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Being A Medical Doctor Might Not Be The Way Out Of Poverty - Education - Nairaland

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Being A Medical Doctor Might Not Be The Way Out Of Poverty by bbsteve(m): 5:42am On Apr 21, 2018
As shared by a Facebook user, Dr. Chiamaka Ehiedu.


I logged on to facebook to see if she replied the chats I sent her last night but
NO, she didn't. It's obvious she is sad. It's her third year of applying for
Medicine and Surgery and this time, she was offered provisional admission to
study Food Science and Technology. I could guess, she felt her dreams has been
shattered again.
I care for her a lot but I just couldn't find a means to pacify her so I kept my
cool.
I've had the privilege of meeting prospective undergraduates on various occasions
and their clamour for Medicine and Surgery is alarming. Sometimes it's very
difficult to ascertain what fuels their desire.
Why do you want to Study Medicine? Most of them don't seem to have any
answer.
They either grew up in an Igbo family where the parents so much believe that the
way out of poverty and lack is for their ward to become a medical doctor or while
in secondary school, they belonged to a class where 90% of the brilliant ones
kept singing Medicine and because they didn't want to feel less than equal, they
joined the bandwagon.
Every year, thousands of students apply for Medicine, yet, very few get
admitted.
11,130 candidates applied for Medicine and Surgery in UNN alone and not more
than 200 will be admitted.
It's is already clear that more than 10,000 will be denied admission.
Same with other 24 FULLY accredited Medical schools in Nigeria.
Only about 1.6% of people who apply for Medicine in Nigeria get admitted
yearly.
And only 56% of the admitted students end up becoming doctors.
If you successfully scale through the 6years spent in school, getting a placement
for housemanship within the stipulated 2years becomes another bridge to cross. If
you eventually end up not getting a place, you will have to resit your final exams
this time conducted by the Medical body not your school and you will have to pay
plus the high failure rate involved.
Looking at the stress in the journey to becoming a doctor, one should be able to
vow that these guys should be the most successful set of people in the society but
unfortunately, the reality is different.
Failure in Marriage:
Whatever business, ministry or profession that takes a toll on your family life has
made you a failure and that is the predicament of most Doctors. I read an article
where an American Medical Body reacted to a medical divorce research by saying
only 23% of Doctors have a failed marriage as against the 27% earlier proven,
what difference does it make?
I don't have a problem with the statistics because in Nigeria, you will rarely find
any divorce case but I've been to Doctors' houses and to be sincere, their wives
suffer lack of attention and so do their kids. But the Nigerian culture has taught
ladies to tolerate till Jesus comes. In the book 'for men only', 80% of the
women interviewed said they would rather suffer financial insufficiency in their
homes than lack of attention from their spouse.
He goes to work even on Sundays, he never thinks of taking his family on a
vacation, he comes home by 9pm and is so exhausted to chat with his wife and
as he lays to sleep, two hours later, the nurse is on the phone 'Doctor there is
an emergency' and he rushes out by 11pm and that is the profession that
thousands of deceived Nigerian students wants.
Financially:
Doctors are not poor but very few of them are rich. 300k per month, you have
a wife and children, you have house rent to settle and have other family members
who has a perception that you are rich so they make demands on you. I've never
seen a Doctor riding a Range Rover, you only see them on Toyota Camry,
Corolla, Honda and other 1-2million naira cars.
Business:
If they invest in other businesses, maybe things will be better. I was with a
Doctor in the Medical Centre here and he began lamenting that even if he wants
to do anything like business, he won't have time for it and people will end up
taking advantage of him. Moreso, if at the workplace, they realize that you have
investments, you will be denied certain financial privileges.
I am not despising the medical profession, as I can't deny the fact that the
society can't survive without them. I am only worried that an individual spends
7years resitting Jamb simply because he wants to study Medicine.
Come to a gathering and introduce yourself as a medical doctor, nobody will bow
to you, outside the school setting what speaks is your
Success in life not your A in Pathology.
How many less privileged kids have you given a reason to smile by sending them
to school? How many homes have your existence deleted poverty from their
lineage. Therein lies fulfilment.
We need doctors, don't get me wrong but our quest for the medical profession is
not worth it. It has crippled rich minds, buried companies that would have been
providing 10,000 jobs today and hidden business potentials and leadership models
in the chocking atmosphere of the hospital.
So guys, don't feel bad if you not admitted to study Medicine, settle for
anything. It's your imagination in life that counts not your IQ. Make the best
out your life wherever you find yourself.
Copied from Leo pantra.

Re: Being A Medical Doctor Might Not Be The Way Out Of Poverty by bbsteve(m): 5:42am On Apr 21, 2018
Okay what's your take on this guys
Re: Being A Medical Doctor Might Not Be The Way Out Of Poverty by jaychubi: 7:12am On Apr 21, 2018
Parents are to be blamed

Any brilliant child must study medicine whether he likes it or not and that is the mentality.

They believe dt medicine is the most important course in d University and guarantees self employment n anyone dt studies medicine will be very rich and honoured in the society.

Doctors are actually comfortable I am yet to see an unemployed medical doctor or one riding a taxi to survive. No doctor earns below 50k while most graduates will kill to earn 20k at start out including lawyers

Somehow at d beginning doctors in Nigeria are treated ahead of other courses take for example how much they receive during nysc.

By and large those who want to study medicine for d passion and honor shld go ahead.

Less than 0.0001% of doctors are rich, infact it's easier to be rich as a lawyer/ business man than a doctor. I am not sure there is any doctor in Nigeria worth 100 million naira without engaging in other things but there are 1000s of lawyers worth 200 million gotten from legal practice in Nigeria

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