5 Little-Known Facts About MD Pharmacology by Dr. Anjali Verma | Department of Podcast, Episode- 1.

Series: Department of Podcast

Episode: 01

Subject: MD Pharmacology

Guest: Dr. Anjali Verma

Host: Dr. Ankit Sharma

Introduction: The Myth of the Perfect Medical Career

The prevailing narrative of a doctor's career is one of linear passion, a singular focus pursued with unwavering determination from the first day of medical school. However, this idealized script often conceals the hidden curriculum of medical training: one of compromise, serendipity, and pragmatic calculation.

The journey is frequently filled with unexpected turns, practical trade-offs, and challenging realities that are rarely discussed outside the profession. The final destination is often a blend of interest, opportunity, and necessity. To explore these truths, we look at the candid insights of Dr. Anjali, a physician who chose the often-misunderstood field of MD Pharmacology, revealing a side of the medical world most people never see.

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1. You’ll Constantly Have to Explain Your Job—Even to Other Doctors.

One of the first and most persistent challenges for a specialist in Pharmacology is explaining what, exactly, they do. There is a widespread and constant confusion between Pharmacology—the medical discipline focused on studying how drugs work and their effects on the body—and Pharmacy, the profession of dispensing those drugs.

Dr. Anjali notes that this isn't just a misconception among the general public; it exists even within the medical community. After completing years of foundational medical training (MBBS) followed by a specialized MD, having to constantly differentiate her field is a source of frustration. To avoid the lengthy and often repetitive explanation, she sometimes finds it easier to simply tell relatives and acquaintances that she is specializing in "Medicine." This confusion is more than a simple annoyance; it highlights a growing disconnect between the public's monolithic view of "a doctor" and the highly fragmented reality of modern medical expertise.

"It's very difficult to explain... they think Pharmacology and Pharmacy are the same thing. Explaining it to our families, or anyone really, is the toughest part."

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2. Your "Calling" Might Actually Be a Calculated Compromise.

The romantic notion that every doctor is pursuing a lifelong dream specialty is often just that—a notion. Dr. Anjali's path illustrates a more common reality where career decisions are a strategic response to available opportunities.

During her initial years in medical school, she had no intention of specializing in Pharmacology. Her interests evolved with experience. During her internship, she was drawn first to Ophthalmology ("Oftha") and later to General Medicine. Her ultimate decision to pursue Pharmacology was not the fulfillment of a long-held passion, but a practical choice. It was the best option available to her during the counseling process for postgraduate seats and was closely related to her interest in Medicine. Dr. Anjali's story is a powerful counter-narrative to the "follow your passion" mantra, revealing that in a system governed by rankings and seat availability, the final specialty is often a matter of strategic adaptation rather than a foregone conclusion.

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3. The Most Valuable Skill Isn't Taught in Textbooks.

When asked what kind of "pill" she would create to help postgraduate medical students get through their demanding training, Dr. Anjali's answer was immediate and simple: one for "Patience."

Her choice reveals a profound truth about medical education. She clarifies that immense patience is essential to survive not just the intense post-graduate residency years but the entire medical journey, from undergraduate studies onward. While academic knowledge and clinical skills are the obvious focus of medical school, the emotional and mental resilience required to navigate the high-pressure environment is often the greater, unspoken challenge. This simple answer suggests that the ability to endure, wait, and remain steady under stress is the most critical, yet untaught, skill for any aspiring doctor.

"Patience. To survive in a medical college, whether you are an undergraduate or a postgraduate, you need patience."

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4. The Biggest Opportunities Might Be Outside the Hospital.

While many assume that a doctor's career is confined to a clinic or hospital, some of the most significant and lucrative opportunities lie elsewhere. For Pharmacology specialists, the pharmaceutical industry offers a surprisingly rewarding alternative.

Dr. Anjali points out that there is significant scope for doctors in this corporate sector. She shares a powerful anecdote about a senior colleague who joined a pharmaceutical company immediately after finishing her MBBS, without even pursuing a specialty MD. Within just two years, her salary had risen to an impressive 2 lakh per month—a figure that starkly contrasts with, and far exceeds, the modest stipends earned by medical residents during their grueling training years. This reality underscores that deep medical knowledge has immense value outside traditional patient care, creating high-demand, high-reward roles for those willing to look beyond the hospital walls.

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5. India Is Great for Theory, But Not Always for Practice.

In the field of Pharmacology, there can be a significant gap between what is taught in the classroom and what is practiced in a clinical setting, particularly in India. Dr. Anjali observes that the specialty is heavily theoretical in India compared to its practical application in other countries.

She provides a specific example: medical students are taught advanced concepts like Therapeutic Drug Monitoring (TDM), a crucial method for managing patient medication levels. However, in her experience, she has rarely seen it actually implemented in the medical colleges she is familiar with. This gap between curriculum and clinical reality points to a systemic issue in Indian medical education, where theoretical knowledge can become decoupled from practical, on-the-ground application, potentially limiting the specialty's immediate impact.

However, she emphasizes that a handful of premier institutions do manage to bridge this gap, offering the practical, research-focused training that is the gold standard:

1. KEM, Mumbai (which she calls the best, "for sure")

2. PGIMER, Chandigarh

3. AIIMS, Delhi

Ultimately, she believes that while Pharmacology has great potential in India, the greater scope for hands-on, practical, and research-based work currently lies abroad.

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Conclusion: Redefining the Doctor's Journey

Ultimately, Dr. Anjali's journey redefines the path to specialization not as a singular pursuit of passion, but as a complex negotiation between ambition, opportunity, and resilience.

It makes you wonder: how many of life’s most specialized and important jobs are filled not by dreamers, but by pragmatists?