e-Paper
There was a time when the dream of many Indian parents was for their children to grow up and become a doctor, lawyer or engineer.
However, the growing preference for their child to don the coveted white coat and stethoscope has put the two other professions in the shade.
Sadly, my siblings and I failed to measure up. One brother worked as a teacher, another as a marketing manager and I went into communications. My sister came closest – she became a nurse.
The next generation, however, delivered. Among our six children, there are four doctors. The only exceptions are my two children, who are teachers.
Okay, so I failed as a parent. Now, let’s get back on track.
The task of steering your children into the medical profession is made easier by the great respect for doctors from the Indian community.
This respect extends also to the doctors’ families, who are often seen as having achieved a certain level of status via their association with the medical profession.
This might explain why Indian parents pressure their children to qualify for medical school. Several Indian doctors I know readily admitted that their parents had forced them to become doctors. Any other profession would be considered a failure, they added.
Another said that her parents were both doctors, and she was “duty-bound” to continue the family’s legacy whether she liked it or not. She actually did not like it, and duly got rid of her white coat and stethoscope immediately after marriage.
One general practitioner was extremely candid. He said he was neither tall nor handsome, so if he wanted a good-looking wife, he had to become a doctor.
Having met his spouse, I would say he has succeeded admirably.
Parents also have bragging rights since all physicians must attain high test scores. It is undeniable proof of their great parenting skills.
Doctors also enjoy good financial security, so you could consider Indian parents as “low-risk investors”.
Selecting a “non-risky” career for their children bodes better than letting them pick a job they would love but might leave them in the lurch.
So, from the Indian perspective, the medical profession has everything going for it. When your child earns big bucks in a prestigious job and can also rush over to save your life in the middle of the night with the best medical care – what more can a parent ask for?
