Dr. T. Rama Prasad's Scribblings...: Don't study MBBS

Why should students commit suicide for failing to get MBBS seats ?

If you are keen to read more about the medical scenario, go to my writings at the following links:

https://drtramaprasad.blogspot.com/2024/05/the-noble-profession.html

https://drtramaprasad.blogspot.com/2017/04/modern-medicine-good-bad-and-ugly_30.html

https://drtramaprasad.blogspot.com/2023/01/neet-neet-neet.html

https://drtramaprasad.blogspot.com/2017/03/medical-literature.html

https://drtramaprasad.blogspot.com/2017/04/hydroxychloroquine-hcq-and-coronavirus_29.html

https://drtramaprasad.blogspot.com/2017/04/medical-conferences-clinical-meetings_30.html

https://drtramaprasad.blogspot.com/2017/04/science-and-nonsense-about-covid.html

https://drtramaprasad.blogspot.com/2020/02/over-healthcare.html

https://drtramaprasad.blogspot.com/2023/01/covid-vaccines-safe-or-unsafe.html

https://drtramaprasad.blogspot.com/2017/04/dr-peon-phd_30.html and https://drtramaprasad.blogspot.com/2017/04/devalued-degrees_30.html .

Read them, they are just a click away. You are already confused by your experiences, and these writings may confuse you more !

Don't study MBBS -- the bitter truths

Published on July 7, 2026

Don't study MEDICINE unless you have a passion for the subject, for it is related to live human beings, not inanimate machines.

Dear Indian parents & children,

In India, there is an annual race for MBBS seats with years of gruelling preparation for the entrance examination, NEET. This kind of a craze to become a doctor is peculiar to India which pushed children into "coaching" (mentally torturing) centres, and suicidal ideation. The unwarranted glorification of the profession is instilled into the children at a very young age by the parents. Many of the children as young as six years old say, "I want to become a doctor." Of course, in the earlier decades, the profession commanded a lot of dignity, respect and reverence. And it generated a lot of income too without "billing." This is the reason for the craze for MBBS.

One chooses this profession for varying reasons -- to serve the suffering humanity; to excel in treating patients; to make a good name and fame; to enter into academics to find cures for incurable diseases; to teach in medical schools; to establish huge hospitals ; to earn a lot of money and make enormous wealth; to just earn for a decent living; or to make a combination of some of these.

Medical profession should be a choice only for those who are deeply passionate about medicine -- driven by a genuine desire to heal and help people, rather than by expectations of prestige or financial success.

If your child has this passion, encourage to study medicine. Otherwise, just leave it to her or his wish. Don't go on persuading and pressurising the child with your ideas to brag that you will have a DOCTOR in your family. You will realise that it's not worthwhile, if you read the following. This is more applicable if you are in the 'middle class economy', as the medical education is expensive -- fees of even Rs 65 lakh a year at top private medical colleges in deemed universities in India !!! It's OK for the wealthy, as they look for a degree, not for revenue returns.

Anand Neelakantan, the famous author of Asura, Ajaya series, Vanara and Bahubali triology, wrote recently (June 28, 2026) :

"A doctor's earnings are not much to speak of' (just enquire about the average income of the doctors in their 20s and 30s now) and 'it makes no sense to choose medical field as one's way of making a living'; It may not be fair to ask teenagers to spend some of the best years of life pursuing years of intense study, involving personal sacrifice and resilience, often with financial rewards that may not justify the hardships and the stress involved; Just for the bragging right of one's child studying medicine, no loving parents should force their children into this field through the 'coaching factories' which rob children of their childhood." -- (TNSE Magazine, The Not-so-neat Business of NEET, June 28, 2026).

Dr. Pooja Takudage of Docoplexus Editorial Team wrote --

"Nowadays, seeing the changing medical field, violence against doctors, disrupted work-life balance etc. doctors these days prefer that their children take up some other profession.

According to a survey conducted in UK it was observed that two-third of doctors would not recommend a career in medicine to their children. The doctors opined that the working conditions have deteriorated, and many doctors are switching their profession."

RARE TALENT

No doubt, many Indian doctors are in the ivory towers of wealth and earned enormous name and fame, in India and abroad. Some contributed abundantly for academic advancements. But these are rare happenings and are exceptions. And, you fondly imagine that your child could be one like one of them. The chances are remote. That's reel. Look at the realities below.

REEL and REAL

Dear parent, you have always wanted your child to become a DOCTOR. So, you started to groom and 'brainwash' the child right from the LKG stage towards that goal. You, along with the schools and the brutal 'coaching factories', converted the child into a machine to memorise and score high marks ... robbed the childhood pleasures and destroyed the creative and innovative capacity ... stripped the child's individuality and curiosity.

And ultimately driven the child into enormous stress and mental illness -- 25 students committed suicide within two months in 2026.

Of course, you would like to BRAG, and feel that you got the 'ultimate socio-economic INSURANCE policy' for your family. The 'insurance' is an illusion.

For this psychological pleasure, no loving parents should force their children into becoming DOCTORS and making them feel that failing in the NEET exam is equivalent to ending their life's utility. A teenager is a very complex human being, not a device meant to deliver the best answers to 'multiple choice questions' in a few hours to be assessed her or his entire worth -- implying to do or die.

More than 100 students committed suicide or died due to excessive parental or peer pressure related to the NEET exams. At least 25 students committed suicide in less than two months between cancellation and re-test of NEET-UG of 2026.

Millions of students' individuality, creativity, curiosity, and childhood pleasures were killed by cruel 'coaching' for this exam right from the early childhood. The tragic reality of suicides is borne out of the parents' misconceptions.

Dear parents, go through the following writings to realise that the efforts you are making to make your child a doctor are not worthwhile -- in the present circumstances. Children need not be deprived of the cheerful childhood and need not toil throughout their youthful years for the imaginary benefits.

DO NOT MAKE THEM DOCTORS unless they have the rare passion mentioned above

There would be neither money nor prestige in the pursuit, in the coming days, as you are imagining.

In the future, young doctors with or without PG qualifications may line up to get a small job in a government or private hospital, or they may have to have a small roadside clinic, with no guarantee of upward mobility.

The market is flooded with doctors, and even specialists. And, scores of AYUSH doctors (BAMS, BSMS, BUMS, BHMS, etc.) would be practising along with MBBS doctors.

MEDICAL EDUCATION 'BAZAAR'

The reality is this. The doctor to population ratio in India is 1:811 which exceeds the WHO recommendation of 1:1,000.

In 10 years, there had been a 98% increase in the number of medical colleges in the country -- from 387 in 2013 to 766 in 2024. And, in 2026, there are over 824 NMC recognised medical colleges across India. And, it was announced that 75,000 MBBS seats would be created in the next five years !!

Governments and private bodies vie with each other in establishing more medical colleges which may mostly be of a substandard quality. In course of time, a day may come when medical colleges may meet the same fate as of some of the engineering colleges of today -- many seats may not be filled up, and some private colleges may have to be closed.

The plan seems to be that of making 75,000 more doctors every year -- of 'factory-assembly-line production'. We seem to be more interested in the quantity rather than the quality ( Read about the Medical Education BAZAAR at http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/open-page/the-great-medical-education-bazaar/article4841270.ece ).

The Editor-in-Chief of the British Medical Journal said : " The private medical schools that are burgeoning in India need to be properly overseen so that the new generation of Indian doctors coming through have proper ethical and moral codes and as said in the editorial, if that doesn't happen, there are ways in which other countries in the world where Indian doctors want to go and practice can say we won't accept you unless your bodies make the necessary changes " (Read my 'scribbling' at https://drtramaprasad.blogspot.com/2017/04/modern-medicine-good-bad-and-ugly_30.html ).

Even now, the country is flooded with MBBS and specialist doctors, mostly half-baked as is the case with other degree holders. See the fate of the degree holders in the country -- many PhD doctors and post-graduates have been applying for 'PEON posts' !!! One MBBS graduate applied for a Grade IV post at the Bihar Secretariat (TNIE, 11.1.2021). Read about it in my writings titled "Dr. Peon, PhD" and "Devalued Degrees" at https://drtramaprasad.blogspot.com/2017/04/dr-peon-phd_30.html and https://drtramaprasad.blogspot.com/2017/04/devalued-degrees_30.html .

