to be treated when he or she joins a medical college. If someone is having a genuine problem let him or her go home for 2-3 days. Heavens will not fall if he or she is absent for 2-3 days. Remember if you are compassionate, they will have gratitude towards you for whole of their life and remember this world is small and you will meet them many times in future and at that time you should not regret the way you behaved with them in past.

 And my last piece of advice for those who are established clinicians. Please understand you are not indispensable for this world. You may feel that heavens will fall if you go on vacation with your family but the fact is that nobody will even notice that you are not in town. So go on vacation once in a while with your kids and family. Attend marriages of relatives, meet friends and have social contacts. If you are not available in town there will be a dozen other doctors available in your vicinity. Give time to your kids. Your ailing parents and balance your professional and personal life. Look the life is unpredictable and you don’t know what will happen tomorrow so live life to the fullest.

 Please start investing early. If you are 25,30 or even 50 years of age start investing. Shares like Tata Elxi, TCS, Wipro and Infosys have multiplied the wealth of people like anything. The only thing required is long term investment. Start from today. If you get stipend invest at least 10% of it in good companies. It will give unbelievable results over a long period of time.

Also don’t be a frog in your own well (Loosely translated from kunwe ke mendak). There is a world waiting for you. Go abroad for some years if possible. Work there for some years. That will give you quick financial stability.

 And a common advice to all my dear colleagues and friends. When you go out, please keep your eyes open. Be open to new ideas. In this age of entrepreneurship an idea can change your life. An idea like Oyo, redbus, zerodha or ola has made people billionaires. Not only they are earning but also, they have ample time to take care of their families and enjoy life. As I said even those who are selling pickle or flowers online are making annual business of crores. So do not be stuck with only the field of medicine. If you have some brilliant idea think about implementing it.

 The summary of this write-up is

1.     You are not indespensible for this world but you are indespensible for your family and friends so give them the time and care they deserve.

2.     The importance of doing the things at right time can not be overemphasized. You have feeling for someone then tell them.

3. Nobody will hang you if you tell people your problems in clear language. Let the people know that you need to go home as someone in your family needs you.

4. Though PG is important but it is not everything. People selling pickle or flowers have annual turnover of crores.

5. The world revolves around sun and not you. Nobody will notice if you go on vacation and hence take out time to go on vacation and enjoy life.

6. Be open to new ideas as this is an age of enterpreuners and a good idea can change your life.

7. Start investing early even if it is a small amount every month. Long term investment in good companies will give you unbelievable reults.

8. Go abroad to work for some years that will give you quick financial stability.

9. Keep humanity in you always alive. Always help someone who is in need.

 And lastly ive seen the field of medicine very closely and ive lived thorugh its good and bad experiences. I am always their to help you if you need my advice. You can contact me on google chat (googlechat id= publicationmaster). If you need any advice message me anytime and ill give you whatever best advice I can give from my experience of living through this life of a medico. Im not writing this for establishing online leads but it’s a genuine write-up. Share it with your medico friends.

 If you are a doctor, you are my hero and I don’t want my hero to fail.