A video of hepatologist Dr Cyriac Abby Philips, popularly known as The Liver Doc, speaking about the salary structure in his field has sparked a discussion on social media. In a podcast with Nachiket Bhatia, Philips spoke about what young hepatologists may earn after completing their specialised training and how the numbers can vary widely depending on the hospital, academic background and programme structure.
(Also read: 'Stop sending children to CBSE': Liver Doc suggests IB, Cambridge boards amid OSM row)
Doctor speaks about pay in hepatology
In the video, Philips said, "For example, you are a fresh-out Hepatologist, you might get about ₹1 lakh, ₹1.2 lakh - ₹1.3 lakh maximum. But, a lot of these hospitals, what they do is, now they're giving out cuts. For example, if you send a patient for transplant, you get a commission out of it."
He further explained that government institutions and academic credentials can also influence the pay scale. "Inside a government system, is it a state college or a centralized system? A young Hepatologist with a good academic background, they might actually can get a better pay than a fresh-out Hepatologist without an academic background," he said.
Philips added that the earning potential depends heavily on whether the doctor is associated with an established programme or a newer setup. "And very importantly, if you are in a successful hepatology program, your pay would be actually better rather than you are part of a new hepatology program in a new private hospital. You might, like I said, would be getting somewhere around ₹1 to ₹1.5 lakhs only. But if you're doing it really well, you can actually start off with about ₹5 to ₹6 lakhs per month."
{{/usCountry}}Philips added that the earning potential depends heavily on whether the doctor is associated with an established programme or a newer setup. "And very importantly, if you are in a successful hepatology program, your pay would be actually better rather than you are part of a new hepatology program in a new private hospital. You might, like I said, would be getting somewhere around ₹1 to ₹1.5 lakhs only. But if you're doing it really well, you can actually start off with about ₹5 to ₹6 lakhs per month."
{{/usCountry}}(Also read: Vedant Shrivastava posts correct CBSE answer sheet, alleges marks slashed for right answer)
Instagram post calls it an honest look
Sharing the video on Instagram, Bhatia wrote, "The truth about a hepatologist’s salary. Dr. Cyriac Abby Philips, The Liver Doc, gets unusually honest about the money behind the branch. What a new hepatologist actually takes home is rarely discussed in the open. And what most aspirants don’t realise is how many invisible factors shape that number. An honest look at what this branch actually pays."
Take a look here at the video:
Social media reacts
The clip drew several reactions from social media users, with many expressing surprise at the salary figures mentioned in the video.
Reacting to the video, one user wrote, "That salary is pathetic for a super-speciality hospital." Another said, "There is no such thing as a 'fresh out' hepatologist. It takes years of specialised training to become one."
A third user expressed concern over the larger healthcare system and commented, "India may soon face an acute shortage of specialists across multiple medical fields due to the poor pay packages currently being offered. In the end, it is the people who will suffer the most."
Another user appreciated Philips for speaking openly and wrote, "Thank you, sir, for pointing that out publicly." A fifth comment simply read, "This is so true."
(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)