Why Aren’t Healthcare Interns Paid? Let’s Finally Talk About It.

Let’s be real for a moment. Healthcare internships are not a few hours of casual observation. They are full-time, mentally exhausting, emotionally demanding work. So, why aren’t healthcare interns—whether MBBS, BAMS, BDS, Nursing, or allied health—being paid for it?

We wake up before sunrise. Reach hospitals on time. Take vitals, assist with procedures, write case papers, prepare discharge summaries, do ward rounds, deal with frustrated patients, confused relatives, and sometimes rude staff. We see trauma, birth, and death all in one shift. And we do it with responsibility and seriousness. Isn’t that labor?

And yet—zero pay. Not even a basic stipend. Not even lunch compensation.

So what’s the justification?

“It’s part of your education.”
“You’re still learning.”
“Doctors are supposed to be selfless.”

But here’s the contradiction: engineers, business grads, even design students are also still learning, and they get paid internships. Why the double standard in healthcare?

Here’s the hard truth:
We are working under the label of “interns,” but performing duties often equivalent to junior staff. In understaffed hospitals, interns are treated as free labor—without contracts, rights, or support. We work weekends, night shifts, and emergency duties. We are expected to be available round-the-clock… but our effort has zero monetary value?

How does that make sense?

Let’s talk about the reality no one highlights:
Some interns travel 2 hours daily to reach their hospital.
Many come from middle-class or rural backgrounds, struggling to afford food and rent.
Some take extra tuitions or freelance work just to survive—while doing full-time unpaid work in hospitals.

Is this sustainable? Is this fair?

If healthcare is a pillar of society, shouldn’t the people training to serve it be treated with respect, dignity, and basic compensation?

And no, we’re not asking for six-figure salaries. We’re asking for acknowledgement. For a stipend that covers transport, food, and reminds us that our time and effort matter.

So here’s a question for everyone reading this:
Why is it normalized that healthcare students must struggle financially during the most intense phase of their training?
Would this be acceptable in any other profession?

If you're a student, intern, doctor, or someone from outside the healthcare world—what’s your take? Should healthcare internships be unpaid just because “that’s how it’s always been”? Or is it time for change?

Let’s start a conversation that’s long overdue.

Drop your thoughts below
Let’s be loud. Let’s be heard. Let’s push for fairness.