Kolkata: Doctors need to feel safe both on campus and at hospitals and chambers since they suffer as much physical exhaustion and stress as the rest of society, dealing with the weight of expectations from patients on a daily basis, said medics on National Doctor's Day on Tuesday. The constant scrutiny and the pressure to perform often make them as vulnerable as patients, and they, too, need healing time, said Kolkata doctors. This has been making them prone to breakdowns, errors, and more frequent burnouts, they said. This year's theme for the day was "Behind the Mask: Who Heals the Healers?"
"Behind every successful diagnosis and every life saved, there is a doctor quietly carrying the weight of long hours, emotional strain, and constant expectations.
Today's doctors face immense professional and personal challenges. As we celebrate Doctor's Day, let's also recognise that healers need healing, too. They need space to rest, to learn, to grow, and to feel safe. Caring for caregivers isn't just a theme — it's a responsibility we must all share," said Anjan Siotia, director, cardiology at BM Birla Heart Hospital.
There is hardly any recovery time for medics, unlike other professionals, said Manipal Hospital infectious diseases physician Sayan Chakrabarty. "Other than treating patients, we must also deal with their families and convey information about the patients' progress. Often, when things go wrong, it becomes difficult to convince the kin and heated arguments ensue. There are hundreds of doctors who are not lucky enough to work in a protected environment, and we do feel insecure," said Chakrabarty.
Increased pressure has made scores of doctors quit the profession since Covid, said Fortis Hospital cardio-thoracic surgeon KM Mandana. A significant section of young doctors now regret joining the profession, said psychiatrist Jai Ranjan Ram.