The TRAVESTY of a PROFESSION

An average doctor's earnings are not much considering the long time and the huge expenses spent to become a doctor. Doctors start earning late in life compared to those in other professions.

And, hospitals are also struggling for survival, despite mastering the art of billing under various heads and innovations. See the huge ads of some of the huge hospitals in recent times. Some hospitals advertised that they don't do needless investigations and surgeries !!! But they seem to be necessary for them to be economically viable. They can't increase the charges for the genuine service due to competition from the other hospitals. Struggle for existence ! Existential problems.

And, some hospitals offered discounts like the discount offers of "Pay for one and take two shirts." Competition and comparison in the "medical bazaar." Without reimbursement facilities some of them would collapse. Reimbursement fraud is a different shameful story. The patient is not bothered as some insurance company would be paying for the needless admissions, investigations, scans, echos, endos, procedures and surgeries. Specialists are obliged to do all these things, lest they lose their fat remuneration, cuts and commissions. And, its a race among them, as many players are inducted into the system cleverly by the employer.

Poor specialists, drowned in STRESS and DISTRESSED by the words of HIPPOCRATES : "Don't make money in the sick room." Ethics and the need clash. And, the specialists in certain fields can't leave these hospitals and practise outside, as an impossibly massive investment is required for the establishment.

The hospitals can't be blamed either as they run on business models, investing billions of rupees. Lest, they would become bankrupt.

TRUST DEFICIT

Doctor is no more revered as god. People, in general, these days, are looking down upon the noble profession as just another business model as they are well aware of the business, thanks to the social media and the improved critical thinking of the younger generations.

They think that some doctors are obliged to earn profits for their employers by finding ways and means to generate revenue from each patient. And the people are very much suspicious of exploitation by the hospitals. Suspicion led to violence.

Due to the changing attitudes, values and morals, TRUST between patients and doctors evaporated. In this trust-deficient scenario, even a very honest and efficient doctor may be accused as a culprit. A gynaecologist in Rajasthan committed suicide when she was charged by police with murder of a patient (allegedly following a stir led by a local leader) after the unfortunate demise of her patient due to a postpartum haemorrhage.

This incident prompted the World Medical Association (WMA), an international doctors’ body, to write to the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to stop the rising number of attacks on physicians and other health personnel in India, and to have cases examined properly and professionally before conclusions about civil and criminal liability can be made. The WMA also said that it supports the Indian Medical Association (IMA) which requested the Indian government to enact unambiguous and effective lawful means to stop the attacks on doctors and other health personnel (The Hindu, April 12, 2022).

Across the country, in recent times, people attacked doctors, even murdered a lady doctor (in Thoothukudi on Jan 2, 2012), and vandalized hospitals for alleged professional negligence.

I am writing this here to underscore the FEAR phenomenon among the public and the medical profession as well due to the rot in our systems.

MENTAL DEVASTATION

At present, the cost of the MBBS medical education may range from many lakhs to a few crores of rupees in India. In colleges of some top autonomous universities the annual fees are around Rs. 65 lakh !!! It is a great "STRESS" to invest such an amount and to worry about the uncertainty of reasonable revenue returns after the graduation, especially for those who are not wealthy.

More than the economic implications, it is the mental stress that is looming large over becoming a doctor. Over the last six years (2001 - 2026), it is estimated that nearly 100 students committed suicide or died due to excessive parental or peer pressure related to the NEET exam. The NEET re-exam in 2026 alone took nearly 25 lives. This is the price Indian parents paid for their misplaced ambition.

The NATIONAL MEDICAL COMMISSION (NMC) has revealed in August 2024 that an alarming number of medical students have MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS and suicidal ideation.

The stress doesn't end even if one secures an MBBS seat and completes the course. It may kill them psychologically for their inability to prosper as per the expectations of their parents.

The STRESS is not over with getting the MBBS degree. In these days of specialisation and super-specialisation, people look down upon MBBS graduates as fit only for giving some 'first aid' !

