When saviours suffer: Why so many ‘docs to be’ are taking extreme step

When saviours suffer: Why so many ‘docs to be’ are taking extreme step

TNN | Feb 26, 2024, 09.48 AM IST

NEW DELHI: One out of 64 MBBS students and four out of 58 post-graduate medicos who died by suicide in the last five years were from Delhi. At least 122 medical students, 64 of them pursuing MBBS and 58 studying at various levels in post-graduate courses, died by suicide and 1,270 students dropped out of medical colleges across India during this period. This data has been revealed by National Medical Commission (NMC) in response to an RTI.

Of the students who dropped out of colleges, 153 were studying MBBS and 1,117 were pursuing post-graduate courses. “One out of 64 MBBS students and four out of 58 post-graduate medicos who died by suicide were from Delhi. Among dropout students, three MBBS students and 155 post-graduate students were from Delhi between 2018 and 2022,” according to the information provided by NMC to RTI activist Dr Vivek Pandey.

President of Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA), Dr Aviral Mathur, said these statistics shed light on the complex issues that extended beyond academic pressures alone. While the rigorous demands of medical education undoubtedly contributed to student stress, it was important to recognise that the underlying reasons for these suicides were multifaceted, he said. “Exaggerated duty hours (stretching without breaks up to 36 hours on certain days), inadequate rest periods, hostile work environment created by some toxic seniors and a lack of time off for PG students are significant factors contributing to burnout and mental health challenges. Furthermore, many institutes still lack proper redressal mechanisms and counselling services for at-risk students, leaving them without essential support systems in times of need,” Mathur said.

He further said that family-based stressors, coupled with the immense academic workload and clinical responsibilities, created a challenging environment for students. Additionally, the issue of language barriers, especially for students from diverse linguistic backgrounds, further exacerbated their difficulties in acclimatising to the academic and social aspects of medical education.

“One of the main reasons of this alarming data of suicide is a punitive system that discourages them from dropping out of the course, which exerts psychological pressure on budding doctors and force them to commit suicide,” said national chairman of FAIMA doctors’ association, Dr Rohan Krishnan. He further said that in Delhi, there was no uniform bond policy. While the central govt’s medical colleges — Lady Hardinge, Safdarjung and RML hospital — and Delhi govt’s Maulana Azad medical college and UCMS do not have any bonds, Army college and ESI have them.

“In these colleges, if a student wants to leave after admission, they are bound to pay Rs 50 lakh penalty and will not be able to take exams for next three years. The amount of the bond varies from state to state,” he said, adding that there was no way out for such students. This is happening due to policy failure on part of the govt and the commission. The students should get a free exit if they don’t want to continue the course,” Krishnan said.

“The medical education policy requires massive reforms. This should be an important data when NMC inspects the medical college for grant of permission/renewal or seat increment,” said secretary general, IMA Junior Doctors network, Dr Shankul Dwivedi. He added that this data was concerning as it reflected the stressful learning environment and compromised mental health. This was a loss of potential skilled manpower for the country who would have served the country at least for 40 years, Dwivedi said.

According to doctors, addressing these challenges requires a collaborative effort from all stakeholders, including educational institutions, healthcare providers, policymakers, and student organisations. “Together, we must work towards creating a nurturing environment that prioritizes student well-being, fosters resilience, and ensures that no student feels unsupported or alone in their journey through medical education,” said Mathur.