NEET PG Topper 2023 Interview: Dr. Punya Muralidhar (AIR 11) says there is no substitute for hardwork

NEET PG Topper Punya Murlidhar says that she grew up surrounded by doctors in the family, and they inspired her to take MBBS too. However, she found her true passion for the field of medicine in the dissection hall and lecture halls. In this article, we bring forward to you her journey, preparation strategy and many other important tips to excel in the NEET PG exam. 

NEET PG Topper Dr. Punya Muralidhar who comes from a family of doctors feels the NEET PG Exam is just the journey and not the end. She suggests student work hard, makes consistent efforts and not give up. In an exclusive interview with Shiksha.com, Dr. Muralidhar spoke about her journey to crack NEET PG 2023, tips, strategies, and last-day preparation. Read further to know more.

Q. Tell us something about your background.

A. I hail from a family of doctors as my parents and my sister are all ophthalmologists. I’m a South Indian but was born and brought up in Gujarat where I’m currently doing my internship.

Also Read:  NEET PG Topper 2023 Interview: Dr. Sagar Lamba (AIR 10) says his teachers inspired him to become Doctor

Q. What motivated you to pursue medicine as a career?

A. Since I was surrounded by doctors in my close family, choosing medicine seemed to be the obvious and easiest path to take at the time so I set out to do MBBS too, but I found my true passion for the field of medicine in the dissection hall and lecture halls. It is mesmerizing to know about the way the human body functions. When our clinical rotations started and we got to interact with patients, that’s when I knew I wanted to do this for the rest of my life. There is no greater happiness than having a positive impact on someone’s life, however small it may be.

Q. How did your family support you in your journey?

A. My parents Dr. Jigisha Muralidhar and Dr. B L Muralidhar and my sister Dr. Venu Muralidhar have been my biggest support system. They had gone through this journey before themselves so they knew of the stress and the dedication that it takes to pursue this field. Their insights in helping me take important decisions; their pep talks and their constant belief in me are what kept me going. My grandparents’ blessings were always with me throughout this journey which gave me strength and positivity.

Q. Where did you complete your rotatory internship?

A. I am currently doing my internship at Sir Sayajirao General Hospital, Medical College Baroda. I will complete it by March 31, 2023.

Q. Did you appear for any other PG medical entrance examination?

A. No this was my first attempt at NEET PG.

Q. What are your thoughts on the NEET PG 2023 postponement that many candidates requested? Do you think the exam should've been postponed?

A. I personally refrained from checking the news too often because it caused me anxiety to do so. Whenever I’m faced with situations that are not in my control; like whether the exam will be postponed or not; I like to focus on the part which I can control like working hard for the exam. I try to have faith that whatever happens will happen for the good and that helped me keep up with my preparation in those uncertain times.

Also Read: NEET PG 2023 Topper Interview: Dr. Aarushi Narwani (AIR 1) says harder you work today, the brighter you shine tomorrow

 Q. How did you prepare for NEET PG 2023?

A. I started my preparation for the lockdown in my third year of MBBS. I finished making the notes for my third year and medicine via online platforms. In my final year, I completed the notes of my final year subjects via a mixture of online and offline classes. In my internship, I made notes of my first and second-year subjects and in the second half of the year, I focused on revising and solving MCQs. During my internship year, I started giving grand tests.

Q. How much time did you devote to self-study vs. coaching and how do you manage to do both?

A. While preparing notes in my first 2 years of preparation I used to spend most of my time watching videos or attending the coaching class. Just a month or two before my university examination every year I used to self-study more, revise the notes I had prepared even read some selected topics from the standard textbooks. In my internship year I mainly focused on revising the notes I had already made and taking tests.

Q. Did you take any mock tests to prepare for NEET PG 2023 preparations?

A. Grand tests formed a major part of my preparation. I used to give one grand test every 2 weeks and it gave direction to my preparation by telling me which subjects I was weak in and needed to study first. A common misconception among students is that grand tests should only be attempted after you have completed the course because it’s a tool to test your knowledge, but this is not correct because grand tests are essential to developing your test-solving skills. Giving multiple tests builds strong intuitions and helps rule out the other options in the test. It also helps you formulate the exam day strategy.

Q. Did you have any specific exam day strategy?

A. Preparing yourself to be in a positive and confident mindset on the day of the exam is the key to getting those extra marks and pushing your rank up. In the weeks leading to the exam whenever I felt anxious I kept reinforcing positive thoughts in my head by talking to family and friends.

I trained myself to deal with anxiety so on the day of the exam I was feeling positive, confident and even a little excited to start the test. I attempted all the questions because I had been good at guessing in my previous grand tests and the strategy of aggressively attempting questions worked for me.

Q. What are your hobbies and did you find time to engage in your hobbies throughout your NEET PG 2023 preparations?

A. During the start of my preparation in the lockdown I had a lot of time to pursue my hobbies and prepare for NEET simultaneously. Whenever I got the time I sketched and I also loved dancing with my sister. I also conducted and published ICMR-approved research at the time. But during my internship due to heavy duties I couldn’t pursue any hobbies but I participated in a couple of national quizzes. I used to unwind by spending time with family and meeting up with friends.

Q. Any message or advice for future medical aspirants?

A.  My advice to all my juniors will be to dream big. The most important step to doing something big is thinking that you can do it. Trust the process and make consistent efforts as there is no substitute for hard work. Surround yourself with positive and encouraging people and keep them close. At the end, this exam is just a part of your journey to be a good doctor for society, it is not the end goal.

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