The Right Med College for Me (Local or afar?)

[DrFelix]

In my hometown and current city, there are fine medical colleges (not the best, like Harvard or AIIMS, but still, think of Boston medical colleges) and stuff, but I really want to get into AIIMS, although I live far away from Delhi. My dad doesn't want me to study in a different city but my mom is ready to let me study in it if I get the rank (one hundred thousand applicants, and AIIMS accepts only the first 72 -- imagine the pressure.)

I have to study medicine for the next nine years (Indian college system)

Basically, in the city I live, there are some fine medical colleges that offer psychiatry/IM after graduation, but I want to get into the best possible college in all India. That's a lot of pressure (one tenth of a million aspirants and my rank was supposed to be under 72 next year) and I want to start practicing ASAP. If I break my health and study for at least ten hours each day (it's summer!!!), it might be possible for me to get admission into AIIMS, but my question is : Is it really worth it?

AIIMS (or Armed Forces Medical College, if I pass the physical criteria) are the topmost colleges in all India (think of Harvard and Yale of India) and I really want to get in 'em (I am thinking of immigrating to London once I finish my education) or should I just stick to my health and my city's med colleges?

There are advantages of AIIMS like
1. You can practice anywhere.
2. Respect and fame
etc. etc.
And then there are advantages of going to local med colleges
1. Stay with family
2. Complete education a bit quicker (Won't give national level entrance exam, just the state level one)
3. Stay sane and healthy
etc. etc.

There are personal issues with my friends (like they not speaking to me) and my girlfriend (we broke off), that makes me want to study in AIIMS (where they can't get me) or at least a different city. I've green signal from my mom but my dad wants me to study in my hometown. I don't want to see the face of my girlfriend or my friends again (it hurts), but that'd require a LOT of hardwork, which could possibly drive me insane.

In this year, I want a whooping score of 100% and in the next I want a score of 97-98%. That's it, then there's MCAT. If I study like I want to attend the national-level exam, I will be a little less sane and my health would go down considerably. But then I won't have to face the psychosomatic pain given to me by my friends and my ex. But then again if I study in local medical colleges, my doctor could teach me (become my mentor), I would get time to spend with my family but I'd have to face the psychosomatic pain and teenage drama.

So is AIIMS worth it?
If I go into AIIMS, I can't spend time with family, but will avoid teenage drama
If I study in local med colleges, it will relieve some stress of me, will get time to spend with family, and will have to face teenage drama.

I really don't want to see my ex, should I just give the state level exam and go to a city like Bombay and study there?

I want some advice whether I should study in my city or some other city.

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[DrFelix]

I am bipolar, I am sorry for this mess of a thread. I have racing thoughts quite often.

 

[Dr. Death]

Is it like the Harvard of the Caribbean?

 

[DrFelix]

Is it like the Harvard of the Caribbean?

What is that?

 

[The Knife & Gun Club]

You aren't going to find many people familiar with the intricacies of Indian medical schools and practice here because this an American forum.

Maybe try the international section?

 

[Okazaki Frag Grenade]

In my hometown and current city, there are fine medical colleges (not the best, like Harvard or AIIMS, but still, think of Boston medical colleges) and stuff, but I really want to get into AIIMS, although I live far away from Delhi. My dad doesn't want me to study in a different city but my mom is ready to let me study in it if I get the rank (one hundred thousand applicants, and AIIMS accepts only the first 72 -- imagine the pressure.)

I have to study medicine for the next nine years (Indian college system)

Basically, in the city I live, there are some fine medical colleges that offer psychiatry/IM after graduation, but I want to get into the best possible college in all India. That's a lot of pressure (one tenth of a million aspirants and my rank was supposed to be under 72 next year) and I want to start practicing ASAP. If I break my health and study for at least ten hours each day (it's summer!!!), it might be possible for me to get admission into AIIMS, but my question is : Is it really worth it?

AIIMS (or Armed Forces Medical College, if I pass the physical criteria) are the topmost colleges in all India (think of Harvard and Yale of India) and I really want to get in 'em (I am thinking of immigrating to London once I finish my education) or should I just stick to my health and my city's med colleges?

There are advantages of AIIMS like
1. You can practice anywhere.
2. Respect and fame
etc. etc.
And then there are advantages of going to local med colleges
1. Stay with family
2. Complete education a bit quicker (Won't give national level entrance exam, just the state level one)
3. Stay sane and healthy
etc. etc.

There are personal issues with my friends (like they not speaking to me) and my girlfriend (we broke off), that makes me want to study in AIIMS (where they can't get me) or at least a different city. I've green signal from my mom but my dad wants me to study in my hometown. I don't want to see the face of my girlfriend or my friends again (it hurts), but that'd require a LOT of hardwork, which could possibly drive me insane.

In this year, I want a whooping score of 100% and in the next I want a score of 97-98%. That's it, then there's MCAT. If I study like I want to attend the national-level exam, I will be a little less sane and my health would go down considerably. But then I won't have to face the psychosomatic pain given to me by my friends and my ex. But then again if I study in local medical colleges, my doctor could teach me (become my mentor), I would get time to spend with my family but I'd have to face the psychosomatic pain and teenage drama.

So is AIIMS worth it?
If I go into AIIMS, I can't spend time with family, but will avoid teenage drama
If I study in local med colleges, it will relieve some stress of me, will get time to spend with family, and will have to face teenage drama.

