Inspiring Comeback after 22 years: Nashik MBBS doctor, mother of 2 teens gets 817th Rank in NEET PG, bags MD Medicine seat

Mumbai: In a remarkable display of determination and perseverance, a 46-year-old Nashik resident Dr Kalyani Rakecha has defied all odds and stereotypes by pursuing her dream of becoming a specialist doctor after a hiatus of 22 years.

Dr Rakecha, a mother of two teenagers, has recently made headlines by securing the 817th rank in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for Post Graduate (NEET-PG) and qualifying for a medical degree.

She has successfully secured a seat in MD-Medicine at a private college in Nashik. She has already attended the orientation and moved into a hostel room. It's an extremely exciting and nervous moment for her as she is returning to academia after such a long time.

Rakecha's daughter Sanskruti, who is in her first year MBBS at GS Medical College (KEM Hospital), and son, who is an IIT aspirant both accompanied her during her study hours. Rakecha got married soon after her MBBS internship in 2001. She completed her MBBS from BJ Medical College, Pune.

"At that time, the PG counselling was getting delayed due to a court case. Many of my friends were enrolling in diploma courses. So I moved to Mumbai with my husband, who was pursuing MD-Medicine from Grant Medical College (JJ Hospital). I managed to get a seat in diploma pathology. By the time the course ended, I was already a mother, so we moved back to Nashik and started our practice," she told Times of India.

However, she could not let go of her dream of post-graduation. When her daughter planned to pursue medicine and started preparing for NEET-UG, she also found a new spirit to prepare for NEET PG. She thought that studying with her daughter might boost her confidence. "I was unsure if it was the right age and that too, a postgraduate degree which requires both mental and physical stamina. But I believed that learning should never stop," she said.

She took the help of online tutorials to prepare herself during the pandemic. Often she had to study 14 hours straight as she had to study around 19 subjects for NEET-PG. However, unfortunately, she could not get an MD-Medicine seat on her first attempt. She again appeared this year and successfully bagged a rank to pursue medicine which was her choice of specialization, reports the daily.

Husband Dr Sagar Rakecha was elated at her wife's achievements. "She is one strong-willed woman and very passionate about this. I know she will do well, despite her age. She has prepared for the entrance managing the house and her lab. It is not about the age, it is about the mind," he said. "You can start over again at any point in life. Just trust your instincts and have the willpower," she advised all the women out there. Rakecha is set to embark on her medical journey as a fellow resident for the next three years, demonstrating that with passion and perseverance, one can overcome any challenges and achieve their goals.