Nov 22: The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare taking account the shortage of health professionals in rural regions of the country and the immediate need to improve the standard of health care has come with a proposal to extend the duration of MBBS course so that doctors can spend more time in countryside for their medical practice.
The Union Ministry came with the revelation that it is thinking of extend MBBS course to another year to meet the demand of doctors in rural India.
A team led by Professor R Samba Siva Rao, Additional Director General of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare interacted with Mumbai based doctors, interns, parents and faculty member to weigh the response to their ideas of extending the course duration for one more year by making necessary amendments to Medical Council of India Act.
But the Maharashtra association of Resident Doctors with interns condemned the idea in same voice terming it as a gimmick to provide fake answers to health care demands.
This high level panel has toured many states capital and with more upcoming tours to measure the response on government suggestion to submit a report next month.
Many colleges are in view that extending the duration is impracticable and rural posting should be made optional while others want that serving in rural areas should be contracted in that duration of five and half year only.
It is also reported that the majority of interns are ready to work in villages provided infrastructure and stipend should be improved.
However Professor Rao said, “Majority of them have agreed that doctors will work in rural areas during their five and a half year MBBS course, provided infrastructure is improved and the stipend is increased to Rs 8,000 from Rs 1,700. The idea is that they will work in community health centres and primary health centres for four months each and subsequently when they are offered government jobs they will not hesitate.”
But he opined that the increment in stipend is in discretion of state machinery and all they can do is to suggest guidelines based on the reports collected.
The panel after visiting Amritsar, Guwahati, Bhubaneshwar and Mumbai will visit 12 more states to get the response of faculties and student related to medical profession.
But the proposal has fueled opposition in students as many in numbers gathered to protest the ministry proposal.
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Comments:
Poornima Gaitonde
April 6, 2010 at 12:00 AM
Himangi Airon
June 30, 2009 at 12:00 AMIn my point of veiw, if the duration of MBBS is increased by one year or so, then the no. of students opting for medical will get reduced.
Already the no. of students in medical feild is very less. Its all because of the duration of MBBS.
If its about the improvement of rural health , then the students should be sent to rural areas after their MBBB course is completed for 10-12 months (should be made compulsory) . And this period should be counted as the Internship period which is the main requirement for the addmissions in their specialisation course. By this way you will help the students, as students find difficulty for their internship.
man dayal
December 7, 2007 at 12:00 AMIn my point of view, if it is about the improvment of rural health,then why the students should be posted there?the expertise should be posted there,we r student we need the more exposer to learn,and we all know there is less exposer in rural area in compare with urban,rural peoples r the animals,they should be treated eqally,so first should be posted in urban area so that we can learn more.so there is no Q of extent of course,insted we should reduce the course, so that more DRs will be produce..........
...maan
DR JASWINDER SINGH GHOTRA
December 6, 2007 at 12:00 AMin my point of view it is not fair to increase one year more for mbbs as most of girls already spend a long period as this will delayed their further pg study as well as every parents wants their daughter
's marriage should be in time so all these things keeping in mind the period should not be more than 5 and half year in village dispensary always remain shortage of medicines opd also limited
'
pawan gupta
December 4, 2007 at 12:00 AMmy opinion says that 1st we should have check over the students of interns posted ffor rural working that whether they r going for it or not and im damn sure that v'll find a negative result coz all a student needs is the certificate frm college or health services n v know very well that how they get it . so after solving this prob the health services will automatically improve
thanks alot
AW Xavier
November 23, 2007 at 12:00 AMWell, there are 2 categories of students.
1) Students supported by tax payers in a larger sacle
2) Students supported by family
It is primarily important to have Doctors at remote health centers.
Category-1 students do have the responsibility to serve the society, supported by tax payers.It is reasonable to retain the services of of these students to fulfill rural society needs. After completion of addl 1 yr at remote health center, the degree should be delivered.This makes the duration 6.5 yrs. However, the additional rural posting should be at consolidated but decent salary / enhanced decent stipend.
In case of category-2 students, compulsory rural internship already existing should be strictly implemented without exception. The degree should be delivered on completion of 1 yr internship, ie at the end of 5.5 years.
The duration of the course is already too long as compared to all other professional courses. A further enhancement of one more year will only discourage students from opting for MBBS as a career option leading to a further dearth of doctors. The govt. should split the 6 months internship into 3 months-Urban and 3 months- Rural internship. Also the basic infrastucture facility and the stipend should be improved.
06/04/10