MOST URGENT
To,
The Chairman
BOG,MCI
New Delhi 12-01-2011
To,
The Chairman
BOG,MCI
New Delhi 12-01-2011
Sir,
Sub: Representation o VISION 2015 document pertaining to
Forensic medicine & Toxicology subject
Ref: VISION 2015 document & Faculty reduction in Forensic medicine & toxicology
-------------------------------
Kindly go through following statement…….an excerpt from VISION 2015 document , from MCI website
“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 of VISION 2015 document.
The above comment is by the expert team meant for MCI proposed UG medical education working group-2010 Vision2015.
Kindly go through following statement…….an excerpt from VISION 2015 document , from MCI website
“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 of VISION 2015 document.
The above comment is by the expert team meant for MCI proposed UG medical education working group-2010 Vision2015.
Views put forth:
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 3 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 by virtue of basic Forensic medicine knowledge gained during UG course & under the guidance of Forensic faculty. In the event of death, the autopsies are conducted by Forensic faculty in medical colleges, medical officers in Government hospitals. 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 medico-legal reports for effective pleading. Even the best criminal counsel is ignorant of legal aspects of medicine, medicine and intricacies of medico-legal cases and cannot be considered to train UG students.
Hence, instead of overburdening the other subject faculty who are not competent in Forensic field, MCI 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 either by Forensic faculty or retired Government doctors (Medical officers). The NHRC (National Human rights commission) relies on experts report in custodial deaths,etc. On many occasions Honourable Supreme Court & High courts have warned, passed strictures on doctors in medico-legal matters. They have openly suggested to strengthen medico-legal training which can be effectively & efficiently done only by Forensic faculty..
The MCI should aim at strengthening this subject by taking help of Forensic experts to revamp curriculum. One such effort at national level was done by Justice Venkatachaliah as per GOI request by constituting team representing Forensic experts, Prosecutors & Judges and had wide debate at national level. The report was submitted about 2 years back & is gathering dust.
The need of hour is swift, stubborn and robust action and strict vigilance in its implementaion.One of the functions of MCI is to maintain uniformity & standard in medical education. The MCI must observe that though all medical colleges affiliated to various universities, deemed universities come under MCI they, do not maintain standard & uniformity in teaching practical & theory. These sorry states of affairs exist in all subjects and very purpose of existence of MCI is getting defeated.
The MCI as assured must roll back faculty strength in Forensic medicine and rather increase faculty strength as suggested by Indian academy of Forensic medicine, Karnatka medico-legal society, Indian society of toxicology & others. Let the MCI think of tackling this issue so as to produce efficient doctors who are respected all over the world. The respect gained by Indian doctors in the past was because of their skills and we were not slaves of high-tech gadgets for diagnosis & treatment.
Let us aim at bringing back lost glory of medical profession by implementing the standard & uniform curriculum in all subjects throughout India without fear or favour.
Yours Faithfully
DR.SHASHIDHAR.C.MESTRI
PROF OF FORENSIC MEDICINE & TOXICOLOGY
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 3 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 by virtue of basic Forensic medicine knowledge gained during UG course & under the guidance of Forensic faculty. In the event of death, the autopsies are conducted by Forensic faculty in medical colleges, medical officers in Government hospitals. 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 medico-legal reports for effective pleading. Even the best criminal counsel is ignorant of legal aspects of medicine, medicine and intricacies of medico-legal cases and cannot be considered to train UG students.
Hence, instead of overburdening the other subject faculty who are not competent in Forensic field, MCI 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 either by Forensic faculty or retired Government doctors (Medical officers). The NHRC (National Human rights commission) relies on experts report in custodial deaths,etc. On many occasions Honourable Supreme Court & High courts have warned, passed strictures on doctors in medico-legal matters. They have openly suggested to strengthen medico-legal training which can be effectively & efficiently done only by Forensic faculty..
The MCI should aim at strengthening this subject by taking help of Forensic experts to revamp curriculum. One such effort at national level was done by Justice Venkatachaliah as per GOI request by constituting team representing Forensic experts, Prosecutors & Judges and had wide debate at national level. The report was submitted about 2 years back & is gathering dust.
The need of hour is swift, stubborn and robust action and strict vigilance in its implementaion.One of the functions of MCI is to maintain uniformity & standard in medical education. The MCI must observe that though all medical colleges affiliated to various universities, deemed universities come under MCI they, do not maintain standard & uniformity in teaching practical & theory. These sorry states of affairs exist in all subjects and very purpose of existence of MCI is getting defeated.
The MCI as assured must roll back faculty strength in Forensic medicine and rather increase faculty strength as suggested by Indian academy of Forensic medicine, Karnatka medico-legal society, Indian society of toxicology & others. Let the MCI think of tackling this issue so as to produce efficient doctors who are respected all over the world. The respect gained by Indian doctors in the past was because of their skills and we were not slaves of high-tech gadgets for diagnosis & treatment.
Let us aim at bringing back lost glory of medical profession by implementing the standard & uniform curriculum in all subjects throughout India without fear or favour.
Yours Faithfully
DR.SHASHIDHAR.C.MESTRI
PROF OF FORENSIC MEDICINE & TOXICOLOGY
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