Students hail MCI move

Students on the whole welcomed the Medical Council of India’s (MCI) plan of shortening the duration of MBBS course by one year from the next academic year. They feel it would help them concentrate on their duty and brush up their skills as well.

But Dr Putta Srinivas, Principal of the Osmania Medical College and also a member of the MCI, stated that nothing has been finalised yet and the plan was also not circulated to the members. Ketan Desai, President of MCI however has dropped enough hints on Wednesday that the new proposal would be discussed in the academic council meeting next week.

According to him, this would provide an opportunity for the rural students to get into the medical stream. “Only 300 out of India’s 604 districts have health colleges. There are 34,000 healthcare seats available at the MBBS level out of which only 10,000 are left for general students after reservations. Some very good students are left out due to stiff levels of competition where largely the metropolitan students score better on account of greater coaching facility,” Desai explained.

State students were categorical in their opinion to say that the present duration is too lengthy. “The broad distribution of the curriculum is: one year for the first year; 18 months for second year; one year each for third and fourth years and one year for internship. All together it comes to more than five-and-half years, which is, no doubt, rather lengthy. The second year- which was of one-and-half year duration, can be cut down to one year as most of the students while away by going on tours in the name of academics. Students, who opt to attend the PULSE, the annual socio-cultural festival of AIIMS, which is conducted just for a week, would travel around entire north India. This distracts to a great extent and the focus on academics takes a beating. I believe this can be stopped only by shortening the duration of the course,” Dr Sindhu Vaddamani, a student who completed her UG course in Osmania Medical College recently told The Hans India.

The second year is very crucial in a sense that the basics of many a subject would be taught in that year. It would help the students prepare well for the PG exams after three years. Every moment is precious,” Sindhu felt.

“The MCI wants to include the forensic medicine into pathology. This is a welcome move. I think there would be no pressure on the students if the curriculum is redrawn and duration is cut,” Dr Abhishek, a medico who is also the leader of JUDA of Gandhi Medical College opined. “It appears that the MCI wants to focus on clinical exposure. I believe the quality would not be diluted with this measure,” he averred.

Dr Imaduddin, another medico, who completed MBBS course last year at OMC however strongly felt that the present system should not be altered. “The study tours, if undertaken seriously, would help students brush up their skills. In second year, though everybody feels that the duration is rather lengthy, it would provide them a chance to study. It is necessary to read more especially in the present context of exam-centric studies,” he said.

But he suggested that the one year compulsory rural service should be clubbed with that of one-year internship. “Nobody should be placed directly at the rural PHCs since the equipment is far from satisfactory. Since he is inexperienced, he cannot handle the patients properly. Rather, the duration of social preventive medicine which is presently two months, should be extended so as to cater the needs of rural people” he explained.

As per the reports, the rural health study course has already been virtually finalised by the MCI and even is likely to be spoken of in a conference with vice-chancellors of universities, and health secretaries on February 4.