It is not clear whether they want to keep Forensic faculty in UG teaching? If forensic subject is taught by other specialties like OBG, Surgery, etc., what is work for Forensic Specialist? Where is the question of employing a Forensic Specialist in Medical Colleges (especially private medical colleges)? Are they meant for only conducting medicolegal autopsies? If so, how many private medical colleges are conducting medicolegal autopsies?
Dear Friends,
In the Medical Council of India's proposed UNDER GRADUATE MEDICAL EDUCATION, it says that
............................................. Forensic Medicine can be effectively taught during Gynaecology & Obstetrics (rape, assault), surgery (injuries), pharmacology (toxicology). Legal experts can be called for medico-legal issues. Forensic medicine skills can be acquired during internship such as documentation of medico-legal cases of alcoholism, suicide/homicide, rape, assault and injury cases...................................... MCI has welcomed comments and suggestions of the Medical fraternity, policy makers, professional organization and other stake holders, within 21 days, i.e. by 17th Jan, 2011 so as to enable them to complete the policy document.
Deadline is given in the circulars section of MCI website; currently, the link is available in the home page.http://www.mciindia.org/circulars/Notice-vision-2015.pdf
Please check the UG medical education in another section of MCI website. The proposal is attached with this mail; you can find it in the MCI website or click the linkhttp://www.mciindia.org/tools/announcement/UG-medical-education.pdf
What we feared is already in to action. We feared that Forensic Medicine may be removed from Medical Curriculum. That is going to happen if we do not fight for it.
............................................. Forensic Medicine can be effectively taught during Gynaecology & Obstetrics (rape, assault), surgery (injuries), pharmacology (toxicology). Legal experts can be called for medico-legal issues. Forensic medicine skills can be acquired during internship such as documentation of medico-legal cases of alcoholism, suicide/homicide, rape, assault and injury cases...................................... MCI has welcomed comments and suggestions of the Medical fraternity, policy makers, professional organization and other stake holders, within 21 days, i.e. by 17th Jan, 2011 so as to enable them to complete the policy document.
Deadline is given in the circulars section of MCI website; currently, the link is available in the home page.http://www.mciindia.org/circulars/Notice-vision-2015.pdf
Please check the UG medical education in another section of MCI website. The proposal is attached with this mail; you can find it in the MCI website or click the linkhttp://www.mciindia.org/tools/announcement/UG-medical-education.pdf
What we feared is already in to action. We feared that Forensic Medicine may be removed from Medical Curriculum. That is going to happen if we do not fight for it.
Dr. Deepak D'Souza has raised the following doubts/questions on this proposal:
1. (refer page no.13) Forensic medicine is categorised as 'Group C'. What does this mean?
2. (refer page no.15) Proposal suggests that 'Forensic Medicine can be effectively taught during Gynaecology & Obstetrics (rape, assault), surgery (injuries), pharmacology (toxicology)'. Does this mean that the faculty of forensic medicine should teach these topics within the syllabus of other departments (integrated teaching)?
3. (refer page no. 15) Proposal suggests that 'Legal experts can be called for medico-legal issues'. who has fed the misinformation that legal experts can teach medico-legal issues?
4. (refer page no.15) Proposal suggests that 'Forensic medicine skills can be acquired during internship such as documentation of medico-legal cases of alcoholism, suicide/homicide, rape, assault and injury cases'. Is it not a general rule that many skills can be learnt during internship? (There was no need to mention it, unless of course those aspects are proposed to be skipped during studentship. For instance, although surgical skills can be learnt during internship, they do not find a mention in this proposal which richly advocates clinical training)
I feel Deepak’s comments are more meaningful and shows the confusion caused by this new proposal. Every one knows that crime rate is increasing in India. We need to develop our knowledge to identify these vulnerable modern crimes. The demanding need required in this modern world is “developing the Forensic Medicine and Toxicology in to specialized areas such as FORENSIC PATHOLOGY, FORENSIC RADIOLOGY, FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGY, FORENSIC TOXICOLOGY, CLINICAL FORENSIC MEDICINE, etc”. According to this new proposal, “Forensic Medicine” is no more a specialization as per the subject concerned. Any person can teach forensic related topics. I feel this proposal is taking 2-3 decades back, during which the forensic subject was taught by other specialty people because of shortage of faculty.
This proposal is also confusing one. It mentions that Forensic Medicine placed in Group C along with other subjects:
Group A:
Year1- Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry;
Year 2- Pathology, Microbiology and Pharmacology
Group B:
Year 4- Medicine, Surgery, Obstetrics and Gyanecology, Paediatrics, Family Medicine and Community health
Group C :
Year 2- Forensic medicine
Year 3 and 4- ENT and Opthalmology, STD and Dermatology, Orthopaedics, Accident and Emergency Medicine, Radiology, Anaesthesia, Psychiatry.
Elective options- clinical and research electives.
It is not clear whether they want to keep Forensic faculty in UG teaching? If forensic subject is taught by other specialties like OBG, Surgery, etc., what is work for Forensic Specialist? Where is the question of employing a Forensic Specialist in Medical Colleges (especially private medical colleges)? Are they meant for only conducting medicolegal autopsies? If so, how many private medical colleges are conducting medicolegal autopsies?
It is not clear whether they want to keep Forensic faculty in UG teaching? If forensic subject is taught by other specialties like OBG, Surgery, etc., what is work for Forensic Specialist? Where is the question of employing a Forensic Specialist in Medical Colleges (especially private medical colleges)? Are they meant for only conducting medicolegal autopsies? If so, how many private medical colleges are conducting medicolegal autopsies?
“Forensic medicine skills can be acquired during internship such as documentation of medico-legal cases of alcoholism, suicide/homicide, rape, assault and injury cases”. It means that it is an optional and not a mandatory posting. As we are aware in the existing medical education system, Forensic Medicine is an optional posting along with other subjects like Radiology, Anaesthesiology, etc. But how many are coming to this posting to learn Forensic skills. In future who will join this subject as PG when job opportunities are bleak? What will happen to the quality of ‘demanding medicolegal autopsies’? After few years there will be no Forensic Experts in India. At least, to train the basic doctors to conduct autopsy there needs to existence of Forensic Specialty at the level of medical colleges. Is it a progress towards improving Health system in India?
We have left with another 17 days to file our comments on this serious issue. I request IAFM (Dr. Adarsh Kumar and other people) to take up this matter again to convince the BOG on the impact of this new proposal on medicolegal issues of the country. I request all the members to give their valuable comments and help the IAFM to draft a proper representation to BOG.
Regards,
Dr. Nagesh KR
Associate Professor,
Dept. of Forensic Medicine,
Father Muller Medical College, Mangalore-575002, Karnataka.
BOG should be sent back home.
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