Interns’ Strike 2018 : Why I deserve more than 6k.

Who am I?

I am a medical intern. After clearing one of the toughest entrance exams in the country (NEET UG), I got into medical school.

While my colleagues in other fields graduated and started getting “on campus” placements, I was in the library, trying to decode diseases. Trying to understand the human body, so that some day my knowledge will help save someone’s life, or in the very least, bring a smile on someone’s face. But I didn’t mind that. I loved this subject and learning about medicine gave me joy.

So, after going through 4.5 years of medical school, constantly studying and giving exams, I was told that I can now prefix my name with ‘Dr.’ – a milestone that every medical student dreams about. Excited, I put up my Facebook status telling the world that I too have completed my formal classroom and clinic teaching.

It was time to start my internship. Something all my friends from other streams did in their summer vacation. I was fascinated by the work experience and the pay they got during their internship.

That’s the basic background on how I came to be a medical intern.

How much am I paid currently?

Rs. 6,000 a month. (Yes! you heard that right. Rs. 6,000)

How much do interns in other states get paid?

This number varies as per the state. For example, Assam Rs. 20,000, Bihar Rs. 15,000, etc. The stipend in Maharashtra is the lowest in the country. Since the Maharashtra Government loves to maintain its position at the extremes, we are charged the highest fees during our MBBS – Rs. 78,000.

Why does the government charge us the highest fees and pay us the lowest stipend?

What happens to the Rs. 6,000 (minus administrative fees)?

For convenience sake, let’s take a round figure of Rs. 6,000/month, that’s Rs. 200 a day (around $3) slightly above the international poverty line $1.90/day. YAY!)

I am supposed to manage expenses for food (x3 meals), travel and accommodation. Just the basic requirements, that are barely fulfilled. Not to mention I am also a 21^st century millennial who likes to eat out occasionally, go out with friends, etc. ( but who cares right?)

Belonging to a middle-class family, my parents can afford to pay for these miscellaneous expenses. But what about those who cannot? And even if they can, everyone has the hope that someday they will earn and be able to support themselves (maybe even save a little?).

One of the reasons why we never learn about saving and investing (essential skills these days) as medical students –

We barely have enough to spend for our daily needs, forget saving!

Let’s get a better understanding of the Life of an MBBS Intern.

What work do I do?

Internship is supposed to be a “learning experience”. The time when you learn to practically apply the knowledge you have amassed over the years. But, our internship is nothing like that!

What internship actually teaches you

Collect blood
Insert IV lines/ Catheters
Fill out forms and trace reports
Follow orders
Follow more orders
Do not question, do not think, just do what you are told to do!

Where’s the learning and experience in this? By the end of internship I am just an over qualified phlebotomist/ nurse who knows how to follow orders. I cannot treat a patient independently with confidence by the end of internship.

What was the point of learning the science when I can’t practice the art?

My work hours?

My average work week is 6 hours a day for 5 days and one day emergency duty of 24 hours.

That means a 54 hour work week (Something that is nearly always exceeded. ATLEAST 60 hours to tell you the truth).

My working conditions

Since patient care will suffer (and I won’t get internship completion) I continue to do the menial jobs I am forced to do.

Because collecting blood is 90% of my work, I am constantly exposed to the threat of acquiring infections.

Combine stress, burnout, lack of sleep and countless patients piling up- we have for ourselves the perfect recipe for “a needle stick injury”. That means sometimes having to take HIV medicines for a month. Ask someone who has taken these medications. They make you really sick, nauseous, sometimes even worse. And do I get any compensation? NO! I still show up for work.

TB is a huge problem facing this country. Yes! I am exposed to it daily. Not only TB, my entire work environment is a bio hazard. There is disease all around me. Talk about high risk environments.

Add to that, I am constantly under the threat of being beaten up while doing my job.

But I am a doctor and I am supposed to deal with that. Right?

Even after working so much, do we have the rest of the time for ourselves?

Apart from managing all the workload and frustration that internship is, we somehow must find time to study during the rest of the day (or night). If you thought that NEET (UG) was one of the toughest exams, we must now prepare for something way tougher. Don’t even get me started on how we prepare for 19 subjects for our postgraduate entrance!

To summarise

I am a medical intern
I work for 60hrs a week on an average
I do all the ground level work.
Although there is a structured program for interns it is not being implemented.
I work in a high-risk environment and am exposed to life threatening diseases daily.
I am paid less.

If our law states the minimum wages for skilled labour is Rs. 24,000, why are we paid one fourth? Are we not skilled enough?

What am I asking for?

Short Term

Increase in the stipend

Long term

A structured teaching program (that is actually implemented)
Fixed work hours
Better working conditions

If someone still feels our stipend should not be increased, I have just one question to ask you.

“Would you do it?”

Yours sincerely,

Intern (M.B.B.S)

P.S Doesn’t matter who I am. If this resonates with you too, share it and let the world know your story.

Interns (Fight for your present)

MBBS Students (Fight now for a better future)

Residents (Fight for your past)

Share the article with the #InternsUnited. Tag our Honorable Chief Minister @devendra.fadnavis and Honorable Health Education Minister @girishmahajanofficial . Please look into our concerns.

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