A social media user made waves last week after revealing that his Indian doctor had paid a mere $800 to complete his “entire education”. The post sparked a wave of racist commentary — with many insisting that they would have “walked out” or refused to let the doctor treat them after discovering this information. Several X users also contrasted this against the extensive fees paid during medical training in America — claiming with confidence that his degree was ‘fake’ and training insufficient.
“I went to a walk-in, Indian Doctor. He was a young guy. He told me he went to medical school in India, and that his entire education cost about $800.00 Interesting stuff,” the X user wrote.
The post has since sparked a wave of ill-informed claims and marked biases — with many Americans urging the original poster to “run” from treatment.
‘Poorly trained frauds’
The comment section took a sharply racist turn with many insisting that it was “unfair to US people patients and doctors” to have such a practitioner. Several social media users appeared baffled that the original poster had not “run away” from the doctor while others questioned his competence. A section of the internet also remained convinced that the degree was ‘fake’ as it had cost less than the US equivalent.
“They go straight from high school into ‘medical school’. The crime is that American law allows these poorly trained frauds to practice here in the states,” fumed one user.
“I wouldn’t let him take my blood pressure,” insisted another.
“I’d run for the hills!” urged a third.
“That’s how much their fake credentialing industries charge,” claimed a fourth.
“Translation. He paid 800 dollars for a pdf,” said a fifth user.
What are the steps to become a doctor in the US?
Indian doctors practicing in the US are required to pass several qualifying examinations and meet specific requirements — ensuring their training it at par with local standards. Foreign medicos have to secure certification from the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates to verify their credentials before passing the three-step United States Medical Licensing Examination. Most are also required to complete a US residency program and obtain a state medical license to practice independently — with exact rules varying from location to location.
‘No student debts and…’
Others on social media tried to offer a counterpoint — explaining that medical training costs were subsidised by the government in public institutes.
“India has high-quality, government-subsidized higher education. The competition is really tough to get into such colleges as the seats are few and the people applying are many more. These are considered the best colleges and better than almost all private colleges in India,” wrote one user.
“That’s because he went to a government-funded college. India doesn’t trap it’s students under student debts like other countries,” another added.