Sir/Madam,
At the outset, we wish all the distinguished members of the board of governors of the MCI, on behalf of the teaching faculty of Pre and Para clinical subjects of Karnataka, a very happy new year.
This is with reference to the new proposal for UG medical education as outlined in the document “Vision – 2015” (uploaded in the MCI website http//www.mciindia.org/mediaroom/announcements.aspx)
We congratulate you for the thoughts of reforming the undergraduate medical course. Although, there are definitely a finite number of good steps put forward in this direction, but an equal number of them need to be seriously contemplated. Kindly consider our suggestions which are put forth below:
1. Vision-2015 provides a wrong approach towards the pre- and para-clinical subjects, which form the basic foundation of a competent medical practioner / basic doctor.
2. The BOG-MCI formed represents only clinical subjects; there is no representation from para clinical subjects & one representation from pre clinical subjects.
3. There is no representation from young generation teaching faculty members in the BOG-MCI.
4. The statistics given by the Vision-2015 appears to be wrong. If it is compared with the document & the statistics of Govt of India (ministry of health & family welfare-annual report/September-2010).
5. There is no clear view regarding dual/adjunct appointments and interdisciplinary appointments? What does it mean? Explain it in detail with examples.
6. The proposal speaks about education of a medical teacher in detail, but at the same time the education of a student is compromised by the proposals such as dual appointments and interdisciplinary appointments and also recruiting non medical staff ( Msc) to teach the undergraduates in a clinically oriented manner.
7. The proposal suggests the subjects as core and non-core subjects. There is no clear concept. If non-core subjects are referred to as elective or applied, these are equally important for the training of a basic doctor.
8. The proposed time frame of MBBS is four years and for IInd phase is One year. This is illogical.
9. Vision-2015 does not mention about teachers scale/protection/security.
10. Solutions for manpower shortage (particularly the teaching faculty) -
a. Tapping the consultant pool in government service departments
Comment: The Govt doctors are overburdened with administrative
works and patient overload, as the deficiency also lies in that area.
They can never do justice to the teaching job which mainly aims at
reforming a student into a competent medical doctor and not just
engaging the class for one hour.
b. Dual / adjunct appointments
Comment: What does it mean?
c. Interdisciplinary appointments
Comment: What does it mean?
d. Faculty development programme
Comment: Over-exhaustive
e. Defining career paths
Comment: ???
f. Employment of retired teachers
Comment: It serves the purpose of depicting their names for MCI
inspection only and not for teaching, as it can be evidenced
in most of the medical colleges- 90% of them are not at all
involved in any of the teaching sessions.
g. Increasing the age of superannuation in specific areas. ---
??? Specific areas??
h. Increasing the pool of young teachers by increasing postgraduate
output
Comment: This could be done in view of the new medical colleges
coming up as per your vision proposed in future.
11. The proposal also recommends revision of staff requirements. It is not clear whether the proposal says to increase or decrease the staff requirements. If the medical education quality is to be improved the staff requirement should be increased. There is no question of decreasing the staff requirement.
Changes proposed in the field of Microbiology
1. The minimum qualification for teaching undergraduate medical students in the subject of Microbiology should be MBBS. No MSc Candidates should be entertained in the Dept of Microbiology, MSc candidates conducting classes for medical students should be totally banned in medical colleges, as they cannot explain or correlate the organisms with their pathogenesis and clinical features.
2. The present deficiency shown in Microbiology subject is only 500 for whole India. Approximately 499 PG’s come out with PG degrees every year from Medical colleges (As stated in MCI web site).With the figures quoted, one can conclude that the deficiency shown is inaccurate and there is no need of dual or interdisciplinary appointment or to increase the age of retirement, as presently many of the MD Microbiology postgraduates are unemployed.
3. The present international surveys conducted suggest there are many new emerging infectious diseases and it has also been studied that Medical Microbiology is a fastest growing subject in medical field in recent years. Microbiologists have to work in Clinical Laboratories, conduct UG theory classes , Practicals, Research works, PG teaching .For all these works the minimum staff recommended by MCI is not adequate, we propose to increase the minimum staff requirement for microbiology department separately for 100,150& 250 & post graduate intake.
