Srinagar, Sep 11: For some Kashmiri medical students who pursue MBBS in Bangladesh, completing their degree is followed by another challenge—dealing with the label of being a “Bangladeshi doctor”.
Instead of being judged solely on their knowledge, clinical skills and professional competence, many of them face taunts and questions about the quality of their education, with the tag often used to cast doubt on their ability to practise medicine.
For Suhaib Shabir, a 25-year-old from Shopian, one such experience came at the Delhi airport, where he and other medical graduates were subjected to taunts from passers-by simply because they had studied medicine in Bangladesh.
“We were called ‘Bangladeshi doctors’ and were told that we did not even know how to give an injection. It was demotivating and discouraging at that time,” Suhaib recalled.
The perception, he said, can sometimes go beyond casual taunts. “It has been observed that even when a patient is not treated properly at a hospital in Kashmir, the blame is sometimes immediately placed on doctors who have completed their MBBS in Bangladesh, with their education and competence being questioned solely on that basis,” he said.
For Suhaib, however, such remarks only strengthened his resolve to prove himself through his work and achievements.
He travelled from Kashmir to Bangladesh to pursue his dream of becoming a doctor and completed his MBBS from Mainamoti Medical College. His years there involved rigorous medical studies, clinical postings, examinations and the challenges of living away from home.
For students like Suhaib, completing an MBBS in Bangladesh does not mark the end of the struggle. For many, it is only the beginning of another demanding journey to establish themselves professionally.
Suhaib decided to take that journey further.
After completing his medical education, he set his sights on Australia and entered the Australian Medical Council (AMC) pathway for international medical graduates. He subsequently cleared the AMC examination, taking another significant step towards pursuing a medical career in Australia.
The achievement is particularly significant for a graduate who had already crossed one national education system before entering another highly competitive medical pathway.
The journey from an MBBS college in Bangladesh to the Australian medical system requires preparation, discipline and the ability to meet the professional standards set for international medical graduates.
For Suhaib, it has also become a personal answer to those who questioned whether studying medicine in Bangladesh could lead to a successful medical career.
He says studying medicine outside India is not an easy option and requires students to be prepared for hard work, discipline and sacrifice.
“MBBS outside India is six times tougher. We do not lack knowledge, and our careers do not end simply because we could not qualify the NEET examination,” he said.
At the same time, Suhaib cautioned students against choosing medical education abroad without understanding the challenges involved.
“My message to MBBS aspirants is that it is worth it if they are ready to work hard and make sacrifices away from home. Some students may lack in certain areas, but they should come only if they are prepared to work hard and face the challenges,” he said.
His story is not an argument that every medical graduate from Bangladesh is exceptional, nor is it a comparison between doctors educated in different countries.
It is, however, a reminder that a doctor’s competence cannot be determined simply by the country where he or she obtained an MBBS degree.
The label “Bangladeshi doctor” may be used casually, but behind it are Kashmiri students who leave their homes, travel to another country, spend years studying medicine and then compete for professional opportunities in an increasingly global medical system.
Suhaib’s journey is one such example.
For him, the answer to the taunts he faced is not an argument. It is achievement
From Shopian to Bangladesh and now towards Australia, Suhaib’s journey shows that a doctor should ultimately be judged not by a label, but by knowledge, competence, dedication and professional achievement.
