Any regrets for immigrating from India at wrong time ?

[nehad]

rajradio/sumachechi/other doctors on this forum,

I might be asking a personal question; so if you do not consider this appropriate - you can choose to not answer. But I always thought that medicine is 1 profession where the pay gap between US and India is significantly higher. I thought that doctors in US (MD with specialization eg. opthalomology, dermatology, neurology, etc) make a LOT of money in the US. goes from $500K to a $1 Million dollar for an average to above average specialized doctors in the US after 10 years of experience (lets say in their early / mid 40's).
However in India; from what I hear the same profile of people make far far less (max of 1 crore - and even that may be exceptions).
That is a significant salary difference. I am not saying that salary/money should prevent one from R2I; but assuming that other reasons of R2I are not that strong; the salary difference between US and India for doctors is very high (or atleast that's what I thought).

Can you tell me if the numbers that I mentioned above ($500K to $1 Million) versus max of Rs. 1 crore are valid numbers (both for US and for India) for someone with 10 to 15 years experience after graduation from medical school? (Again I know that this is a subjective question ---- but I am doing some broad general comparisons to get a rough magnitude.

I think that with such a big differnce - doctors would typically never R2I if there were no other very strong drivers. Please help correct me where am I wrong with the info that I have mentioned above.

I do regret staying for any length of time after my training in the USA. For physicians India is a great place to be.

I also think that congress completely ruined the country in the last 8 years from a business cycle perspective. Now I am amazed at how proactive and business like the modi govt is. Though I hate modi a communal credentials I have to reluctantly admit he is going to create a 5 to 8 bull market in India. So folks could regret not investing in India now for a 5 to 8 cycle. The risk however is a runaway inflation.

I do believe b cos poor business environment in the last 8 yrs Indian economy is like a coiled spring waiting to get unwound.

[sumachechi]

nehad
not all doctors do make that kind of money in the US
iam anyway a r2i from the UK which has a socialistic set up
Malpractice costs are very high in the US
Most doctors in india do not make that 1 crore maximum- Iam confident I never will make that annual income from my specialty practice in india even though Iam one of a half dozen doctors in the entire country practicing pure paediatric Rheumatology
You can still live well in india as a doctor- r2ing for better monetary purposes would be a wrong reason.

[rajradio]

rajradio/sumachechi/other doctors on this forum,

I might be asking a personal question; so if you do not consider this appropriate - you can choose to not answer. But I always thought that medicine is 1 profession where the pay gap between US and India is significantly higher. I thought that doctors in US (MD with specialization eg. opthalomology, dermatology, neurology, etc) make a LOT of money in the US. goes from $500K to a $1 Million dollar for an average to above average specialized doctors in the US after 10 years of experience (lets say in their early / mid 40's).
However in India; from what I hear the same profile of people make far far less (max of 1 crore - and even that may be exceptions).
That is a significant salary difference. I am not saying that salary/money should prevent one from R2I; but assuming that other reasons of R2I are not that strong; the salary difference between US and India for doctors is very high (or atleast that's what I thought).

Can you tell me if the numbers that I mentioned above ($500K to $1 Million) versus max of Rs. 1 crore are valid numbers (both for US and for India) for someone with 10 to 15 years experience after graduation from medical school? (Again I know that this is a subjective question ---- but I am doing some broad general comparisons to get a rough magnitude.

I think that with such a big differnce - doctors would typically never R2I if there were no other very strong drivers. Please help correct me where am I wrong with the info that I have mentioned above.

Most surgical specialists who are in metros do very well even in India. At the end of the day one needs to take taxation, purchase power parity, freedom from stupid hospital rules, planning a nonsense vacation from 6 months into consideration. I used to make nearly a mill in USA, but in omaha, high us taxes, the lonely USA life, 6 months of deep freeze weather, silly hospital bosses and most importantly one needs to plan so much to get a vacation during school holiday. So I felt there was a price for everything. When I was planning my return I thought if I could a quarter of that in India in my own home town, chose my schedule, my timings, and see my own people it would be great. Luckily for me by sheer luck I have done far better than what I thought.

The biggest driver for any doctor should be happiness he or she should get out of the kind of people they are treating. For me the thought of treating my own people.was a great feeling. I never had that connect with patients in USA. Once we love our job money automatically follow if it doesn't even then we have a chance to be happy. Money on its own means nothing. I always felt money is a cute baby that needs a little pat on the backside and serves our needs not the other way round.

Of course they could not pay me enough to go the stupid potluck parties week after week where fair weather nri so would bash India and then keep asking if we knew anyone coming that week to bring a pickle from India. I never wanted to grow old as one of those nri so bash India more out of their guilt for not going back than real issues. India has problems but then who doesn't?

[My Roots]

In India, MBBS with MD and no surgical, even in corporate hospitals in BLR, take home is between 70-80K only.

Once into surgical field it is a different ball game.

[Lakshya]

Of course they could not pay me enough to go the stupid potluck parties week after week where fair weather nri so would bash India and then keep asking if we knew anyone coming that week to bring a pickle from India. I never wanted to grow old as one of those nri so bash India more out of their guilt for not going back than real issues. India has problems but then who doesn't?

Good observation doc. Always wonder, is this the real reason for bashing India? I really don?t know. I have observed that too. My guess is avg grown up Joe play with I Phone 6 and talk nonsense about this features and that features and Avg Joe?s wife little world is surrounded by MK bags are the one generally bash India more frequently.

Usually empty drums make loudest noise.

[nehad]

rajradio,
Great to interact with someone on this forum who left a million dollar job in US to come to India to care for your own people. Kudos to you! Not many people can do that; and you have done that. Respect.

Most surgical specialists who are in metros do very well even in India. At the end of the day one needs to take taxation, purchase power parity, freedom from stupid hospital rules, planning a nonsense vacation from 6 months into consideration. I used to make nearly a mill in USA, but in omaha, high us taxes, the lonely USA life, 6 months of deep freeze weather, silly hospital bosses and most importantly one needs to plan so much to get a vacation during school holiday. So I felt there was a price for everything. When I was planning my return I thought if I could a quarter of that in India in my own home town, chose my schedule, my timings, and see my own people it would be great. Luckily for me by sheer luck I have done far better than what I thought.

The biggest driver for any doctor should be happiness he or she should get out of the kind of people they are treating. For me the thought of treating my own people.was a great feeling. I never had that connect with patients in USA. Once we love our job money automatically follow if it doesn't even then we have a chance to be happy. Money on its own means nothing. I always felt money is a cute baby that needs a little pat on the backside and serves our needs not the other way round.

Of course they could not pay me enough to go the stupid potluck parties week after week where fair weather nri so would bash India and then keep asking if we knew anyone coming that week to bring a pickle from India. I never wanted to grow old as one of those nri so bash India more out of their guilt for not going back than real issues. India has problems but then who doesn't?