TED NewsDek, New Delhi: Postdoctoral MD/MS candidates are now required to go through a mandatory in-house rotation of 3 months in district hospitals. This program, which also includes those pursuing PG Diploma courses, will be a part of their graduate course syllabus.
The Medical Council of India, in collaboration with the Board of Governors (BoG- MCI), added a District Residency Programme (RDP). A gazette notification related to ‘Postgraduate Medical Education (Amendment) Regulations, 2020 included the new addition.
The gazette notification, published on September 16th, stated the main aim of the DRP to is subject the candidates to District Healthcare System. Another objective is to encourage them to actively participate in the healthcare services at the District Hospital to incorporate the idea of learning while serving. The DRP plans to familiarise them with the planning, implementation, surveilling and gradation of results of the National Health Programmes at the District level. Additional goals include orientation of the postdoctoral candidates to promotive, preventive, curative and rehabilitative services. These services are offered by different healthcare workers under the National Health Mission.
The rotation which will happen in the 3rd or 4th semester of the programme will also help in the reinforcement of District Health System services. These candidates will serve in the capacity of speciality resident doctors, contributing as part of the district medical teams.
According to BoG-MCI in the notification, there are two important pillars of postgraduate medical training. Firstly, the process of learning should be inspired by and directed at the requirements of society. Secondly, doctors should be exposed to varying conditions while training, including those that are community- based. District Hospitals, as part of the District Health System, form an essential part of the nation’s public healthcare system.
District Hospitals also include multi-speciality care centres facilitating comprehensive secondary level care. As per the notification, these medical facilities are easily accessible to the public, than most medical colleges, providing huge medical help to the citizens.
Students of pre or paramedical streams like Anatomy, Biochemistry, Community Medicine, Forensic Medicine, Microbiology, Pathology, Physiology, and Pharmacology, will be provided training from the District Hospital and Health System teams with available resources. These teams will collaborate with the District Health Officer or Chief Medical Officer, according to the DRP.
The postdoctoral candidates will be trained in and participate in the diagnostic, laboratories services, pharmacy services, forensic services, general clinical services, managerial duties and public health programmes etc. whenever possible. The notification added that the candidates might get placed in research units or facilities, laboratories and field sites of the Indian Council of Medical Research and other national research organizations.
The notification also states that the District Residents will receive full stipend or salary from their medical colleges. This will be applicable within the period of the rotation, which will be evaluated according to their attendance, which will be observed by the concerned district authorities of their concerned medical college or institution.
The candidates will be allowed to sit for the final examination of their respective postgraduate course after they complete the District Residency with satisfactory performance. The postgraduate candidates from the North-East Zones (NEZ) can participate in the DRP, as the government has permitted for them to do so.
The Medical authorities to provide DRPs to the postdoctoral candidates is a great move. It will help the candidates receive the first-hand experience in serving the public while working with District Hospitals. Additionally, it will add to their medical character as well.
