In response to the mail of Dr. Adarsh Kumar, General Secretary, IAFM, a meeting was called in the Dept of Forensic Medicine, at JSS Medical College, Mysore on 05/01/11 to discuss the matter in question.
The meeting was attended by representatives of Forensic Medicine, from, Karnataka (Mysore, Manipal and Bangalore), Tamilnadu (Chennai), Kerala (Kottayam) and Andhra Pradesh (Nandyal).
Here with we furnish the minutes of meeting for the perusal of Forensic faculty from across the country. We suggest that the contents of this letter shall be used to put forth the views and concerns of Forensic Medicine to the policy makers of MCI, in relation to the proposed ‘Vision 2015’ for medical curriculum.
I. In relation to the course curriculum of 2nd year MBBS:
· The total duration of MBBS shall never be reduced to 4+1 years. One can hardly do justice (both students as well as teachers) with the reduced frame of time. The committee which has proposed this, should have taken into confidence the views and concerns of teaching faculty of para clinical departments. As it is shown, there is not even a single representation from 2nd year subject experts in the said committee. The subjects of Pathology, pharmacology, forensic medicine and microbiology, do serve as strong base for the better comprehension of clinical subjects and hence assigning one and a half year to these subjects shall not be considered as wastage of time.
· When such a major alteration in the medical curriculum was contemplated, it would have been more justified, if the proposal was supplemented with acceptable and reasonable justifications. The medical faculty reserves its right to know the basis for grouping the medical subjects as A, B and C. Does it mean that subjects coming under group C are less important or NOT needed for a medical graduate? There also exist a need to know the logic in categorizing the medical subjects as 'core' and 'non-core'. In a course of MBBS, all existing subjects shall remain as 'CORE' and 'COMPULSORY'. The concepts of ‘core’ and non-core’ subjects imply that the latter category is not required for a medical graduate. All subjects in the curriculum shall be retained in toto.
· It could be said that the existing system was a ‘time honoured’ one and it did produced umpteen numbers of qualified doctors who have excelled in their chosen fields of specialties in and outside the country. The committee owes a responsibility to provide reasonable justifications as to on what basis the 2nd year is reduced from one and half year to one year. May we suggest that the existing curriculum with all subjects shall be retained as 'intact'.
However, the integrated style of teaching for ‘vision 2015’ may be approved, without lessening the teaching slots. This seems to be the ideal situation.
However, the integrated style of teaching for ‘vision 2015’ may be approved, without lessening the teaching slots. This seems to be the ideal situation.
II. In relation to the subject of FORENSIC MEDICINE in medical curriculum:
· As it is suggested in the said proposal, to seek the services of teachers from OBG, surgery, pharmacology, we submit that nothing shall be considered as 'equivalent' to a teaching by a specifically qualified teacher. This transpires that, an OBG or a surgery teacher may not be able to pick up the nuances of a rape case or an injury case in comparison to a doctor trained in MD-Forensic Medicine. Similarly, an advocate would not be able to comment on matters of MEDICO-LEGAL importance, unless he is qualified in medicine.
· Accordingly, the subject of forensic medicine shall remain as a core subject.
· As approved in the recently held meeting with BOG, the teaching hours shall be increased from the existing 100 hours to 200 hours.
· Forensic Medicine shall preferably and logically be included in clinical phase. The teaching slots shall be in 5th 6th and 7th terms and assessment shall be at the end of 7th term along with Community Medicine, ENT and Ophthalmology.
· As approved in the BOG meeting, the marks allotment shall be increased from the existing 100 marks to 200 marks, with 2 papers for assessment.
· Paper I shall be Medical Jurisprudence, forensic pathology, trauma and allied subjects of forensic medicine including anthropology. Paper II shall be clinical forensic medicine and TOXICOLOGY.
· Toxicology shall be given a total weightage of 25 to 30% in the overall syllabus of training and assessment.
III. In relation to relevance of FORENSIC MEDICINE to the medical curriculum in general and society at large:
A doctor trained in forensic medicine at the UG level, will possess a basic knowledge of law that governs the practice of medicine.
Medicolegal cases attended by MBBS doctors or doctors from other specialties are always considered as ‘less credible’ in relation to the one managed by a forensic doctor. The same has been felt and upheld by honourable courts of Law in various occasions‘(Nithari case). On the contrary, the ‘Aarushi murder case’ had to take a setback for the lack of forensic evidence.
IV. Our suggestions:
It would be more appropriate if a representation is made from teachers of 2nd MBBS, from the departments of Pathology, Forensic Medicine, Pharmacology and Microbiology.
Regards,
Meeting was attended by:
MYSORE, KARNATAKA
Dr. Balaraj B M
Dr. Manjunatha B
Dr. Arun M
Dr. M P Kumar
Dr.Chandrakanth H V
Dr.Nithin M D
Dr. Pramod Kumar G N
Dr. Hemanth Kumar R G
Dr. Varun Pai
Dr. Smitha Rani
BENGALURU, KARNATAKA
Dr.Harish S
MANIPAL, KARNATAKA
Dr.Vikram Palimar
KOTTAYAM, KERALA
Dr.Sasikala
CHENNAI, TAMILNADU
Dr.C Manohar
NANDYAL, ANDHRAPRADESH
Dr. Krishna Rao G M
Very well said sir...
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