DO MEDICAL GRADUATES PREFER TO WORK IN RURAL AREAS? - A FOLLOW UP STUDY OF OLD STUDENTS OF A PRIVATE MEDICAL COLLEGE IN TAMILNADU

OBJECTIVES: To find out the current Occupational/Academic status of the Alumni of a private Medical College, with special emphasis to ascertain how many were employed in the government's primary health care setup in rural areas or otherwise practicing in rural areas. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was conducted among the old students of Meenakshi Medical College, in Tamilnadu. Data was collected by a brief questionnaire that was sent by reply paid post to all the students who had passed out of the college as on date. The students were requested to fill up and send the same back the department. RESULTS: A total of 117 past students had sent in their replies and out of them 53 (45.3%) were undergoing Postgraduate training. Out of the remaining, 31 (26.5%) were working in corporate hospitals, 10 (8.55%) were preparing full time for their postgraduate entrance examinations, 6 (5.12%) were preparing themselves to go abroad, and only 3(2.6%) were part of the government's primary health care network in rural areas. CONCLUSION: This study reiterates the fact that joining a postgraduate course is the first choice for all medical graduates. Even among those who have not joined a postgraduate course, working in Primary health care in rural areas seems to the least preferred career choice.