I really don't want to see my ex, should I just give the state level exam and go to a city like Bombay and study there?

You may do better to post this question in this forum I linked below. I'm going to guess (but could be wrong) that most of the people who frequent the premed forum are in America/Canada and may not have good insight into the med school process in India.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/forums/india-and-south-asia.105/

 

[Dr. Death]

@The Knife & Gun Club beat me to it. But I'd go afar if I was you

 

[Cyan]

Please take your meds. Really.

 

[DrFelix]

Please take your meds. Really.

The insult was unnecessary.

 

[DrFelix]

You aren't going to find many people familiar with the intricacies of Indian medical schools and practice here because this an American forum.

Maybe try the international section?

Thanks, I will try there in a few days. But I just wanted advice should I study in my city or study in a different city (look above for more details.)

 

[WedgeDawg]

I'm going to go ahead and move this thread to the international section. I don't think many of our posters are familiar with Indian medical schools here.

 

[The Knife & Gun Club]

Thanks, I will try there in a few days. But I just wanted advice should I study in my city or study in a different city (look above for more details.)

Lol thank you for letting me know to look above. I was very confused.


And with no knowledge of how medicine is practiced in India, there's no advice for me (or anyone) to give. I have no clue how prestigious LLAMAS or whatever is and no clue how the quality of training will vary between schools.

 

[The Knife & Gun Club]

But please, seriously, if you have a medical condition talk to you psychiatrist and come up with a treatment plan. Without a good treatment plan, you will not fare well in medschool near home or far away.

 

[DrFelix]

But please, seriously, if you have a medical condition talk to you psychiatrist and come up with a treatment plan. Without a good treatment plan, you will not fare well in medschool near home or far away.

Yes, my psychiatrist has prescribed me drugs that are not affecting me (next appointment is on 12th May) I just want to get 100% this year of pre-med and in the next near 97%. It will cost me a lot of sleepless nights and stuff. I want to do good in med school too.

 

[DrFelix]

Lol thank you for letting me know to look above. I was very confused.


And with no knowledge of how medicine is practiced in India, there's no advice for me (or anyone) to give. I have no clue how prestigious LLAMAS or whatever is and no clue how the quality of training will vary between schools.

I got the joke just now and I am laughing. HARD.

 

[Crayola227]

please be very careful about giving in to sleepless nights in the pursuit of medicine as a career
a medical career will greedily gobble them up, but sleepless nights are worse for those with BPAD than the rest of the general population

also, in hindsight, you will cherish time with your family over any avoidance of teenage drama

in fact, it would be a tragedy to choose a path that causes you less time with family so that you could avoid essentially high school drama bull****
that's one of those things you'll look back on at a parent's funeral when you're 40 and regret

how the rest of it works with career pro/cons I can't say

 

[DrFelix]

please be very careful about giving in to sleepless nights in the pursuit of medicine as a career
a medical career will greedily gobble them up, but sleepless nights are worse for those with BPAD than the rest of the general population

also, in hindsight, you will cherish time with your family over any avoidance of teenage drama

in fact, it would be a tragedy to choose a path that causes you less time with family so that you could avoid essentially high school drama bull****
that's one of those things you'll look back on at a parent's funeral when you're 40 and regret

how the rest of it works with career pro/cons I can't say

Thank you so much for replying.

I know having mental disorders will make sleepless nights way worse, but what else can I do? Everyone has high hopes on me. I will of course rest and take a few days off every month from studying.

The teenage drama is causing me so much psychosomatic pain that I am even considering committing suicide (not probable, but you know, drama and all, and girlfriend dumped me, it's just a phase I think) but you're right, my parents are ageing fast and I might regret going to another city at their funeral. Thanks for the advice, I will re-consider studying in a different city.

Thank you so much for replying. Take care.

 

[CharakaComplex]

please be very careful about giving in to sleepless nights in the pursuit of medicine as a career
a medical career will greedily gobble them up, but sleepless nights are worse for those with BPAD than the rest of the general population

also, in hindsight, you will cherish time with your family over any avoidance of teenage drama

in fact, it would be a tragedy to choose a path that causes you less time with family so that you could avoid essentially high school drama bull****
that's one of those things you'll look back on at a parent's funeral when you're 40 and regret

how the rest of it works with career pro/cons I can't say

Not to necrobump, but,

This post kind of really makes it obvious to me how different Indian and US med schools are, haha. Here there is an inordinate amount of prestige associated with which med school you go to so even if you're a second or third year in AIIMS which (along with the army school/Armed Forces med school) is the arguable best medical school in India, your opinion will be considered solid fact and your family will argue with practicing doctors over the validity of your opinion (moreso than otherwise, anyway).

As someone with the bipolar, though, I can certainly appreciate going to school an hour and a half's bus ride from home and eating home-made food daily. The decision was easier for me however as my school is a fairly good one, and plus I canNOT stand how pretentious Delhi people are, so AIIMS was never really on my mind lmfao.

@DrFelix - what did you end up doing? I'm curious. I'm also curious to know which part of India you hail from - feel like you're from the north or west.

 

[Medstart108]

Go for the stars, go for AIIMS or Armed Forces Medical College. Actually, people in the know will know, i'm not indian and I know the names of a few of the top medical schools in India.