"Social Profile of Indian Physicians "

Abstract

This paper describes the social profile of 200 physicians, practicing medical profession in Bangalore City of the State of Karnataka. The paper explores the personal, family and educational background of the physicians. This would enable us not only to have a social profile of the medical practitioners in the social system, but may also be of relevance in explaining their professional performance. An important finding of the study reveals that the proportion of those coming from higher social origins being marginally higher at 55 percent. It could be indicating to a trend in which the share of less privileged in higher ranking professions is on the rise. An attempt is made to understand the implications of social origin for other traits. The findings reveal that social origin varies significantly with rural urban background, basis for medical education, age at thinking of medical professions and educational grades of the physicians. However, it varies independent of gender, age and educational achievements of the physicians studied.