Imagine the medical system devoid of scientists and microbiologists

Every one in India these days are highly concerned about the way the medical profession is happening and shaping. Just with MBBS degree and or with some specialization the doctors start their practice. Thanks to microbiologists and scientists in the world who have already defined several diseases, etiology, mechanism of pathogenesis, diagnostic procedures and other aspects along with discovery of drugs, elucidation of safety of the drugs and their limitations, dosage, delivery mechanism, mechanism of action, tachyphylaxis, pharmacokinetic details etc., the modern day doctors proves a lot to our society that they are doctors.

Modern physics and other branches of science have brought out several advanced technologies to read the performances and functioning of virtually every organ in the human body except mind, our modern doctors make merry out of all such inventions. The purpose of this article is not meant to demean the modern doctors or prove they are lesser gods than scientists. An overhaul and reform at 360 degrees are must in our medical education.

If we do a nationwide survey to understand the real experience and intelligence our doctors in diagnosing various diseases accurately purely based on the symptomatic descriptions alone and how accurate shall such diagnosis vis-à-vis non-subjective methods, the fact may not just surprise us but can sometimes even shock our nation. Thanks to drugs, ‘the black hole’ in our present health care system is neither visible not are getting dilated. Unfortunately, a majority of people treat the doctor as God and if not near to God is also limiting the urge of our doctors to be more knowledge centric.

The acetaminophen is one of the most commonly used drugs and is effective for mild pain, fever, and inflammatory responses. Similarly, the antihistaminic drugs in a broader sense would contain most of the allergic reactions. Antibiotics on the other hand, even if they are not that effective, but still would give some small relief to the patient as soon as they are taken. It means a simple drug cocktail is sufficient to manage the general health problems of the patient and expertise in the diagnosis of the disease can sidestep. This is how the present day general medical practice is happening in our country to a larger extent.

Government is proposing to bring an exit exam to all the medical professionals. The exit exam must be conducted by the experts from US or UK so that the real merit of the doctors in diagnosing the diseases can be established and achieved. Such absoluteness in necessary for the doctors to enter into the medical profession. Time has come we must educate our poor fellow being that they should not treat doctors are God simply because they do not have medical/drug knowledge. Instead, they must increase their health awareness and must be vigilant.

Imagine what would have been the advancement of medical science without scientists and medical microbiologists. For example, the diseases like malaria, Dengue etc., are well documented even in prehistoric scripts. Virtually no effective drugs or well-qualified doctors were available during those antique days. Several patients would have died of several diseases and several others would have survived may be due to the blessings of God or Satan. Subsequently, several concoctions have been attempted to treat the diseases owing to the origin of some of the diseases partly due to miasma.

Scientists and medical microbiologists have started to unravel the mystery behind several diseases and have started to develop drugs. Medical microbiologists did not stop their quest, but pursued further to understand how the pathogens spread, who is its reservoir, is there any vector or ‘middleman’ who brokerage the disease etc.

Today we have conclusively established the role to mosquito vector in spreading some of these deadly diseases. Imagine if these scientific truths were not unraveled by scientists and medical microbiologists, can we treat these diseases just with drugs and can the so-called medical professionals owe a lot to their profession?

In medical science, doctors play only a very small role and if we need to assess statistically to quantify the role, the value in arithmetic term would be just 10%. Rest is done by scientists and medical microbiologists.

Most of the advanced countries support both medical research and medical profession equally. But in India, medical research is lagging way behind. In fact, we have made the medical research as ‘wagging goat’s tail’ to the medical profession. Even the importance of diagnosis itself appears Cinderella in our healthcare practice. Astonishingly most of the modern day doctors are capable of diagnosing the disease only with high-tech instruments.

India must foment medical education with greater science and medical microbiology. The MBBS doctors should be allowed to practice medicine only after a minimum period of 3-5 years of medical assistance ship in hospitals/clinics and the service norms should be limited to general health care and positive healing for MBBS graduates.

The NEW INDIA need more medical knowledge and not more doctors, knowledge about diseases and regular mapping of pathogens etc., are mandatory.

Instead, if we let our doctors feel great after MBBS graduation, definitely that will not make our nation feel great in long run.

Dr S Ranganathan