Being a dispensing prescriber in rural South India.

Kerala state at the Southern tip of India leads the country in many parameters of human development. Kerala is densely populated and is an almost continuous corridor of towns and villages. Arrikode is a small village in the Malapurram district of Kerala state. Malapurram is populated mainly by Muslims. The village is situated at the district boundary with neighbouring Kozhikode. After finishing my MBBS, and with one year of work experience in a large hospital, I joined the staff of a small hospital at Arrikode. I regularly saw approximately 40 patients in the outpatient clinic, and would admit around five patients. There was another MBBS doctor in the village, who was many years senior to me. I worked in Arrikode for approximately 6 months. The professional and social isolation was the most difficult disadvantage to bear; however, the strain of always being on call also took its toll.