Ragging in Medical College: A Nostalgic Experience

Life as a medical student is filled with a myriad of experiences, both exciting and challenging. One such experience that many students share is ragging, a sometimes mild, sometimes intense initiation process. In this article, we explore the experiences of two medical students, Bibhor Yadav and Pranav, as they navigate their way through their first year of medical school and their encounters with ragging.

Understanding the Experience of Being a Medical Student

Contrary to the commonly held belief that surgical rotations are all about precision and perfection, they can also be a humbling reminder of the challenges one faces in the field. As a medical student who is passionate about internal medicine but currently on his surgical rotation, Bibhor Yadav reflects on his journey:

Bibhor Yadav explains, 'Being a medical student who openly wants to go into Internal Medicine but now I am on my Surgery rotation. These folk were very excellent teachers for me and I loved surgery but my hands were not good enough. So I chose Medicine. The surgery residents would say to me: 'Mark.. what do you think about these labs Cool. Or Mark this patient is bonkers and you need to call the Shrink consult. Not even my patient. OK cool.' Mark scrub in with this case not to difficult. What did the flea come up with? Little snipes and I liked these folk.'

The Ragging Ritual

However, ragging is not limited to the operating theater. Bibhor Yadav shares his first experience with ragging: 'Being a first year student, I am quite eligible for this answer. I will never forget the first day of my college night when I came to know the meaning of ragging first time although it was not too much. Just they were asking to introduce ourselves but the the way they were shouting was quite. Last they loudly informed that everyone’s hairs should be cut and beared clean shaved till tomorrow morning otherwise there will be a big problem which is usually they say before going and I was barely slept that night. Later that day we were used to it.'

Similarly, in another episode, Pranav describes how he was invited to a senior’s hostel room where he and his colleagues faced an introduction session in pure Hindi, 'Firstly We had an introduction session where we were asked to introduce ourselves in pure Hindi without using any English word. Then we were tasked to act like a lizard, cockroach, and mosquito respectively. I played the role of a lizard. Its a funny memory that I miss from my time in medical college. Well that was my experience.'

Reflections on Ragging

Despite the sometimes intense nature of ragging, both students share a common sentiment – enjoyment and a sense of camaraderie. Bibhor Yadav adds, 'Although ragging is ultimately fun which you always gonna miss in your entire life, so dont take seriously it’s only the term given to ragging it doesn’t means nowadays.'

Similarly, Pranav reflects, 'Although ragging is ultimately fun which you always gonna miss in your entire life, so dont take seriously it’s only the term given to ragging it doesn’t means nowadays.'

These stories highlight the unique bond formed between senior and junior students, the unwritten rules and traditions that shape the medical college experience, and the importance of understanding the ragging culture.

Thank you for reading this nostalgic account of ragging in a medical college.