Synopsis: The Doctor Who Chose Family Over Fortune
Dr. Kiran Patel completed his MBBS in India (Osmania and Warangal), then spent 11 years training and working in the UK, followed by a fellowship year in Australia. Just as he was finishing his specialization in 2008, a highly lucrative consultant position opened up in the UK—complete with established private practice and significant income. But accepting it would derail his decade-long plan to return to India.
He chose to stick to his original vision, returned to Hyderabad in 2010, and spent 14 years building one of the leading gastroenterology practices in the country. Today, he's a recognized expert in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) and advanced endoscopy, and co-founder of RIDA (Returning Indian Doctors Association) with 250+ members.
His story offers invaluable insights for medical professionals considering a return to India after years abroad—from navigating the decision to reject lucrative offers, to building a practice from scratch without family medical connections.
The Medical Training Journey: From India to UK to Australia
India Foundation (1996-1997)
- MBBS: First year at Osmania University, completed at Warangal
- Graduation year: 1996-1997
- Initial goal: Always intended to return to India eventually
Why UK Over US for Medical Training?
"My intention was always to come back to India at some point and work here, so I thought from that perspective UK would be a better choice. And also there is a perception among the medical community that the UK training is slightly better than US training—no offense, but that's the perception we had in our community at the time."
The PLAB Journey (1997-1998)
To work in the UK, doctors must pass the PLAB exam (Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board). According to the General Medical Council (GMC), this is the standard route for international medical graduates.
The Challenge in 1997:
- Had to physically go to the UK to write the exam (now conducted in India)
- No internet for preparation or guidance
- Struggled to find accommodation for weeks
- Limited time to prepare after securing housing
Result: Passed PLAB and secured first job in 1998.
UK vs India Medical Training Structure
The UK system differs significantly from India. Understanding this is crucial for doctors planning their return to India with proper tax planning:
| India Training Path | UK Training Path |
|---|---|
| MBBS → MD (3 years) → DM/Specialization (3 years) | MBBS → Postgraduate training (2-3 years) → MRCP exam → Super-specialty training (5 years) → CCT |
Key Milestone: Passed MRCP in 2000 (Member of the Royal College of Physicians)
CCT Achievement: The Gateway to Consultant Status
CCT (Certificate of Completion of Training) is awarded after completing the full 5-year super-specialty program. Only doctors with CCT are eligible to become consultants in the UK.
Dr. Patel earned his CCT in Gastroenterology from Manchester in 2008.
The Lucrative Offer vs. The Long-Term Plan
The Tempting Opportunity (2008)
Just as Dr. Patel was finishing his gastroenterology training, a rare opportunity emerged:
The Offer:
- A consultant in the region was struck off from GMC (General Medical Council)
- The position suddenly became vacant
- This consultant had significant private practice (very lucrative in the UK)
- The program director asked Dr. Patel if he'd be interested
The Decision Matrix: Stay in UK or Return to India?
Option 1: Accept UK Consultant Position
- ✓ Immediate high income
- ✓ Established private practice
- ✓ Career security
Downside: Never return to India
Option 2: Stick to Original Plan
- ✓ Fellowship in Australia (unique credential)
- ✓ Return to India as planned
- ✓ Be with family
Downside: Give up lucrative UK position
"I thought for a while, then I decided to stick to my original plan. From UK I would go to Australia for one year and come back to India after finishing the fellowship."
This decision mirrors what many NRIs face—the choice between financial security abroad and fulfillment at home. For those navigating similar decisions, understanding financial independence strategies for returning to India can help make the choice clearer.
The Australia Fellowship & Family Sacrifice
Location: Perth, Western Australia
Focus: Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) and advanced endoscopy
Duration: 1 year
Application timeline: Accepted the fellowship in 2008, one year before starting
The Family Logistics Challenge
By 2009, Dr. Patel's situation was complex:
- Wife: Software engineer working for NHS
- Elder son: 6 years old
- Second child: Wife was pregnant
Decision: Wife and elder son moved to India; Dr. Patel went to Australia alone
"Wife was pregnant and my elder son was 6 years old who couldn't understand Telugu much at the time. He couldn't communicate well with grandparents. So wife was on her own here. Of course, I did make three or four trips in that one year to India, but those were very short trips—four, five days, one week, two weeks sort of thing."
