A general belief among people is that bagging an MBBS seat is tough. But what’s tougher is to pursue postgraduation (MD or MS) or a super speciality course.

Apart from the intense competition, medicos have to find time between 36 and 40-hour shifts or take a break to prepare for the entrance tests to get seats for super speciality (DM or MCH) courses.

Changing preferences

The current PG students, senior doctors and those pursuing super speciality courses who topped the exams, recalled how they prepared for the tests, why doctors prefer a super speciality course, and a change in people’s preferences.

In the earlier times, a student was content with starting his/her medical practice after completing the MBBS. People too used to approach a general or family physician when they faced any health issue. However, they now prefer to consult a super specialist, the medical students said.

“If a person suffers from chest pain, he/she wants to meet a cardiologist and not a general physician. Even a postgraduation (PG) degree does not guarantee us that we will be consulted by people or chosen by corporate hospitals. Now, super speciality degree has become a norm,” said Mohammad Jahangir, a member of the Telangana Junior Doctors’ Association.

Corroborating his opinion, K. Gautam, a final-year MCH cardiothoracic surgery student at Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS), said the present situation was compelling medical students to pursue speciality or super speciality courses. “If there is demand for general or family physician, why would we spend the prime of our youth in pursuing higher studies?”questioned Dr. Gautam.

With more medicos opting for super speciality courses, the competition for even a few seats has intensified.

While the MBBS course lasts for five and a half years, the PG medical course is for three years and a super speciality course takes another three years.

All together, students have to study medicine for about 11 years.

If a medical student takes a break in between to prepare for entrance tests, it gets longer.

A great sacrifice

To pursue a PG course, a medical student has to work for 36 or more hours at a stretch and get back to work after a break of about 18 hours. They either study between shifts or take a break after the completion of PG course to prepare for the entrance tests.

C.H. Madhusudhan, head of Surgical Gastroenterology Department at Osmania General Hospital who topped the entrance test for AIIMS MCH Surgical Gastroenterology course in 2004, said his shifts used to last for 36 hours or more while he was pursuing PG.

Entrance tests

“I used to study for 10 hours or whenever I had time in between my shifts. During a month before the exams, I had completely forgotten the outside world and prepared for the entrance tests without taking a break. On some occasions, I used to study continuously for an entire day,” said Dr. Madhusudhan. Dr. Gautam said whenever he had time in between shifts, he used to go to a coaching centre and used mobile apps for preparation. However, PG students said not everyone has the aptitude to prepare for the entrance while pursuing PG and working for long hours, and that many take a break after the PG to prepare for the entrance tests.

While coaching centres for super speciality courses were unheard of earlier, they are now becoming popular among students.