The "STRESS" continues with the inevitable "post-graduate (PG)" education with another NEET (PG) exam. What after the post-graduation and training which may take another five years or more ? Pressure, stress, age, expenses, responsibilities, expectations from parents and competition mount up !!! Killing !

There is a proposal to conduct a national "EXIT" exam for MBBS course which means that there would be a national "EXIT" exam for final year students (like the NEET for "ENTRY") to pass out of any medical college.

Imagine the pressure -- the poor student would be in a 'pressure cooker' for ever !!!

The higher the qualification and training, the more one depends upon 'Big Hospitals' for rendering professional service or getting some income. The five-star hospitals that have mushroomed in many cities suck the best doctors out of the system by offering them huge salaries. In turn, they are obliged to earn enormous profits for their employers by finding ways and means to generate revenue from each patient (Read my 'scribbling' at https://drtramaprasad.blogspot.com/2017/04/modern-medicine-good-bad-and-ugly_30.html ). These gigantic hospitals constantly and even mercilessly set unrealistic targets and put enormous pressure on the specialists to earn money for the hospitals (indirectly pressurising them to admit patients into hospitals unnecessarily and do needless investigations and procedures in the name of "EVIDENCE-BASED MEDICINE" ). A 'pink slip' would be given if the "service" is not "satisfactory." So, they go on jumping from one hospital to the other with a huge pressure on the back, as it's too expensive and risky to have their own hospitals.

PARENTAL AMBITION

In India, mostly, it's the parents' ambition and decision that makes a child a doctor. No amount of spin or gloss would hide the bitter truth. In the prevailing economic situation, children are "pressurised" to get into a profession which is supposed to yield good economic returns. Medical profession is rated, at present, perhaps, wrongly, as one among the top of such ones.

Hence, there have been more than 20 lakh NEET candidates for one lakh MBBS seats. Not all these children are keen on studying medicine. It is mostly the parents' ambition that forces one to become a doctor.

So, dear parents, simply put, it is you who groomed and pushed the children into this race irrespective of their aptitude. A good deal of 'brainwashing' takes place. Some children happily pursue the course and some grudgingly go through the drill.

NEET

NEET evaluates only one aspect -- theoretical knowledge through rote memorisation to answer multiple choice questions in a few hours. It doesn't assess the aptitude, attitude, kindness, empathy, commitment, caliber and dedication to serve the humanity which are more important to make a "noble professional." Read my 'scribbling' on NEET at : https://drtramaprasad.blogspot.com/2023/01/neet-neet-neet.html .720 marks out of 720 may not mean a potential Nobel Laureate or an efficient doctor; he may even become the 'infamous principal of the RG Kar Medical College' about whom you might have already read ! If not, go to >

SICK SYSTEM

The system seems to cultivate a generation of scholars more adept in passing examinations than at pushing the boundaries of a noble service. Even the examinations for MBBS and even PG qualifications focus mostly on theory, and in some cases impressions and influence play their part.

Why are the doctors stressed so much to do mistakes and malpractices ? And branded as BUTCHERS ?

One needs to introspect and ruminate seriously on this burning issue. Doctors, in general, refrain from commenting as they work only in the narrow sphere of furthering their own interest, without stepping outside the bubble. This is what both society and our education system teaches us, that in order to get ahead, you put your blinkers on and focus only on the goal at hand, which is to get ahead of the other person.

UGLY MEDICINE

This doesn’t mean that modern medicine is basically wrong but the ugly business outgrowths of this noble science need to be pruned. There is no mala fide intention in projecting the bad aspects of the good medicine, but the flip side is to be exposed for the good of the ‘modern medicine’ which is metamorphosing into ‘money medicine’.

That 'bad medicine' culture is as widely prevalent as “corruption” in the world which is no longer a secret. But the chaff has to be separated from the grain, lest you crush both.

STRESS

I am writing this article with trepidation. It has a huge potential for being misunderstood. One may have to find a gird robust enough to cope with the steep spike in anxiety and the stomach-plunging drop into depression that such of this information usually precipitates.

