Corruption extends to medical studies in India
During his stay in India, Dr Berger also noted that medical students have to pay very large “donations” (perhaps US$200 000 or more, some 20 times the average doctor’s annual salary) to get into the “rapidly increasing number of private medical colleges” and to get on to sought after postgraduate training schemes.
This means that Indian doctors can have high levels of debt or family obligation when qualifying, which is a strong incentive against working as generalists in rural areas and favours them practising technological medicine for maximum profit in urban areas to try to recoup their investment.
Dr Berger also warned about other countries taking in doctors trained in India lacking in ethics:
http://www.tremeritus.com/2014/07/11/worries-abound-as-corrupt-indian-docs-practise-outside-india/
Given that Singapore is also importing large number of doctors trained in India to work in Singapore’s healthcare institutions, it’s not known how many (if any) are similarly lacking in ethics or competency. Singapore Medical Council (SMC) should take note of Dr Berger’s article published in the prestigious British Medical Journal.
If even one Singaporean died due to the incompetency of a doctor poorly trained in India as described by Dr Berger, but was admitted by SMC nonetheless, then SMC should also be held accountable.
During his stay in India, Dr Berger also noted that medical students have to pay very large “donations” (perhaps US$200 000 or more, some 20 times the average doctor’s annual salary) to get into the “rapidly increasing number of private medical colleges” and to get on to sought after postgraduate training schemes.
This means that Indian doctors can have high levels of debt or family obligation when qualifying, which is a strong incentive against working as generalists in rural areas and favours them practising technological medicine for maximum profit in urban areas to try to recoup their investment.
Dr Berger also warned about other countries taking in doctors trained in India lacking in ethics:
http://www.tremeritus.com/2014/07/11/worries-abound-as-corrupt-indian-docs-practise-outside-india/
Given that Singapore is also importing large number of doctors trained in India to work in Singapore’s healthcare institutions, it’s not known how many (if any) are similarly lacking in ethics or competency. Singapore Medical Council (SMC) should take note of Dr Berger’s article published in the prestigious British Medical Journal.
If even one Singaporean died due to the incompetency of a doctor poorly trained in India as described by Dr Berger, but was admitted by SMC nonetheless, then SMC should also be held accountable.