4. Medical Microbiologists should be provided with opportunities to do Superspecialities /Fellowship in sub subjects of Microbiology like
DM – Infectious diseases, DM. – Immunology, DM- Virology etc. At
present, this opportunity is given only to Medicine graduates & others who
have never worked in these basic subjects. If a chance be given to the
Microbiologist, they can give a better services not only in the laboratory but
also in the clinical side. This will attract the young doctors to choose this
subject as their Postgraduate course and PG seats in medical colleges will
not be vacant in future.
5. The Present MD Microbiology should be replaced by the name MD infectious diseases and Post graduate students should work in Basic Medical Microbiology for 2 years and third year they should be posted in OPD & IPD specially run for infectious diseases for their examination, Investigations , treatment & Prevention, before they could be awarded the degree. The existing MD Microbiology degree holders should be given a chance to work for 1 year in infectious disease wards and additional degree of MD infectious disease should be awarded.
6. The above importance to a degree in infectious disease is depicted because of the reason that out of 10 cases visiting a doctor, 7 cases are of infectious origin and the only the Medical microbiologist is well versed with the knowledge of infectious disease Origin, Pathogenesis, Diagnosis, Treatment, & Prophylaxis.
7. If this is recommended it will attract many young doctors to choose this speciality which will be helpful to the society to serve in a better way .
Changes proposed in the field of Biochemistry
1. The minimum qualification for teaching undergraduate medical
students in the subject of Biochemistry should be MBBS. No MSc Candidates
should be entertained in the dept of Biochemistry, MSc candidates conducting
classes to medical students should be totally banned in medical colleges as
they cant explain or correlate the biochemical and metabolic basis to the
diseases.
2. The deficiency shown in biochemistry subject is only 600 for whole India,
approximately 316 PG’s intake in Medical college (As stated in MCI web
site).with the figures quoted, one can conclude that the deficiency shown is
inaccurate and there is no need of Dual or interdisciplinary appointment or
increase in the age of retirement.
3. Rename the Dept of Biochemistry as the Department of Metabolic
disorders and Endocrinology . The current staff can be trained for this purpose by posting them to the speciality hospitals for 6 months or 1 year, the the postgraduates can be trained in this fashion.
This will fulfill the following needs of your vision -2015
1. After doing MBBS if they join Pre/Para subjects their clinical knowledge is not utilized. By incorporating such innovative ideas, we can utilize their clinical knowledge.
2. The vacant MD Biochemistry PG seats will be filled completely, because it will become a clinical branch and we can utilize them for both Teaching Biochemistry & also treating patients in Hospital & Society so your dual purpose will be fulfilled.
The details of MD Biochemistry curriculum will be posted with entitle – “A New dimension to MD Biochemistry” by statistical analysis, the poster which was presented in 18 th AMBICON at Hyderabad by – Dr Sangappa V Kashinakunti& DR Gurupadappa S Kalganada, and the feed back was collected in a prescribed format the report will be sent to you in a separate mail.
Concluding remarks
As the training of an under graduate/ postgraduate is desired to be towards a clinical oriented manner, with strong understanding of the basic sciences , ultimately to bring out a competent medical professional , the following have to be strictly implemented –
1. Non medical staff (MSc ) should never be recruited in medical colleges .
2. Dual/interdisciplinary appointments should be strictly prohibited as they affect the training of every student.
3. Requirements of a teaching faculty should be increased -from the existing, as it is severely affecting the quality of students’ education. Shortage of teachers is not seen where as unemployment is in the picture, as far as Karnataka state is considered.
4. The duration of the MBBS course should be in the right sense –
Phase I- 1 ½ years.
Phase II- 1 ½ years
Phase III- 1 ½ years
Internship- 1 year.
(As evident by the huge number of service and publication of the same
done in this regard.)
5. All the Basic sciences departments can be modified to give more of a
clinical touch as quoted above to attract more number of youngsters to
pursue in these disciplines .
6. All the teaching faculty in the private medical colleges should be covered by
Job security schemes governed by MCI & Govt of India.
7. MCI team should represent teaching faculty of all the cadres from all the
departments.
8. MCI should always be in favour of quality of students education – the proposed vision 2015 favours all through its way the private institutions only.
“Change is a rule of nature – but in the right direction and gradual – is always pleasant, lest, it may give birth to a calamity “
.
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