During the half-a-century after 1970, the enormously increased psychological stress in education and work had radically changed the lifestyle of people across all ages, making many of them lose their mental balance. The medical chief of the US (Surgeon General Dr Vivek Murthy) said (October 13, 2024) that social media has created mental health issues particularly among young people grappling with feelings of inadequacy and isolation through a culture of comparison that impacts self-esteem. He called for urgent reforms in medical education to better integrate mental health training to address the issues of academic, economic and social pressures on people.

The theme of WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY of OCTOBER 10, 2024 is about "PRIORITISING MENTAL HEALTH IN THE WORKPLACE."

It is so because of the recent escalation of sad and distressing happenings at workplaces. It may be shocking to know that in India alone 11,486 professionals in the private sector committed suicide due to "overwork." The brutal work culture is based upon competitive business economy which focuses on cost-cutting, unrealistic profit goals and pressurising to work long hours on strenuous conditions. Even hospitals are no exception, public or private.

‘Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a ‘new fashion’ diagnosis in children (and even in adults) to soak them in dangerous drugs. American psychiatrist, Dr. Leon Eisenburg stated, a few months before his death, that ADHD is a fictitious disease which is created for the benefit of drug manufacturers and listed as a new disease in the “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Diseases” of the American Psychiatry Association.

Stress starts at LKG and ends at graveyard.

Go back to villages and lead a stress-free life. Not possible ? Then, learn to live with stress.

-- Dr. T. Rama Prasad

The following is a list of some of my 'scribblings', including a few from the 28 articles on COVID published in a monthly medical journal in 30 months (a world record). To open them, click on any of the titles. -- T. Rama Prasad

Blog Archive

... a composed creature away from the gamut of emotions -- from euphoria to dejection.

Dr. T. Rama Prasad

A brief introduction

In the words of Prof C H Sivaraman, FRCP (London):

“ ... Dr. T. Rama Prasad belongs to a distinctly different and unconventional species of doctors. He speaks sparingly and does not even display his qualifications or merits, but his innumerable published writings (he calls them ‘scribblings’ though they are ‘pearls of wisdom and knowledge’, sprinkled with a bit of humour and sarcasm) which received wide acclaim talk eloquently for him. The ‘PAY WHAT YOU CAN’ Clinic where services are available for which one may pay whatever one can is a facility run by Dr. Prasad for a very long time which could be a world record. Dr. Prasad is called a “god” by his patients, and many of them named their children after his name “Prasad” -- that is the height of recognition of goodness of a human being... ”

Service to humanity is service to God; Kindness costs nothing

******************************************************

An anecdote about “GORU”

During my childhood, one of my schoolmates had huge nails. Her name was Gowri. We nicknamed her as ‘Goru’ (‘goru’ in Telugu means nail of a finger or toe ). They used to say that her huge nails caused a problem in her heart. It might be a case of ‘Digital Clubbing’ (abnormal nails present in some ‘Congenital Heart Diseases’). After one summer vacation, ‘Goru’ didn’t come back to the school. It was learnt that she died due to the nail / heart problem, and that treatment could not be availed as they didn’t have money to pay for it.

Perhaps, this incident prompted me to look at everyone’s nails from that time which might have led me to report the first case from India of ‘Yellow Nail Syndrome (YNS)’ from India in 1980 and the first case in the world of ‘Yellow nails & Covid’ in 2023 (https://drtramaprasad.blogspot.com/2017/04/yellow-nail syndrome_28.html ).

And perhaps, the preventable death of ‘Goru’ due to the inability to pay for the treatment motivated me to start my ‘PAY WHAT YOU CAN’ Clinic (PWYCC) half-a-century ago where patients may pay whatever they can. No fixed fee ( http://drtramaprasad.blogspot.com/2017/06/pay-what-you-can-clinic.html ).

The credit for these case reports on YNS and the starting of my PWYCC should go to ‘Goru’. Thanks to “Goru”.

-- T. Rama Prasad

More at : https://drtramaprasad.blogspot.com/2017/04/dr-t-rama-prasad.html

This is not an ad, it’s about an odd service.

GREETINGS from

‘PAY WHAT YOU CAN’ Clinic

“Thena thyakthena bhoojithaha”– Ishopanishad

( Translated by Prof. B.M. Hegde as: “Rejoice in giving.”)

