The core problem is this: who am I?
Unless the medical professional have clear cut clarity, how can they decide- how to behave? govt charging hospitals as commercial entities but expecting professional services. patients think every medical error and medical accidents can be sued under consumer court/civil court. police think doctors are criminals and file culpable homicide FIRs when ever allegation of negligence.
So, Who am I ? professional+ service man+ business man +entrepreneur +criminal? is there any profession with such ambiguous nature of challenges?
Doctors in India are forced to operate under conflicting and contradictory expectations, with no clear, consistent definition of their role.
This creates the impossible situation
- If a doctor behaves purely as a professional, the system (costs, regulations, competition) pushes them towards commercial behavior.
- If they behave as a businessman, society and media attack them for being “money-minded”.
- If any adverse event happens, they can be dragged into consumer court, civil court, and criminal court simultaneously.
Is there any other profession with this level of ambiguity?
Very few.
- Lawyers are clearly professionals.
- Chartered Accountants are professionals with commercial elements, but they are not routinely threatened with culpable homicide cases.
- Engineers and architects face civil liability, but rarely criminal FIRs for every failure.
- Only doctors face this unique combination of:
- High emotional expectation (service)
- High commercial pressure
- High legal risk (civil + criminal)
- Public and media hostility in case of any adverse outcome
Root Cause :
There is *no clear national consensus on what medical practice actually is in modern India. Different arms of the state and society apply different standards at the same time.
Until this fundamental confusion is resolved — by law, policy, and public understanding — doctors will continue to face this identity crisis and defensive practice will keep increasing.

As a neurosurgeon in Mumbai, my job is often to remind patients that painless swellings should never be ignored, as there could be several underlying diseases that could be causing the lump.
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