{"id":1714,"date":"2025-06-16T04:28:16","date_gmt":"2025-06-16T09:58:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.coveryou.in\/blog\/?p=1714"},"modified":"2025-06-16T04:28:16","modified_gmt":"2025-06-16T09:58:16","slug":"why-doctor-burnout-in-india-is-getting-worse","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.coveryou.in\/blog\/why-doctor-burnout-in-india-is-getting-worse\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Doctor Burnout in India Is Getting Worse"},"content":{"rendered":"

Doctor burnout in India is not just a growing problem; it\u2019s a quiet crisis reshaping the very soul of the medical profession. No one understands this better than <\/span>Dr. Sneh Bhargava, India\u2019s first woman radiologist and former director of AIIMS,<\/b> who, in her 95th year, reflects on how the noble calling of medicine is becoming an exhausting profession where purpose is fading and profit is rising.<\/span><\/p>\n

In her recently released memoir, The Woman Who Ran AIIMS, Dr. Bhargava opens a window into the unseen lives of young doctors, overworked and often emotionally numb. Her story is not just about one remarkable woman but about the thousands of doctors walking hospital corridors today, carrying stress on their shoulders and ideals in their hearts.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Making of a Doctor: More Than a Decade of Sacrifice<\/b><\/h3>\n

Becoming a doctor in India is not just a degree; it\u2019s a marathon. The journey spans nearly 11 years, five in medical college, one year of internship (half of which must be spent in rural healthcare), and three more in residency. For those pursuing specialization, the path stretches even longer.<\/span><\/p>\n

Many students enter this field wanting to \u201cserve the nation,\u201d but by the end, the brutal grind of education often leaves them physically and emotionally drained. As Dr. Bhargava notes, \u201cI saw many struggling to cope… It\u2019s a long haul.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Inside the Walls of AIIMS: A Day That Never Ends<\/b><\/h4>\n

A day in the life of a resident doctor at AIIMS begins early OPD by 9 AM and barely ends by 10 or 11 PM. No time for lunch, designated rest areas, and no pause to breathe. Just one patient after another, files to update, cases to analyze, and surgeries to prep.<\/span><\/p>\n

Under this pressure, even the most well-intentioned doctors can falter. When queues grow, some skip proper patient history-taking and rely instead on lab tests and scans. This doesn\u2019t just add to the radiologist\u2019s burden, it leads to blind decision-making. Dr. Bhargava describes this as \u201cworking in the dark,\u201d a damning reflection of how stress compromises care.<\/span><\/p>\n

Where Did the GP Go? And Why It Matters<\/b><\/h4>\n

In India\u2019s ideal healthcare model, a general practitioner (GP) would be the first point of contact. A GP treats the person, not just the symptom. But in today\u2019s system, patients rush directly to specialists, often misidentifying their condition and spiraling into expensive, fragmented care.<\/span><\/p>\n

Dr. Bhargava recalls an example: a single chest X-ray showing a nodule. A surgeon, a physician, and a cardiologist each gave different diagnoses. Only a GP could step back and look at the full picture. We\u2019ve glorified specialists, but in the process, we\u2019ve killed the GP system, and with it, the possibility of holistic and affordable care.<\/span><\/p>\n

From Calling to Career: The Moral Cost of Burnout<\/b><\/h4>\n

Dr. Bhargava writes about the painful transition of medicine from a vocation to a career. Today, young doctors are more likely to say, \u201cI want to make money like my uncle, the surgeon,\u201d than \u201cI want to serve.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

She doesn\u2019t blame them entirely. Long shifts, mental exhaustion, and lack of institutional support have taken their toll. What once felt like service has become survival. This shift has also led to a culture of referrals and kickbacks, where patient trust is often a casualty. The very act of healing has been commodified.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Emotional Deficit: Machines Can\u2019t Feel<\/b><\/h4>\n

India\u2019s hospitals may now be full of high-end scanners, robotic surgeries, and digital records, but where is the emotional intelligence?<\/span><\/p>\n

Doctors are trained to be clinical, but as Dr. Bhargava reminds us, empathy is not weakness; it\u2019s essential. The moment we strip patients of their clothes and identities, we must remember their humanity. Many doctors forget that. \u201cThe system,\u201d she writes, \u201chas become technologically proficient but emotionally deficient.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

A Lifetime of Leadership: Dr. Bhargava\u2019s Legacy<\/b><\/h4>\n

Dr. Sneh Bhargava broke barriers that few dared touch. She wasn\u2019t just India\u2019s first female radiologist but shaped the future of radiology education, advocated for cutting-edge diagnostic tools, and mentored generations of doctors.<\/span><\/p>\n

Dr. Bhargava was appointed as the director of AIIMS by Indira Gandhi, a bold move in a time when many believed \u201ca woman couldn\u2019t possibly handle the job.\u201d She proved them wrong, not just through competence but through an unshakable ethical compass.<\/span><\/p>\n

From pioneering subspecialties like neuroradiology and pediatric radiology to helping establish<\/span> The National Medical Journal of India,<\/b> her legacy is not just in textbooks; it lives on in every doctor she inspired.<\/span><\/p>\n

What Can Be Done: Healing the Healthcare Professionals<\/b><\/h4>\n

Dr. Bhargava\u2019s reflections are not just nostalgic; they\u2019re instructive. If we are to fix doctor burnout in India, we must:<\/span><\/p>\n

1: <\/b>Limit overwork by enforcing real shift hours<\/span><\/p>\n

2: <\/b>Rebuild the GP system to ease specialist overload<\/span><\/p>\n

3:<\/b> Prioritize empathy and ethics in medical training<\/span><\/p>\n

4:<\/b> Support Ayurveda and traditional medicine, not with blind belief but through scientific research<\/span><\/p>\n

We must stop asking doctors to carry the burden of a broken system alone.<\/span><\/p>\n

Returning to the Heart of Saving Lives<\/b><\/h4>\n

Dr. Bhargava\u2019s life reminds us that good medicine is not just about machines, degrees, or surgeries; it\u2019s about humanity.<\/span><\/p>\n

She tells of surgeons who prayed not for themselves but for the life on their operating table. Of doctors who saw each patient as a story, not a statistic. That\u2019s what healing looks like. That\u2019s what needs to be returned.<\/span><\/p>\n

As Hippocrates said, \u201cWherever the art of medicine is loved, there is also love of humanity.\u201d May that love guide us again.<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

Source:<\/b><\/h5>\n

https:\/\/www.hindustantimes.com\/cities\/delhi-news\/the-woman-who-ran-delhi-aiims-from-the-memoirs-of-institute-s-1st-woman-chief-101747938266877.html<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/a>https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/long-reads\/sneh-bhargava-95-only-woman-director-of-aiims-owns-many-medical-firsts-plus-a-glimpse-roger-moore-10042843\/<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Doctor burnout in India is not just a growing problem; it\u2019s a quiet crisis reshaping the very soul of the medical profession. No one understands this better than Dr. Sneh Bhargava, India\u2019s first woman radiologist and former director of AIIMS, who, in her 95th year, reflects on how the noble calling of medicine is becoming […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1715,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[3],"tags":[16,399],"yoast_head":"\nWhy Doctor Burnout in India Is Getting Worse<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Doctor burnout in India is not just a growing problem; it\u2019s a quiet crisis reshaping the very soul of the medical profession.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.coveryou.in\/blog\/why-doctor-burnout-in-india-is-getting-worse\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Why Doctor Burnout in India Is Getting Worse\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Doctor burnout in India is not just a growing problem; 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