PUNE: Monica Maruti Dabhade (25), who would have completed her MBBS course from Odessa National Medical University in Ukraine in May this year, is caught between Russia’s waging war and her academic ambitions.
Now that she has returned safely to India from war-hit Ukraine, Dabhade feels she is staring vaguely at the crossroads ahead with no one to hold her hands. “My final examination is due in May but now I will not be able to appear for it. I do not know how am I going to complete the course. There has been no communication neither from the Ukraine government nor the Indian so far,” said Monica, whose father drives an autorickshaw in Lonavla.
Now, Monica’s only hope is a decision by the Indian government on what happens next for students who have returned from Ukraine. She said the government should immediately decide on the future of the final-year medical students.
“We do not know whether we are eligible to appear for the Foreign Medical Graduates Examination (FMGE) or not now since we do not have an MBBS degree yet. If we get clarity on this, we would be able to prepare for the examination at least,” said Monica.
She said that back in 2013-14 medical students had faced a similar situation in Ukraine. “At that time, some of the medical universities from Ukraine had faxed the medical degrees to the Indian students, who were in the final year. I am hoping for a similar move from the Ukraine government this time too,” she said.
“Keeping this in mind, I am going to prepare for the FMGE, as I have only six months for preparations. If I do not clear the examination, I will not be eligible for the internship programme here in India. It would be a big academic loss for me,” she said.
Father Maruti Dabhade said it was his daughter’s dream to become a doctor but she couldn’t get an admission in any of the medical colleges in India through government quota. “We couldn’t have afforded a private college in India, so, we had to send her to Ukraine. At that time, I had to sell my two vehicles, which were in the transport business. I have put in everything for her education. She is the only hope for us. Now, the war has created an uncertain future for us. My only dream is to see her as a doctor,” he said.
Ketan Darekar, a fifth-year MBBS student from Kyiv Medical University, too, is haunted by the thought of what’s in store.
“Thus far there has been no communication from the university on how they are going to conduct classes in the coming days. We will have to wait and watch. I am praying for the situation in Ukraine to get back to normal,” said Ketan, who hails from Amble village in Purandar tehsil.
Ketan, whose parents are farmers, said they could not have afforded the fees of a private medical college in Pune.
“I have already completed five of the six-semester course. I am not in a position to switch to any other course. The Indian government should make alternative arrangements for students like us. They should give us admission to government colleges here, otherwise I will not be able to pursue my education considering the current crisis in Ukraine,” he said.
Baramati’s Pratik Pramod Balgude, too, was in the fifth year of the MBBS course in Odessa National University and had to return on March 5 because of the war. “I would have finished my fifth-year studies in June this year. Now, with the war on, I don’t know when I will finish the course,” said Balgude, who hails from a general physician’s family.
