Which is tougher: NEET or MBBS?
Answer By Aheli Bal
Interesting question.
So,when I was preparing for my UG entrance, I lived a life of uncertainty. I did not know if I'd even have the fortune of becoming a doctor.
There were days of pain - so much of it. I was barely 17–18 back then. I was in total oblivion of the world - I was an alien from another planet who knew nothing except academics till her 12th grade.
MBBS was a different experience. There was more certainty. But there were days of pain too - immense physical and mental exhaustion. The fun days during MBBS undoubtedly outweighed the painful days, when I look back at it. I grew up to be an independent individual and I learnt there's a life beyond academics.
Final year in MBBS is extremely taxing (atleast in JIPMER where they put university examinations, back to back with no break in between and you're semi dead by the end of it).
I'd still say the NEET UG preparation phase was tougher - it was uncertain, lonely, painful and the future was always cloudy, till the last moment before the results.
On a similar note, between the preparation phase for Residency in India, and Residency life, I am pretty confused about which I'd call tougher.
The preparation phase for me was a period of emotional and mental fatigue. But so is Residency.
There's a form of certainty as compared to the preparation phase, but I still wake up at 3 am at night to check the watch that I'm not late for next day's reporting 🙄. I usually leave by 6-6:30 am in the morning but I start checking the clock from almost 3 am! It just happens - I do not know why.
I hardly get complete uninterrupted sleep these days and my sleep wake cycle is absolutely disrupted. I had hoped so much that life would be all blissful like you see in movies after this final round of effort for getting into Residency, but, I suppose doctors really do take a long time to settle down in life and lead a quality life. You earn. But at the same time, you slog all day.
So yes, if you've chosen to become a doctor in India, it is a long, tear filled, anxiety filled journey.
I've crossed some major hurdles along the way and am almost at the end point of the major struggles and it has been quite a journey.
On a bright now, you can always fish out time in between for activities you love, especially on Sundays!
So, life is not bad as it sounds in text 😅.
