Ever feel like residents- MBBS and MD alike, are carrying the weight of the system on their backs? Long hours, endless paperwork, little time to breathe? You are not imagining it.
In India, we have reached a doctor-to-population ratio of 1:834, better than the WHOās 1:1000 recommendation (Economic Times, 2024). Yet, burnout remains rampant, one-fourth doctors report extreme fatigue, stemming from long duty hours and overwhelming workloads (TOI, 2024).
Briefly- A Day in the Lifeā¦
- Attend 3-4 ward rounds, manage vitals, write and follow prescriptions.
- Handle daily new admissions and counsel patients.
- Monitor for ADRs and escalating cases. Result: Over-utilization, burnout.
- Attend ward rounds alongside MDs.
- Monitor prescriptions per individual patient.
- Handle ADR surveillance, antimicrobial stewardship, patient counseling, and therapeutic recommendations. Result: Under-utilized expertise.
Why the disconnect?
- PharmDs are a newer addition (program began in 2008), and roles like ADR monitoring, counseling, and prescribing oversight are under-recognized (Lippincott Journals).
- PharmDs may sometimes lack the opportunity to develop consultative confidence, and MDs may be unfamiliar with PharmD competency; both gaps affect patient care.
- Communication and trust gap- both sides may default to āI know bestā, but itās the patient who pays.
Can we change this? Absolutely.
By building collaborative teams, updating policies to formally integrate PharmDs into patient care, and developing mutual respect, both professions can thrive- and patients benefit the most. For PharmDs, the focus should be on strengthening core clinical and communication skills and consistently demonstrating their value, rather than framing the profession around āno scopeā.
Letās move from āIām rightā to āWeāre togetherā- because when MDs and PharmDs collaborate, patients win, and burnout dims. Letās discuss your thoughts on the same, I might come up with a part two where I walk you through a day that looks like this in practice!
MBH/PS