Why the Fellowship Mattered for His India Career
"The fellowship was very, very crucial for my future career in India. There were not many people at that time who had done postgraduation and specialization in the UK and returned back to India. And even if you consider people who did postgraduation, specialization in the UK, then a fellowship in some other country like Australia—that's almost non-existent."
The Unique Profile That Set Him Apart:
- ✓ MBBS (India)
- ✓ MRCP (UK)
- ✓ CCT Gastroenterology (UK)
- ✓ Fellowship in IBD & Advanced Endoscopy (Australia)
Work Culture: UK vs. India Comparison
Understanding the work culture differences is essential for doctors planning their return. Here's Dr. Patel's firsthand comparison:
| Aspect | UK | India |
|---|---|---|
| Working Hours | 9 AM to 5 PM, 5 days a week | 9 AM to 9-10 PM (around the clock) |
| Weekends | Off, except on-call duty (1 in 4 or 1 in 5 weekends) | Start Sunday afternoon, not Friday night |
| Punctuality | Must be there by 8:45 AM if work starts at 9 AM | If you say 9 AM, it means "not before 9 AM, only after 9 AM" |
| Flexibility | Rigid schedules | Can inform patients and adjust by 10-15 minutes |
This work culture adjustment is similar to what other professionals experience. For a broader perspective on career transitions when returning to India, see how other professionals navigated this change.
The Corporate Hospital Myth Debunked
Common worry: "Corporates will keep you targets, and you will be pressurized to work."
Dr. Patel's 14-year experience across 4 hospitals:
- Mediciti Hospital
- Global Hospital
- Citizens Hospital
- Apollo Hospital (current)
"As long as you're good at your work and the management knows what you're doing, you don't have to deviate from any boundary. You can do quality practice, stick to your rules, stick to your practice, and corporates will respect that."
Key Insight: Yes, you need to work harder and longer hours. But you don't have to deviate from ethical medical practice. Quality work is respected.
Healthcare Access: UK vs. India
One of the most striking differences Dr. Patel highlights is healthcare accessibility. According to the UK National Health Service (NHS), wait times for specialist appointments can extend to several weeks.
Cost Comparison
- UK: Zero (NHS covers everything)
- India: Very expensive for quality healthcare (but health insurance helps)
Accessibility Comparison
- UK/US: Wait weeks or months to see a specialist
- India: See a specialist within hours, same-day procedures possible
"I'll give you an example: if somebody wants to get an ERCP, which is a specialist endoscopy procedure, in UK or even in US you have to wait for few weeks. But in India, people come to my chamber by 9:00, get to be seen by me by 10:00-11:00, get the procedure done on the same day, and go home on the same day."
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The School Journey: Finding the Right Fit for Your Child
One of the most valuable lessons from Dr. Patel's experience is about choosing schools for children returning to India. His elder son's journey illustrates why you should choose based on the child, not the school's reputation.
School #1: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan (CBSE)
Duration: 2-3 years
Result: Never enjoyed, not fitting into the system, not excelling
School #2: Meridian School, Madhapur (CBSE)
Duration: 6th or 7th class
Result: Better than Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, but still struggling
School #3: Rockwell International, Kondapur (Cambridge/IGCSE)
Duration: 9th class through 12th class
Result: Complete transformation
"The moment it happened, something magic happened. He transformed like anything."
Achievements After Switching:
- ✓ Started doing extremely well academically
- ✓ Scored A+ in all subjects
- ✓ Became head boy for the school
- ✓ Captain of the football team
- ✓ Played drums
The Lesson: Choose Based on the Child
"We have to choose which school based on your child's interest, where he can fit well, and what the school does to him. A lot of things to be taken into consideration."
Not about: School reputation, what other parents say, curriculum trends
About: Child's comfort, mode of teaching and engagement, what suits the individual child
Elder Son's Current Status (2024):
- Undergraduate: Computer Science, Minnesota, USA
- Achievement: Graduated with summa cum laude (highest honors)
- Employment: Just started a job
Building a Medical Practice from Zero in India
The Challenge: No Medical Background in Family
"I didn't have any family background. We didn't have any immediate family doctors. One of my maternal cousins is a popular doctor somewhere in Karimnagar, a very reputed doctor, but apart from that, there's not much medical support in my family. Nobody were doctors."
