Musings of a Millennial Female Doctor

Being a doctor in these times in India? Well, it is an exhilarating experience, just that the thrill is a little on the higher side if you are a female clinician :D

Most of my time is spent on nurturing my little venture Smile Artists, a dental clinic in Gurgaon. From dedicating five whole years of my life in learning the skill, to another 4 years gaining experience, people have been anything but cooperative. Of course, my family, friends and well wishers were there, but talking as a millennial female clinician, fighting for basic human rights and opportunities are a th
ing of the past, isn't it? They say, we have already won over girls' education and independence, right?

But I remember my father telling me, that doctors are not trained for jobs, but to establish their own practice. However, right out of my college, when my male batch mates were busy setting up or planning for their clinic, I was in a dilemma to even think of one or not. Because I am gonna get married, so how will I relocate my clinic to my husband’s place? It seemed a feasible argument which I still dwell upon sometimes, because I will have to move once I get married for sure. 

What happens to my clinic then? Well, that's a very long fight. The solution I formulated for this issue was launching a group practice, even if I move, someone else can be the flag bearer and Smile Artists Dental Studio won't be ripped off its existence in Gurgaon. Ours is a female dominated team with three women and a man, but building Smile Artists Dental Studio from scratch, putting my soul and heart into it, and being asked to see the other male doctor instead, enrages me. 

This lady doctor is sure as hell good enough, if I respond to the numerous untimely and unwanted messages. If ever I make the mistake of being a little too generous to male patients, it doesn't even take a second appointment to cross boundaries for them while talking to me because of course, I do not have any super hero backing me up, and the patient and I are alone in the operatory. I remember a patient having the audacity to touch me inappropriately in my own clinic.

I know every female clinician has to go through these, and I am supposed to know how to handle this situation. But I have to ask, why do we have to go through such a situation in the first place? I am here to treat your ailment, but why do you have to be an ailment for me? 

There was a point where I questioned my mannerism, my dressing as I didn't want to be "The friendly doctor" who runs her clinic alone. I tried to dress up appropriately, tried being stricter to patients, but of course nothing helped.

Since I am in a profession where I have to deal with the public directly, I have to now dress up according to the public, I cannot be friendly, I have to stay uptight, and that is the only way to handle it. I am literally living two personalities. I have been handling one center of Smile Artists independently for a while now, but whenever an electrician or plumber or medical representative looks out for a male presence right above my shoulder, I feel my capabilities as a human have diminished. And all my efforts in becoming a good doctor have gone in vain.

- Dr. Shruti Choudhary