the ugly duckling

In childhood we have heard of the story of the ugly duckling . He was ugly compared to its siblings who were all ducklings . All his siblings and others used to make fun of it because it was not as pretty as its brothers . One fine day to everyones astonishment that ugly duckling developed into a beautiful swan much prettier than any of its duck siblings  . 

Whenever i see a newly graduate doctor just out of MBBS /BDS  i think about this story  .  Due to many reasons it takes a while for a new MBBS to take a postgraduation and become a doctor . In a way it is essential because compared to other professions this profession is dealing with life and death and a long study period is essential in the best interests of the soceity .  Most of the young doctors are prepared for a long study  also . But what they are not prepared is the hypocritic attitude of the soceity at that stage of their immediate post MBBS period . Instead of getting the respect they deserve in just passing out of a noble profession they are often commented as "just MBBS "  and " how many years more to go  in PG  etc  "  knowing fully well that these comments were not positive comments for a fresh graduate who has passed out of a course who they (the graduate ) feels is great both for them  and the soceity  . 

When i was going through this period i remember these comments and also how many used to compare the earning potential of a doctor in that period comparing with other professions . In that time a fresh graduate of MBBS used to get 5000 rs while in other professions starting salaries was double that amount  .  Hardly i heard about the true value of the profession and most of the people were busy comparing the salaries etc as if that was the only thing that mattered .

Fast forward a few years .  Earning a handsome salary in six figures  i still remember at least two episodes were the same people who were passing these comments and discouraging me came asking for amounts as small as a few hundred rupees as debt to me  .  Not only that most wanted my opinion on their pressing health needs and amazingly was so much looking upto me that i wondered if it were the same people who  called me the "ugly duckling "  . 

Why i am  writing this today because today over lunch a father was telling about his dentist  son who was still doing his dental course  .  He was  telling  that he was not earning money while his friends were employed in bank .  Of course salaries in bank is good but  nowhere does it compare to the income of a dentist especially these days a few years into the profession . And the vital point missed by the father ( a typical representative of the soceity )  is nobody thanks a banker with his heart  and the unique satisfaction in the helping professions is difficult to achieve in other professions .  How many times you say a heartfelt thanks to a cashier in the bank who dispenses money  ? 

Sometime back i had blogged about a Dr X  who used to be so corrupt and earned and still earns millions of rupees without any remorse  . (  Not me , of course  .. Im not a corrupt fellow )  . I am against him but  sometimes i think arent we ourselves as a soceity partly responsible for creating these Dr X s  who value money more than anything else . Isnt it true that some individuals who come out bright and young and seeing soceities unfair comparisons and moneymindedness becomes the ultimate moneyminded people who gives back to the soceity in the same coin  ...Point to ponder  ...

Luckily  like me , this dentist son has got an internal value system so he wont become a corrupt Doctor  . But  i am worried about the others . So next time when you see a fresh MBBS/BDS ask a medical question . Money questions and salary comparisons ask the banker