In many Indian households, the image of success in medicine is not shaped by the local physician treating villagers with limited resources, nor by the government doctor running an immunisation drive in a rural block. Instead, it is the picture of an Indian-origin physician in America—earning in dollars, working in technologically advanced hospitals, and enjoying social prestige—that dominates dinner table conversations.
This ideal is powerful. It travels through WhatsApp family groups, alumni networks, diaspora associations, and relatives returning from visits to the US. And in the process, it silently reshapes the expectations Indian parents place on their children who are studying or practising medicine in India.
For many young doctors in India, the parental refrain is familiar:
“If they could do it, why can’t you?”
US-based Indian physicians often share their journeys back home during visits—how they cleared the USMLE, how residency transformed their lives, how the quality of training and income in America surpasses anything India can offer. What they rarely discuss are the struggles: years of uncertainty, exam stress, cultural adjustment, and the loneliness of being far from family.
Parents, however, absorb only the shining surface of this story. To them, success equals America. And soon, the expectations solidify—children must aim for the US, or at the very least, the UK, Canada, or Australia. Practising in India becomes seen as “settling for less.”
This parental comparison creates a psychological burden for young Indian doctors. Instead of focusing on serving their communities, building practices, or contributing to India’s healthcare system, many feel compelled to pursue foreign exams—even when their interests or circumstances don’t align.
Some medical graduates spend years preparing for the USMLE or PLAB, delaying postgraduate training in India. Others take expensive coaching courses, burning through family savings. A few abandon their original goals—like community health, public policy, or teaching—because their parents cannot reconcile these paths with the “prestige” of becoming a US-based doctor.
The result? Talented physicians feel torn between their calling and their parents’ aspirations.
This cultural pressure has consequences beyond individual families.
Brain Drain Intensifies – Every year, thousands of Indian doctors migrate for training and often don’t return. While global exposure has its benefits, the loss of skilled professionals deepens India’s doctor–patient gap.
Devaluation of Local Service – Serving in rural India, working in government hospitals, or contributing to public health often appears “less respectable” compared to going abroad. This weakens the prestige of much-needed domestic roles.
Financial Strain on Families – Preparing for foreign exams, paying for visas, or even “observerships” can cost lakhs of rupees. Families stretch themselves thin, convinced that only overseas medicine will secure their child’s success.
Shift in Medical Culture – A generation of doctors grows up believing that worth is measured not by service or innovation at home, but by the ability to leave.
At its core, this problem stems from how Indian society measures success. For many parents, their children are extensions of their own social image. When US-based Indian physicians set the bar—whether intentionally or through community narratives—it feeds into a cycle where parents project those expectations onto their own children.
Ironically, many US-based Indian doctors admire the grit of their colleagues in India, who often work with fewer resources but serve larger populations. Yet this admiration rarely filters down to the parental imagination.
Breaking this cycle requires a shift in narrative:
Highlight Local Heroes – Media and medical institutions should spotlight doctors in India making real change—whether in rural health, innovation, or teaching—so parents and students see value in staying.
Honest Storytelling by Diaspora Doctors – Indian-origin doctors abroad could share not just their successes but also the struggles and trade-offs, offering a balanced view.
Parental Counselling – Just as career counselling exists for students, structured conversations with parents could help align expectations with reality.
Policy Incentives – Stronger career pathways, better pay, and improved working conditions in India could counter the glamour of migration.
The influence of US-based Indian physicians is undeniable—they inspire admiration, but they also unintentionally fuel unrealistic expectations. When parents hold their children up against these borrowed ideals, they risk diverting them from fulfilling and impactful careers in India.
For young doctors, the challenge is not only in choosing between exams and residencies, but in negotiating the weight of dreams that are not entirely their own. For India, the larger challenge is reclaiming the narrative of what it means to be a successful doctor—not just abroad, but here at home, where millions still await care.