Doctor says he made Rs 9,000 per month 16 years after joining MBBS; post goes viral

A neurologist with Apollo Hospitals in Hyderabad took to social media to reveal that he was earning a measly Rs 9,000 per month, years after joining MBBS. His post has now gone viral, and has left Twitterati in disbelief. The doctor was also an ex-faculty member of CMC Vellore. 

“I was also a young practitioner 20 yrs back. My salary 4 yrs after DM Neurology (2004) was Rs 9000/month. This was 16 yrs after joining MBBS. At CMC Vellore, by observing my professors, I realized that doctor's life should be frugal & learnt to live with bare minimum (sic),” said Dr Sudhir Kumar. 

When asked why he continued to work for so less, the neurologist said that he enjoyed working at CMC Vellore. “Patients travelled all the way from Bengal, Bihar & North East to get better treatment at Vellore and it was satisfying to take care of them,” he said. 

To put the entire conversation in context, we will have to take you to the first tweet on April 3, where Dr Sudhir Kumar put a rather innocuous post on investments. In that tweet, that started the discussion, Dr Kumar listed his favourite shares including Tata Power, Vedanta, UPL, Tata Steel and HDFC Life. He then asked his followers to list their recommendations.  

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A user replied to the tweet, asking the doctor to leave investments to experts. The neurologist said that he earns more from his investments in equity than his medical practice, and questioned the rationale behind the user’s question. 

The discussion then moved to better pay for doctors, and Dr Kumar said politicians, public and judiciary believe that medical practice is charity, and the Right to Health bill that is being widely opposed in Rajasthan, is a step towards that belief. “So, we can demand better pay for doctors, but it is unlikely to materialize. Treat medical practice as social service to feel good,” he said. 

Yet another user commented on that and said that it is not easy for a young medical practitioner to make ends meet, leave social service, to which the neurologist revealed that he used to earn Rs 9,000 four years after DM Neurology. 

While a user commended the doctor for his service, one pointed out that a price can’t be put on healthcare but healthcare costs have gone through the roof in recent times. 

The Right to Health Bill, mentioned by the doctor, proposes the right to emergency treatment and care without prepayment at any "public health institution, healthcare establishment and designated healthcare centre".

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Also read: Right to Health Bill: Rajasthan govt, protesting doctors reach consensus; protests to be called off