MBBS students in Chennai who were considering pursuing their postgraduate studies in the United States now have second thoughts.
The Union government's announcement that students who plan to study in the U.S. will have to sign a bond assuring the government that they would return home for practising immediately after completing their studies has put them in dilemma.
Students preparing for the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) — which qualifies them for postgraduation — have started looking at higher study options within India. The very procedure to appear for the examination consumes a lot of money and time, they say.
Manish Choudhary who qualified from the Kilpauk Medical College this year, plans to study in India, given the time and expenses involved in pursuing a U.S. course.
Students say they spend a lot while staying in the U.S. to write examinations and waiting for a call from a university.
“They need to work there for some time to recoup the money spent during this waiting period,” says V. Sivaprakash, a former student of Madras Medical College.
Raghavan (name changed), who has cleared the USMLE and has been admitted to a university in New York, hopes that the bond would be withdrawn, in the coming years.
“I have already put in a lot of effort and money to qualify. I plan to get a fellowship after I complete my postgraduation. In case, I do not qualify immediately for the fellowship, I would have to come back to India and work here,” he says.
Most doctors invest at least Rs. 5 lakh to write the examination and to attend interviews.
Students feel that if the government wants them to return to India they can give a timeframe within which they can work in the U.S. and come back after that. Most students write the first two parts of the examination during their undergraduate studies. The third and fourth part has to be written in the U.S. After qualifying in the examinations, students are required to apply and attend interviews of various universities.
“Forcing students to return immediately after completion of the course is unfair,” says Maria Sudison, president, Tamil Nadu Non-service PG students association. Also students with a postgraduate degree in the U.S. are only qualified to work in corporate hospitals here.
“Getting admissions in the non-service category in India is extremely competitive,” he adds.
While the reason for introducing the bond is considered brain drain of doctors who study in the country, professionals feel the need to bridge the gap between the education system in the U.S. and the work environment in India.
Often a large number of tests and investigations are done in the U.S. Students who study there find it difficult to come back and merge into the Indian medical system immediately, according to faculty members.
Officials however feel that there should be more clarity on the details of the bond.
“There is no information on how the bond conditions will be implemented. How will it be issued and how will students be tracked? How can the students be deported?” asks K. Ananda Kannan, regional inspector, Medical Council of India, raising doubts on whether this clause would be put into practice.
