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India facing shortage of surgery trainees

India’s shortage of surgeons could get worse in the coming years, new government data suggests.

The number of medical trainees studying to become surgeons is declining. Of 2,029 surgery seats in super speciality courses for the 2018-19 academic year, 189 went unfilled. Super speciality courses are those for which candidates have to clear National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Tests.

“Already India’s public health system is suffering from surgeon shortages. In primary health centres alone, there is an 84 percent shortfall of the number of surgeons required to meet demand”

Experts have pointed to increased popularity of non-surgical disciplines, particularly those which may be useful when it comes to treating noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). Specialities such as cardiology and oncology are becoming more attractive  for medical students, it is being suggested, as rates of NCDs like cancer and heart disease are increasing nationwide.

Already India’s public health system is suffering from surgeon shortages. In primary health centres alone, there is an 84 percent shortfall of the number of surgeons required to meet demand.

The absence of surgical trainees may still have ramifications for NCD sufferers, however. Of the 189 surgical posts unfilled in the last academic year, 168 belonged to major surgical disciplines including cardiothoracic and vascular surgery and neurosurgery.

“The shortage of medical trainees in surgery reflects a broader national crisis…[that] less than 11,000 doctors are available for a population exceeding 1.3 billion”

The shortage of medical trainees in surgery reflects a broader national crisis when it comes to a shortage of doctors. Less than 11,000 doctors are available for a population exceeding 1.3 billion people. This results in shortages across numerous disciplines and specialties, from paediatrics to general physicians.

Even as NCDs are an attractive draw for superspecialty positions, this does not mean India is not bereft of specialists it needs to tackle its NCD crisis. With heart disease as an example, the country suffers massive shortfalls of cardiologists. The country’s demand for cardiologists is 88,000. It has just 4,000.

No matter the discipline, it is clear India is suffering shortfalls of medical professionals across its public health system. The implication of this is a shortage of doctors that will only worsen in the years to come – inevitably at patients’ expense.

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