I request the Forensic medicine & toxicology associations to add to my views and send a draft to MCI on or before 15-01-2011 lest we may have to fight again against their irrational, impractical decision likely to arrive in 2011. The need of hour is swift, stubborn and robust resistance.
Kindly go through following statement…….
“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.” Page-15
The above comment is bythe expert team meant for MCI proposed UG medical education working group-2010.
Comments:
It is very unfortunate that the team still feels that Forensic medicine & Toxicology can be taught by faculty of pharmacology, surgery, etc like what was practiced about 2 decades back.
They should realize that it is a full pledged subject which can be handled by only Forensic experts and to be practiced by clinicians! If the team surveys, they shall realize how many clinicians are confident of teaching and as well as handling medic-legal cases. As far as toxicology is concerned how they can feel that it can be taught by a pharmacologist who is well versed with medicines and not drugs and poisons. The pharmacologists are already overburdened with ever-growing medicines and their pharmacokinetics. If any one of the team knows how the medico -legal cases are handled in institutions, they would not have come out with such impractical suggestions. Casualty is managed by medical officers under the guidance of Forensic faculty. In the event of death, the autopsies are conducted by Forensic faculty in medical colleges. Thus the clinicians are free from medico-legal hassles, attending courts and can concentrate on their job in which they are skilled.
As regards to legal experts who are non medical experts and they can only effectively and efficiently represent cases in courts of course with able guidance of Forensic expert’s with medico-legal reports for effective pleading. The best criminal counsel is ignorant of medicine and intricacies of medico-legal cases and cannot be considered to train UG students.
Hence, instead of overburdening the other subject faculty over not competent in Forensic field, they should utilize Forensic faculty effectively in integrated teaching and increase faculty strength in medical colleges and also increase PG seats and encourage youngsters to enter this field by giving incentives.
The team must be aware of the fact that even in corporate hospitals, nursing homes of many cities, the medico-legal cases are handled by either Forensic faculty or retired Government doctors (Medical officers).
I request the Forensic medicine & toxicology associations to add to my views and send a draft to MCI on or before 15-01-2011 lest we may have to fight again against their irrational, impractical decision likely to arrive in 2011.
The need of hour is swift, stubborn and robust resistance.
Yours Sincerely
DR.SHASHIDHAR.C.MESTRI
PROF OF FORENSIC MEDICINE & TOXICOLOGY
Respected sir, i agree with your views. BOG is behaving in an autocratic way!
ReplyDeletei agree
ReplyDeleteThe Forensic medicine is much more than what the present committee feels. It is a science/specialty by itself and is essential. The next committee will feel like, "Anatomy, physiology and Biochemistry will be taught by surgeons and gynecologists". There are other areas like medical ethics, medical jurisprudence etc. which shall be taught by Forensic medicine people only.
ReplyDeleteDr T.A.Vasu, M.S., LL.B., Associate Professor of surgery, Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram.