Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Ukraine-returnee medicos Free Press talked to are in a wait and watch mode as the country is facing war with Russia.
The war has put a brake on their education and this has worried those who had just started their degree course in Ukrainian universities and also those who were about to finish it, ready to return home and practice medicine.
A student who is in the final year of his degree from Sumy State Medical University, Narendra Makwana, said, ìIn Ukraine, the medical course is of seven-and-a-half years, including internship and there is a provision of completing it in 10 years. This means, we have a window of three years. Instead of hurrying for Indian universities, we are willing to wait till the situation improves. We have faith that there will be a dawn soon.
Kashvi Tave, who hails from Jabalpur and is pursuing her final-year at Chernivtsi in Ukraine, said, I am keeping tabs of everything that is happening between Ukraine and Russia. I have never read or watched so much news ever like I am doing now. This is emotional as that country is my second home. I have spent five years of my life there. I will definitely wait this tough period out and go back there to resume my degree. I am trying to stay positive amidst everything.
ìWe spent over six months studying online during lockdown. We can do that again. Our universities are trying to figure out a plan on how to continue our studies. They have declared vacations for now and told us that once the situation is better, they would start online classes. We will take those. I have no plans of switching careers or university,î said Sanskar Verma, who hails from Bareilly near Bhopal and is in the second year of his MBBS degree.
When asked about the plans of shifting to another university in the UK or Australia, the students said they would rather wait for a concrete plan by the Indian or Ukrainian government.
A fifth year medical student from Raghogarh, Kuldeep Dhakad, said, ìWe don't want to rush at the moment. We donít know what the governmentís plans are. But we are hopeful that the government will find a way out. Until then we would rather wait and watch.
