To,
Dr. DavinderKumar
Jt.Sec, UG Section
Medical Council of India
Sector-8, Pocket-14,
Dwarka, Phase 1, New Delhi-110077
Ref: VISION -2015 Document having proposed UG Medical Education placed on MCI website
on/after 28 Dec.2010
Subject: Suggestions about forensic medicine & toxicology
Sir,
Myself Dr. Pranav Prajapati is working as assistant professor in the department of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology at Surat Municipal Institute of Medical Education and Research, Surat , Gujarat since 2008.
When 60 to 70% of medicolegal work (including autopsies, clinical forensics, toxicology) in India is undertaken at present by MBBS doctors or non-forensic specialists, how can the MCI do away with the teaching of the subject altogether from the UG curriculum? Even with the basic kind of exposure that exists at present, most such doctors are all at sea when it comes to medicolegal work, and end up panicking when confronted with such cases, or furnish reports that are atrocious, leading to serious miscarriage of justice. So, isn’t the MCI aggravating the situation by making these doctors even more inept and incapable by doing away with forensic medicine?
It is a well known fact that ,many of the clinicians approach a medicolegal-colleague (No offence intended) when they have to face a courtproceeding or when they have to face an investigating officer to give statement or during medicolegal certifications for expert opinion.When they themselves are not very sure about the medicolegal matters, how will they teach the UGs effectively?
We are preparing the basic doctor for Health for all and about 80 % graduates are working in the field at PHC, CHC, Health centers and also as private practitioners. These doctors are not facing any problem about pathology, microbiology, pharmacology or any clinical subjects but they are afraid of Medicolegal cases. When any doctor in the field having a Medicolegal case he started perspiring, increase heartbeat etc. and try to contact any person who know something about the case or to department of forensic medicine & toxicology.
In view of the above, I feel (just as many others do) that the subjects of forensic medicine & toxicology must actually be strengthened (and not weakened), and must be taught along with clinical subjects in the clinical phase of MBBS course. There should be a full-fledged university examination for these subjects with two separate papers. It is inappropriate to include these subjects in the para-clinical phase along with pathology, microbiology, etc., because unlike the latter, neither forensic medicine nor toxicology falls in the category of basic medical sciences.
Teaching of forensic medicine and toxicology must be comprehensive with emphasis on clinical, pathological, analytical, and forensic aspects. For this purpose, there must be an integrated approach with relevant departments (clinical medicine, emergency medicine, surgery, gynaecology, biochemistry, pharmacology, etc). The coordinating department should be forensic medicine, since we are talking of cases which are medicolegal in nature, with substantial forensic implications.
The practical aspects of forensic medicine must include autopsy training (common cases), clinical forensics (examination of victim/accused in cases of drunkenness, assault, sexual assault, etc), and toxicology must include case-taking in poisoning/overdose, along with basic analytical exercises, and forensic autopsy exposure.
The examination pattern should be as follows:
Two papers of theory examination, one practical examination and viva voce to be conducted.
Paper 1 – Forensic Medicine and Forensic Psychiatry – 3 hours
Paper 2 – Medical Jurisprudence and Toxicology – 3 hours
Details of assessment Marks
Theory Paper 1 80
Theory Paper 2 80
Internal Assessment - Theory 20
Practical Examination
Internal Assessment – Practical 20
Viva Voce
TOTAL 300
Internship:
Rotating Internship postings of 15 days to the Forensic Medicine and toxicology department must be compulsory for all interns. For autopsy purpose the medical colleges not having autopsy facilities can depute the interns to the nearest Government/Civil hospital.
Looking in to the present scenario the crimes are increasing day by day and the criminals are using ultra modern devices and methods, the importance of subject is increasing because no subject other than FMT can go deep in the investigation because they are over burden with their own work.
I hope you will understand the importance of the subject with this small introduction and prepare the recommendations accordingly.
Any suggestion, if require any time, I will be very happy to do the same.
Thanking you
Yours sincerely,
Dr. Pranav Prajapati
MD
Assistant Professor
Forensic Medicine & Toxicology dept
SMIMER, Surat-395010
Mobile: 09426362474
Email: pprajapati79@gmail.com
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