In the lab, when a 100 mg/dL standard consistently reads 105 mg/dL, I donât just âacceptâ the errorâI recalibrate because I know the âFactorâ is off. But how do we recalibrate a profession where the systemic deviation is this high?
A sobering new survey by the Debabrata Mitalee Auro Foundation reveals that 91.4% of Indian physicians would actively discourage their own children from following in their footsteps.
The Clinical Picture: If our profession were a patient, the symptoms would be undeniable:
Tachycardia of Toil: Extreme workloads and high patient-to-doctor ratio lead to chronic fatigue.
Traumatic Injury: A rising âfeverâ of workplace violence that leaves us feeling unprotected, fueled by the constant fear of physical assault within the hospital.
Malnutrition of Trust: A thinning of the once-rich doctor-patient bond, replaced by skepticism, compounded by rising medico-legal anxieties and a feeling of systemic vulnerability.
As doctors, we are trained to fix the âleaksâ in the system. But as parents, our protective instinct is signaling a major deviation from our core purpose. We want our children to have a career full of vitality and protein-rich growth, not one that leaves them chronically depleted by systemic toxicity and fear.
The Prescription: We canât just monitor the decline; we need a new treatment plan. If you were the âChief of Staffâ for the Indian medical system for one day, what is the first life-saving intervention you would order to make this a profession weâd be proud to pass on?
A sobering but honest reflection. When those within the profession hesitate to recommend it to their own children, it signals systemic distress -workload pressures, safety concerns, eroding trust, and medico-legal anxiety.
If there were one âfirst intervention,â it would be restoring safety and dignity in the workplace. A protected, supported doctor is better able to provide compassionate care, rebuild patient trust, and sustain the profession for future generations.
When most doctors donât want their children to become doctors, it shows something is seriously wrong in the system. If I had to change one thing first, I would make hospitals safer for doctors, because no one can work well while living in fear.
I agree @Jigunu! We canât provide high-quality, compassionate care when we are constantly in âsurvival modeâ due to safety and medico-legal anxiety. Restoring dignity and protection in the workplace isnât just a benefit for us; itâs a prerequisite for the patient trust you mentioned.
Your point about hospital safety being the âfirstâ change needed is so validâif we donât feel secure in our own wards, the entire foundation of healthcare delivery is at risk.
high work load and decreasing doctor safety at work places are the major reasons why doctors as parents do not want their children to choose the same profession.
@Abhinaya nice one The âclinical pictureâ youâve painted perfectly captures the systemic burnout, physical risks, and emotional toll currently plaguing the profession.
Yes I agree @nazar ! When the workplace becomes a zone of high anxiety rather than healing, itâs only natural for a parent to want a safer environment for their child.
@Akshata_12 Thank you! I felt the ârecalibrationâ analogy was necessary because, just like in the lab, ignoring a consistent error in the system only leads to a complete breakdown in results.
First step would be to set up more medical colleges and universities to improve the patient-to-physician ratio and also make government facilities better in rural places in far off india, where even today, doctors arenât present. This would reduce the workload, and the further flow remains steady.
I agree @Vaishnavi5! Improving facilities would definitely help. Iâm not sure if setting up more medical Colleges would benefit. Even now many seats are being left vacant because students are hesitant to pursue them.