True to this quote, I have been rejoicing at what little I could give. Defying stereotypes, this clinic has been in existence for a very long time, sans glitz, blitz, ads, microphones, speeches and noise. As a matter of my policy, publicity is shunned. The reason is simple. Good work needs no noise and nonsense. My ‘SCRIBBLINGS’ on related topics may be accessed at: http://drtramaprasad.blogspot.com

My consultation fee is not decided by me. It is the patient’s pleasure. The patient may pay (donate) whatever he can and what he wishes. If one is short of money, he or she need not pay anything. The money may just be put into the ‘hundi’ box kept outside the consultation room. And the money thus received is used for charity to help the needy, the poor and the less fortunate. If interested to know more about this facility, go to: http://drtramaprasad.blogspot.com/2017/06/pay-what-you-can-clinic.html .

"We need not run after money. If we are meritorious and compassionate, money would run after us, and it eludes us if we run after it.”

-- T. Rama Prasad

“Richness is not having lots of money. It is the feeling that one has enough of it. Contentment sans comparison is what makes one really rich.”

-- T. Rama Prasad.

Facebook: T Rama Prasad Twitter: @DrRamaprasadt Telegram : Dr T Rama Prasad

Consult your local doctor before rushing to me

Most ailments can be cured at local level

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR,

Dr. T. Rama Prasad

Dr. T. Rama Prasad is the WORLD RECORD holder of authoring 28 articles related to COVID-19 in 30 months, published in a medical journal (The Antiseptic – www.theantiseptic.in -- Indexed in IndMED), and reporting in the same journal the WORLD’s FIRST CASE of ‘Yellow Nail Syndrome’ associated with COVID-19, PT & DM (https://drtramaprasad.blogspot.com/2017/04/yellow-nail syndrome_28.html ). Interestingly, he reported the first case of YNS from India in an American medical journal long ago in 1980.

He wrote his first article in the premier journal, The Antiseptic, four decades ago. Many of his articles written over half-a-century may be accessed at https://drtramaprasad.blogspot.com/2017/04/dr-t-rama-prasad.html & https://drtramaprasad.blogspot.com/2017/04/my-in-newspapers_28.html & https://drtramaprasad.blogspot.com .

He is the former MEDICAL SUPERINTENDENT (Special) of R.T. Sanatorium & Perundurai Medical College and Research Centre.

KINDNESS and EMPATHY COST NOTHING

Scientific integrity is crucial to promote both trust in science and trustworthy science.

The integrity manifests only by refraining from hype and by being transparent about conflicts of interest. “Ethics in medical practice is knowing the difference between what you have a right to do and what is right to do.” Good science and kind practice are the twin towers for medical progress. Tentativeness is the hallmark of science and one must adopt what the philosopher of science Lee McIntyre calls a scientific attitude – an openness to seeking new evidence and a willingness to change one’s mind. All the same, we have to keep in mind the following quote:

“Philosophy of science is about as useful to scientists as ornithology is to birds.”

-- Richard P. Feynman

Dear Dr. Rama Prasad

I am sure the world will be a better place, if people understand your writings ... ‘EXCELLENT’ is the word. I cannot find any other word in this language to describe what you have written without any pretensions. You have brought out some home truths to those who care to read your website ... You are a great thinker, writer and crusader ... As usual, your messages are incisive, to the point and make lots of sense, much better than my articles …

... You are not only GREAT, but are a true missionary in medicine. May your tribe increase for the good of mankind. ….

Love,

-- Padma Bhushan Prof. B. M. Hegde, (awarded Padma Vibhushan in 2021)

MD, FRCP (Lond), FRCP (Edin), FRCP (Glas), FRCP (Dub), FACC (USA), FAMS, Former Professor of Cardiology, Middlesex Hospital Medical School, University of London, UK, Former Vice-Chancellor, Manipal University, India, Affiliate Professor of Human Health, Northern Colorado University, USA, Editor-in-Chief, The Journal of the Science of Healing Outcomes, Chairman, State Health Society’s Expert Committee, Govt of Bihar, India and Padma Bhushan awardee of 2010. www.bmhegde.com

Dr. T. Rama Prasad's Scribblings...

Thursday, May 9, 2024

Don't study MBBS

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