Page 1 of 1: Why you shoudn't opt for MD (Community Medicine or PSM)

frustrated_MD_PSM · Credits: 461 My Scrapbook

Hi All,
This is for your information.
Fresh medical graduates have no (or wrong ideas) about the career in PSM or Community Medicine. There are many myths associated with PSM .
I shall try to burst some myths with my vast experienc in PSM .
So, why you should never opt for MD (PSM ):
1) Jobs at WHO or any development agencies or NGOs are very less, these jobs are primarily for Social sciences grads and post graduates. They will be preferred. Even if you gets a job there, you will be like round pegs in square hole.
2) People says that there is less competition, they forget there are lesser oppurtunities or jobs.
3) You are neither a medical professional nor a management guru, though you consider yourself both. People see you as good for nothing
4) In the medical college where you do your PG, fellow PG students will ridicule you as you dont have anything to do. THEY ARE TRUE. MD PSM DOESNT DO ANYTHING.
5)There are many clinical seats available now, study hard and do a clinical dergree or diploma or DNB in clinical disciplines.
6) If you dont get through in first attempt, try and try, but please dont take any branch in haste.
7)You can do community service or join WHO or UNICEF after doing any clinical degree, you will be preferred.

shuvo · Credits: 4595 My Scrapbook My Reading List 11 Books

I am grossly disagreed with you. I agree that there are not plentiful job opportinities...but there are ample opportunities for the individuals who really want to excel in this area and equip him with the necessary skills required. Like any other field, dont expect that ur first job will be a cosy one ( like in PSM the job of WHO, UNICEF etc)...it needs progression step by step...from small to bigger...from national to international...and learning from the environment at every step. If by chance somebody finds himself as square peg in the round hole then its not the end...he has to adapt in terms of necessary skill and attitude if he lacked those in the first place. Being a medical background one shud easily edge out the people from social science background in the area of PSM ( Because a doctor already know something about PSM )....I grossly disagree that PSM jobs are for the social science people......in health and nutrition programmes doctors dominate be it national or international...be it programmatic or research organization. This days concept of PSM has changed a lot...we need to think ourself as a development professional.....and shud develop our attitude and skills to that direction. e.g. I understand clinical stages of HIV/AIDS...I understand how to identify and intervene this problem....need to know interpretation of research data...I need to know how to involve community about this...need to know how to deal with partners/aid agencies/government....I shud equip me with this specific skills.

I completely disagree that my clinical peers are laughin at me....instead so far I got just the opposite impression.

My message is if u really want it....u can make it big....u just need to prove that u are worthful.

aap · Credits: 2289 My Scrapbook

WELL SAID SHUVO.
I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH U , it cant be rosy from day one in any branch of medicine,u have to learn at each and every step.

shuvo · Credits: 4595 My Scrapbook My Reading List 11 Books

thanks aap. In PSM one can have niche in different areas.....one single area (PSM research) could take someone to the sky as the limit....for which someone has to be genuinely skillful in that area and it takes very hard work to get there ( Mastering in research is one of the toughest propositions to undertake unlike many doctors think it to be a peanut !...that is the sheer ignorance on their part)...bottomline is prove yourself resourceful, jobs will be after you.

tanzi · Credits: 136 My Scrapbook

hi doc,
i am an internee,osmania medical college,hyderabad,ap,india. i hav a long dream in doining research in nutrition. i am service oriented and much determined to improve the nutritional status of poor children of our developing nations. please guide me sir. thanks

shuvo · Credits: 4595 My Scrapbook My Reading List 11 Books

Dear tanzi,

Its great to know your interest on nutrition. You are one of the very very few people who expressed their desire to know about nutrition. You got the most important element...the dream, without it one never can reach the goal....Ok u should do a post graduate level degree with major in nutrition...it could be an MPH or equivalent qualification. A foreign qualification might be extremely valuable.Learn about basic nutrition, public health problems of nutrition & their management, research methodology, Biostatistics and epidemiology, data handling & analysis using statistical software.....learn these subjects very well....You should work in organizations doing community nutrition operation and/or research....involve in field level project work and/or research ( nutrition survey, project implementation etc).......these are the specific things....and religious practice of these "do's" will push you forward......But it may not be like such straightforward proposition...doing research with free living human being is always very difficult as hundreds of confounders(in research context)constraints ( in operational context) will frustrate u everytime & indeed improving nutritional status of the developing world remains the toughest public health challenge to date.....but its always refreshening to have dreamers like u...with combination of right strategy, its certain to go a long way......keep dreaming & going

All the best

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