Doctors across the world wear the same white coat, take the same oath, and treat the same diseases yet their professional lives can look drastically different. While physicians in countries like the United States enjoy structured schedules, better pay, and strong institutional support, doctors in India continue to struggle with long hours, low compensation, and limited safeguards.
India’s healthcare system depends heavily on its medical workforce, yet ironically, it is the same system that pushes them towards burnout.
The Long and Exhausting Journey to Becoming a Doctor in India
The road to becoming a doctor in India is grueling. An aspiring physician spends nearly 9–10 years completing:
• MBBS (5.5 years)
• MD/MS or postgraduate training (3+ years)
Despite this decade-long struggle, the rewards remain modest.
Income Reality
• A young MBBS doctor earns Rs 50,000 to Rs 60,000 per month.
• An MD specialist may take home Rs 1.5 lakh per month.
These numbers haven't improved much over the years even as inflation, workload, and expectations continue to rise.
⚠️ Extreme Work Hours, Chronic Stress, and Mental Exhaustion
Trainee doctors, especially those in postgraduate programs, often work 36–50 hours at a stretch. Government hospitals are understaffed and lack adequate equipment, leaving doctors physically drained and mentally exhausted.
A 2025 report by Knya revealed:
• 80% of doctors in India experience mental or emotional fatigue
• Female doctors report even higher burnout levels
💔 The Human Cost Behind the Statistics
These numbers translate into real tragedies.
• Dr. Gradlin Roy, a consultant cardiac surgeon in Chennai, died during hospital rounds due to a heart attack triggered by chronic stress, long hours, and a non-existent work–life balance.
• Dr. Adil Amin, another young doctor, collapsed during duty in Delhi and lost his life.
These doctors weren’t victims of disease they were casualties of a system that demands too much and gives too little.
For many Indian doctors, exhaustion isn’t a feeling it’s a lifestyle.
🌍 Looking Westward: A Stark Comparison
In the United States:
• A general practitioner earns around $200,000 annually
• After taxes and expenses, they save roughly $70,000 per year
• That equals Rs 24–25 lakh per month in Indian terms
More importantly, they work in a system with:
• Adequate staff
• Modern infrastructure
• Clear protocols
• Predictable work hours
The US healthcare system has its flaws, but it allows doctors to live like humans, not machines in scrubs.
🪙 The Money Misconception: Why Indian Doctors Can’t Ask for Fair Pay
When Indian doctors raise consultation fees, they’re often accused of “forgetting the nobility of medicine."
• Average consultation cost in India: Rs 300 for 10–15 minutes
• Patients expect more time but are unwilling to pay more
• Other professions receive routine hikes, bonuses, and benefits
• Doctors, however, are labeled as “greedy”
This mindset has turned the word nobility into a weapon used to justify overwork and underpayment.
Corporate hospitals worsen the problem by profiting from doctors’ expertise while sharing very little of the revenue. Institutions thrive but the professionals holding them up struggle to survive.
🔥 A Broken System, Not Broken Doctors.
India produces thousands of new medical graduates every year, yet:
• Working conditions remain stagnant
• Pay remains low
• Competition for limited opportunities increases
• Institutional support remains minimal
There’s a misconception that “India has enough doctors.”
But in reality, India has:
✔️ An oversupply of overworked, underpaid medical professionals.
❌ Not enough protected jobs, infrastructure, or supportive policies.
💬 Medicine Is a Calling But It Should Not Be a Punishment
Doctors are human beings before they are healers. They deserve:
• Rest
• Respect
• Fair wages
• A sustainable lifestyle
Burnout is not a sign of weakness it is a sign of a system that is failing its own healers.
🛣️ The Road Ahead: Healing India’s Healers
If India dreams of building a stronger healthcare system, it must begin by healing its own medical workforce.
We cannot expect compassionate care from exhausted minds and sleepless bodies.
We cannot call medicine a “noble profession” while treating doctors as expendable resources.
The health of a nation ultimately depends on the health of those who serve it.
Only when doctors are valued, supported, and fairly compensated can the “noble profession” truly live up to its name.
Author Note
(The original writer is Dr. Pal Manickam a gastroenterologist practising in India and the US, a gut health and holistic wellness expert, and a 'social docfluencer')
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