M.P. Shah Government Medical College MBBS Review By Kavitha Konar

Among the colleges that are ranked in similar category, I chose MP Shah Medical College as this is one of the oldest colleges and a power house in terms of medical college. Some of my seniors who have taken transfers have voiced it that academic wise all the medical colleges of GMCS are the same. I will explain many aspects and I hope my review doesn’t sound boring. First priority was academics and it is well under control but the only problem was that most students were from Saurashtra and therefore half the things were explained in Gujarati. The famous Gujarati dialogue which I will remember for life, ‘Gujarati ma Faavse’ meaning is it ok, if I teach in Gujarati. Students like me where less as out 250 only 30 odd students were such who didn’t knew Gujarati so had to made a deal out of it. Some rules which were beyond me but were fun was the mess ragging as once the ragging was done, and then the seniors would not bother again. Ragging doesn’t mean physical but yes mental torture for a moment but we did the same after becoming seniors. So, the life at MPSMC was a roller coaster ride because even though I wasn’t from Gujarat, I could survive with ease.

In medical college, students hardly have time to chill as I tried the hardest to get some time off but couldn’t as we had to study daily. Nothing can be left behind and especially for students like us who couldn’t understand Gujarati had to put some extra mileage. Morning, we had classes and afternoon we used to have practicals. So, practical’s here been a daily thing and rather interesting thing because the classes were sometimes way above my head. Self-study is what students like me have done here to get through.

Faculties were fine but their obsession with Gujarati language was beyond me. As far as I know, English is the common language at medical college but the professors might have had other ideas. When I used to stare at them, they knew I have hardly understood but we were given private sessions so excuse me for complaining because they were kind soul. All of them were doctors and gave all that they had because they know what it takes to be a doctor. They were strict on days and equally cool on some.

Only students like me who are entirely exhausted stopped at MBBS as maximum students went for MD studies or the specializations. A stipend of 17k was offered during the final year and from there the journey began. After a year of internship, we can apply to hospitals as in medical we have to search for jobs by ourselves. Honestly, it isn’t a huge ask because doctors are always in demand in India. So, I am working in a hospital in Salem as my degree from MPSMC was enough for me to apply for the job and get it upfront.

I saw Munna Bhai MBBS after I joined MPSMC because I didn’t knew that in medical college, we have to do it all by own. I saw that students are allotted an empty room and they have to being every damn thing on their own. From cots to glass, I bought everything on my own and kept shuffling because the rooms kept changing. This remained an issue throughout but what was sorted was the mess. We had 40-50 mess to choose from and luckily there were a few that served a proper South Indian food, so I was never worried about that. One interesting aspect let me share as first year students were not allowed to bring boys or girls to the mess but once you come in the second year, you can go along with boys. I don’t know why such weird rule was in place but there was this rule.

A new building that has the best set of classrooms and everything was the one where we studied and did all our practicals. The auditoriums were few and all of them were used as one old building was turned into students’ corner and it became student’s auditorium. The college is huge but they still haven’t left any space for a playground and many students had to be deprived of going for running or stuffs like that. A hospital too is there at the campus and that not only treated the students but outsiders were also treated at the college hospital.

If one says ragging has been eradicated then please they are wrong. Yes, many limitations have come but it hasn’t gone entirely. It will take some time to get completely off but because we were ragged the first year and did the same for next four years, I again think I shouldn’t be complaining. The college events were great as being a medical college, even the nights weren’t that dark because we were free to roam inside the campus for as long as wanted.