Why medical students will not practice in rural areas: evidence from a survey

A survey of medical students was held in order to determine the reasons why they were not willing to set up practice in rural areas after graduation. The reasons they gave were quite typical: lack of facilities, lack of opportunities for themselves and their family, poor income, etc. We also discovered that not many were acquainted with rural health conditions and a very great percentage wanted to go to the West for specialisation. We have tried to set their responses in light of the socio-economic and political system prevalent in a typical capitalist UDC. The conclusion that we have reached is that it is the class system in these societies which has determined the responses of the students, and it is the main factor which causes a dearth of medical manpower in rural areas.