It was around three p.m. I was perched on the bench, waiting for the train to arrive. After half a day’s worth work, I had rushed to the ‘Katpadi’ railway station. To my relief, the train was to arrive late. It was Saturday, and I was headed to Bangalore, a good four hours away from Vellore. In my hurry, I had forgotten to put my ID, a card hanging around my neck fastened to a blue string, back into my bag. The ID clearly said I was from Christian Medical College.
A lady sitting next to me, who was visibly pregnant and probably in her late twenties, asked me if I was a doctor. When I replied in the affirmative, she had a few questions regarding her pregnancy, her previous childbirth and so on. The lady was well educated and chose to converse with me in English and not the local language, Tamil. I answered her questions and she seemed to be satisfied with my answers. After a moment’s silence, she fired me with some more questions. This time, the questions were about me, about where I was from, when I finished my MBBS, and most importantly, what I ‘specialize’ in.
When I said ‘Community health’, her response amused me greatly. She said “So, you’re not exactly a doctor then”! Out of all the people who have asked me the million dollar question—“What do you specialize in?” this person’s response has been by far the most amusing!
Most people irrespective of their education status, understand the roles of the following specialists- Paediatrician- the children’s doctor, Surgeon- the operating doctor, Ophthalmologist-the eye doctor, Orthopaedic doctor- the bone doctor, Obstetrician and Gynaecologist- the women’s doctor and so on. But, who is a Public health/ Community health doctor? Is there even a doctor like that?
Not anybody’s fault that they haven’t heard. Even among doctors, Community health is least preferred. When we enter our Internship during our undergraduate studies, and sometimes even before that, we are asked this question over and over again. What we want to specialize in? My answer had always been ‘Public health/ Community health/ Preventive and Social Medicine’ (different names for a branch of medicine that deals more with Prevention than with cure). Most doctors have advised me against choosing something that is not sought after. Some have laughed, others have jeered, but here I am grateful to God that I got what I always wanted.
So, what exactly is Community health?
It’s a branch of Medicine that deals with identifying a community’s health needs, preventing diseases and injuries, promoting healthy lifestyles, reducing disparities in health care delivery and conducting scientific research that influences health care strategy and Policy.
For the above to be achieved, we are required to have sound knowledge about diseases, bio-statistics, research methodology, health management, economics and National and International health –related policies. We also need to see patients and be able to manage a primary health care set-up. So that about sums it up.
I tried explaining to the lady in the railway station all of this, but I don’t think I was very convincing, that I was a doctor too. Only when I told her, that I see patients on a daily basis in the out-patient department, the emergency and the labor room was she slightly convinced.
The train which was running late finally arrived. The lady was to take the next train. I bid her goodbye and got on the ‘general’ compartment. As my plan of heading home was made at the last minute, I had to travel unreserved (no qualms there). What happened in the train is another story, for another day. Till then, goodbye! (I’m waving, and you can see me through the window)