WHY THE DOCTORS ARE UNHAPPY WITH PROFESSION ?

1. WHY THE DOCTORS ARE UNHAPPY WITH PROFESSION?
Dr.T.V.Rao MD
When I passed MBBS in early 1970’s I was the most happy man in with
my Degree, people and patients, many have lots of faith in me whatever I have done, above all I
was most respected. We have only one tool that is stethoscope to listen to the Chest, and we just
used to listen to patients and write a prescription, just few drugs and Antibiotics were rarely used,
except few Sulphas and Penicillin for undiagnosed Conditions. However only competitors were
quacks, does not matter they too are dependent on qualified Doctors when they matters become
serious after their unethical and dangerous treatments, I could able to survive in the profession with
the knowledge imparted from my great Teachers. After 1980 the profession has greatly changed
with the Starting of Many National Institution’s with highly specialized Doctors with ethics and
professional competency have joined with zeal to improve the profession with specialty and super
specialty care, the MBBS has started losing the value as people looked to specialists when the
matter cannot be diagnosed and with growing economy the MBBS has just become licensed
practitioners, however society has still many efficient and trust worthy Doctors , If I open my eyes to
the world Medical profession has enormously changed in a matter of 40 years. Today medicine is
just another profession, and doctors have become like everybody else: insecure, discontented and
anxious about the future and attacked when the matters go wrong and satisfy the patient
expectations. In surveys, a majority of doctors express diminished enthusiasm for medicine and say
they would discourage a friend or family member from entering the profession. I am right when I
have decided in late 1990’s that my children should not become Doctors, as the place to work with
sincerity is shrinking and enemies are not quacks, or public but only our colleagues. In a 2008 survey
of 12,000 physicians, only 6% described their morale as positive. Eighty-four percent said that their
incomes were constant or decreasing. Most said they didn't have enough time to spend with
patients because of paperwork, documentation to avoid litigations and nearly half said they planned
to reduce the number of patients they would see in the next few years or stop practicing altogether.
A great phenomenon entering in our country when I have talked with Sincere Cardiologist he said we
Doctors too expire like drugs, tomorrow no body accepts us after few years and we will become old
to the profession in matter of Decade however it means everyone makes the faster buck to survive if
they fail with practice in future it lead to many vagaries. However the fortune turned on many
Preclinical and Paramedical teachers or even Clinical consultants with expansion of Medical Colleges
and Privatization who are like blue boys they are just fortunate to get their demands and the salaries
without taking a few classes a month, Today some Private Medical Colleges are turning out to
be MCI rest houses for many senior teachers, the juniors handles the matters with
demoralised minds AS there are no Ideals to learn from Seniors. When I joined Corporate
and famous hospital they said Microbiologists cannot be paid much salary as it is not a profit making
department unlike Pathology and Biochemistry as we pay the employees according to the income
generated in the Department and cost accounting , Microbiologists are least paid in the past,
however thanks MCI regulations which brought charm to be Microbiologist as we too are treated
equally I decided it is difficult to survive in a system when everything is money related and taken up
the teaching job no looking back today Iam happy and my students continues to inspire me
whenever I meet them I was reading an article in American portal it states, many Doctors expressed
I get too little respect from patients, physician colleagues, and administrators, despite good clinical
judgment, hard work, and compassion for my patients. Working up patients in the ER these days
involves out growing multiple unnecessary tests (everybody gets a CT or an MRI!) despite the fact

2. that we know they don't need them, and being aware of the wastefulness of it all really sucks the
love out of what you do. I feel like a pawn in a moneymaking game for hospital administrators. There
are so many other ways I could have made my living and been more fulfilled. The sad part is we
chose medicine because we thought it was worthwhile and noble, but from what I have seen in my
short career, it is a charade." Today patients are very slippery Perhaps the most serious downside,
however, is that unhappy doctor’s make for unhappy patients. Patients today are increasingly
disenchanted with a medical system that is often indifferent to their needs. People used to talk
about "my doctor." Now, in a given year, Medicare or insurance cover patients see on average two
different primary care physicians and many specialists no patient is serious to take a treatment or
diagnosis into consideration without a second or many opinions in turn creating confusion It is rare
to find a good family physicians as ethics are changing as everything is oriented with money, and I
truly support the Doctors as they too need money. Today we cannot tackle the problems with
seniors however we can educate our students the better aspects of professionalism Fulfilment in
medicine, as with any endeavour, is about managing hopes. Probably the group best equipped to
deal with the changes wracking the profession today is medical students, who are not so weighed
down by great expectations. Doctors ensconced in professional midlife are having the hardest time.
What's most important to me as a doctor, I've learned, are the human moments. Medicine is about
taking care of people in their most vulnerable states and making yourself somewhat vulnerable in
the process. Those human moments are what others—the lawyers, the bankers—envy about our
profession, and no company, no agency, no entity can take those away. Ultimately, this is the best
hope for our professional salvation. Our Medical system is loaded with less merit and more money
until the true to profession are encouraged with Moral and economic support to highly meritorious
students our system is going to be unaffordable, less efficient and above all dangerous to many and
the society?
HOWEVER THE PROFESSION LIVES IN SPITE OF OUR LIKES AND DISLIKES.
NEVER FORGET WE TOO ARE POTENTIAL PATIENTS IN THE SYSTEM WE WORK.
Ref; if you are disappointed with profession read Why Doctors Are Sick of Their Profession. Jauhar is
director of the Heart Failure Program at the Long Island Jewish Medical Centre. This essay is adapted
from his new book, "Doctored: The Disillusionment of an American Physician," published by Farrar,
Straus and Giroux.
Dr.T.V.Rao MD Professor of Microbiology Freelance writer