'Mental peace, job security': Why Indian medics are avoiding super-specialties
More Indian medical grads are picking specialties that let them have a life outside work, even if it means skipping the "big name" fields.
This shift is showing up in counseling sessions, with many saying they want mental peace, job security, and less stress.
The intense CBME system, among other factors, has contributed to this trend.
Shift in focus
A lot of these grads come from stable backgrounds and just aren't interested in high-pressure super-specialties anymore.
The new medical education rules have made things tougher and less flexible.
Plus, with corporate hospitals limiting independence, working in government jobs feels less appealing too.
Impact on patients
Super-specialty fields are running short on new specialists—Tamil Nadu even saw half its super-specialty seats go empty recently.
That means more patients might end up at pricey private hospitals, deepening healthcare gaps.
Need for change
Experts say it's time for better pay, manageable workloads, and real career growth for public-sector specialists.
Without these changes, affordable quality care could slip further out of reach for many people.