There’s a certain conversation many Indian families can relate to. Someone mentions a career that’s a little different, and the questions start. “What’s the scope?”“Is it a stable career?”“We’re only thinking about your future.” For some families, these are just discussions. For others, they can become difficult conversations. Most of the time, they come from a place of care, but they can still feel overwhelming for a young person trying to decide what they want.
Career conversations don’t always end after graduation. For many healthcare professionals in India, they continue in different forms. The next step itself can become another big decision. Should you pursue postgraduation? Explore opportunities outside clinical practice? These choices often come with questions from family and well meaning relatives. ”Why don’t you just do your MDS?”“You’ve already studied so much, why change now?”“Is there a future in that?”
Research suggests that having a sense of choice in important life decisions, including career decisions, plays an important role in mental wellbeing. Students who feel they have little say in these decisions may be more likely to experience stress, burnout, and symptoms of anxiety or depression. At the same time, supportive family conversations where young people feel heard can help build confidence and reduce some of that emotional burden.
This does not mean family advice is unhelpful. In many cases, it offers valuable perspective and support. Setting boundaries does not always mean saying no to your family or going against their wishes. Sometimes, it simply means being able to express your own goals while also listening to their concerns. Career decisions are rarely easy, and every family’s journey is different. What often makes the biggest difference is not whether everyone agrees straight away, but whether the conversation leaves room for trust, respect, and open communication.
Many healthcare professionals may recognise conversations like these from their student days or even later in their careers. Looking back, what was your experience like?
It’s better to decide yourself. Because it’s your life; no one is going to live for you. Listen to every piece of advice, then ask yourself what you want to do, and follow your heart.
Career decisions are rarely straightforward, especially in healthcare. Having family support is invaluable, but feeling heard and understood can make all the difference when navigating such important choices.
I think while we were youngsters, listening to family’s opinions is a mandate. But even as we grow old, while having the ability to analyse and decide, I feel it is still important to listen. Because, sometimes no one can support and push you beyond your threshold than your family. So, whatever choices we make, analysing every opinion we recieve with a positive mind is important rather than going with our own choices.
I have always believed that it is THE PERSON and not the PROFESSION that defines the career growth and transitions,be it clinical or non clinical when it comes to healthcare,all we need to do is reflect and introspect
The best will come when we listen to long term goals instead of short term comfort
Being a mother I have personally encountered this situation. Career is one s own individual right. Family conversations should not impact on your decisions
बिल्कुल सही कहा आपने , शुरुआत में मेरे घर पर भी बहुत सवाल किये गये जब मैने बी फार्मा कोर्स चुना था कि स्कोप क्या क्या हैं इसमें जॉब तो स्टेबल रहेगी ना लेकिन मैंने उन्हें समझाया कि इसमें मेडिसिन कंपनी में भी अच्छी जॉब हैं और मेडिकल स्टोर का वर्क भी कर सकते हैं तब जाके फैमिली मानी, ट्रस्ट और रिस्पेक्ट बहुत जरूरी है
I think this is something that currently i am facing too. From my experience i think family support plays a very important role in a person life. If you have your own potential but you family doesn’t allow you to explore your talents then you can’t do anything rather than thinking of being a useless person and experiencing self doubt.
When such career decisions are being made our life depends on them and we will have to live through them for our lifetime. So the person whose life path is being decided by it has to be the final decision maker.
so that even if things doesn’t go as planned they will know it was their decision and no one pressurised them.
Very relatable. Career decisions become much easier when there’s space to express your goals while also understanding your family’s concerns. Open communication and mutual trust can make a huge difference in navigating these choices.
Parents should guide and advise us about our career decisions. But final choice must be ours. And what we become, what path we choose. It’s our career. And our career should come from our own interest and passion. This post is really thoughtful.
This is such a good piece. Children who are forced into careers, reason could be any their good grades or keeping up with the obedient child complex, such children end up labelling themselves as inadequate when they fail in a career they didn’t even choose in the first place. They are afraid of disappointing their parents, find the guilt eating away at them. Navigating this otherwise complex life becomes simple if we have open conversations in family.
Everyone is going to give free advice you ask for it or not , so it is always better to follow what you want your life to look like and not how others wish to see it !
I really liked this one. Career decisions can become so much more complicated when family expectations get involved, especially in healthcare. Advice from family can be valuable, but having the freedom to make the final decision and feel supported in it makes such a difference.
I think it’s important to listen to every advice without feeling the need to follow each one.
I was also told by my friends to choose maths over medical as it had more scope. But now with AI in the market, my career seems narrower but theirs seem bottle necked.
It’s important to choose what feels right instead of what has more scope
Many healthcare professionals have experienced such a situation. The advice given by family members is thoughtful, however, the ability to make independent decisions about their careers is important for many individuals. Open and honest communication could potentially improve workers’ lives and job performance.
True , This is one of the most confusing matter after graduation, and the harsh truth is we usually have to listen to our parents for what to do next as it becomes impossible to pursue what u really want in life.