Strategy #1: Pre-Return Networking (6 Years Before)
"One thing I did in the last six years before I returned to India was I was visiting India every year. When I was visiting, I was visiting hospitals or colleagues or some friends, spending half a day with them, and then seeing what the practice is like—so that my thought process would become in line with Indian practice."
Strategy #2: Leverage Academic Strength
The Medical Module Program:
- Created an education program for medical students
- Saturday evenings and Sunday mornings
- Delivered by 10+ specialists (cardiology, gastroenterology, neurology, pulmonology, infectious diseases)
- Ran single-handedly for 6-7 years
- 2,500 medical students attended
- Nominal cost to cover hall expenses
- All teaching was essentially free
"About 2,500 medical students took that program with fantastic feedback. I was well-respected from medical students, and a lot of students benefited from that."
Strategy #3: MRCP Training Academy
Dr. Patel and a close friend started an MRCP training program for students going to the UK.
Achievements:
- ✓ Pulled together a pool of UK-trained doctors
- ✓ Became MRCP examiners
- ✓ Brought MRCP International Exam Center to Hyderabad (6th in India)
- ✓ Persuaded Royal College of Physicians to set up the exam center
RIDA: Returning Indian Doctors Association
The Mission
Dr. Patel co-founded RIDA with three other UK-trained doctors:
- Dr. Kiran Patel (Gastroenterology)
- Dr. Karthik (Neurology)
- Dr. Mahendra (Pulmonology)
- Dr. Shalini (Gastroenterology)
The Community
- 250+ members across India
- Doctors who completed postgraduate training abroad and returned to India
- Includes doctors exploring the possibility of returning
- WhatsApp group (very vibrant)
- No formal website yet
"You can contact any of us. We're happy to guide and suggest whatever we need."
Top 10 Lessons for Doctors Returning to India
- Plan your return from day one — Dr. Patel's 10-year plan kept him focused despite tempting offers.
- Unique credentials matter — UK + Australia training gave him a profile almost no one else had in India.
- Family separation is hard but sometimes necessary — His wife's courage to stay in India alone while pregnant enabled his fellowship.
- Choose schools based on the child, not reputation — Cambridge curriculum transformed his son after CBSE struggles.
- Corporate hospitals respect quality work — You don't have to compromise ethics to succeed in private practice.
- Accessibility beats cost — Same-day specialist access in India is a game-changer for patients.
- Build your name through academics — Teaching 2,500 students created a reputation that no marketing could buy.
- Network before you return — Six years of annual visits and hospital connections laid the groundwork.
- Expect the phone call deluge — Direct patient access is the norm in India. Plan for it.
- 70% want to return, but only 20-30% do — Fear of failure stops most. If your heart says return, plan well and execute.
Ready to Plan Your Medical Career Return?
Dr. Kiran Patel's story proves that returning to India as a medical professional isn't just possible—it can be more fulfilling than staying abroad. With proper planning, academic positioning, and community support, you can build a thriving practice while being close to family.
Editorial Summary
Dr. Kiran Patel's 14-year journey from UK consultant-in-waiting to leading gastroenterologist in India is a masterclass in long-term planning and strategic positioning. His decision to reject a lucrative UK consultant position in 2008—just one year before qualifying for citizenship—required extraordinary discipline and faith in his original vision.
The year-long family separation, with his pregnant wife and 6-year-old son in India while he completed his Australia fellowship, was a sacrifice that paid dividends in creating a unique professional profile. His elder son's transformation from struggling CBSE student to summa cum laude graduate after switching to Cambridge curriculum underscores the importance of choosing education based on the child, not the brand.
The Medical Module program that trained 2,500 students for free wasn't charity—it was brilliant strategic positioning that built his reputation in academic circles when he had no family medical background to leverage. His co-founding of RIDA (Returning Indian Doctors Association) with 250+ members shows a commitment to paying forward the guidance he wished he'd had.
For doctors contemplating a return, his message is clear: 70% want to come back, but fear stops most. Plan well, leverage your unique training, build your name through academics, and execute with confidence. The life you want in India is possible—but only if you're willing to walk away from the golden handcuffs when the moment comes.
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