Tamil Nadu - Tiruchi   

“Quality of medical education deteriorating”

— Photo: R. Ashok

Momentous occasion: K. Meer Musthafa Hussain, Vice-Chancellor, Tamil Nadu Dr. MGR Medical University, conferring degree on a student at the convocation of K. A. P. Viswanatham Government Medical College in Tiruchi on Tuesday. T .P. Kalanidhi, second from left, Director of Medical Education, P. Ravishankar, right, Dean, are seen.

TIRUCHI: The demand for teachers of medicine has reached alarming heights, pointing towards an unhealthy trend in the field of medicine across the world, K. Meer Musthafa Hussain, Vice-Chancellor, Tamil Nadu Dr. MGR Medical University, said.

Speaking at the fifth graduation day and 10th anniversary celebrations of K. A. P. Viswanatham Government Medical College Hospital on Tuesday, Dr. Hussain observed that quality of medical education was on the decline with the dearth of teachers to train the students. Increasing importance to specialisations has created a demand for teachers in basic medical sciences like anatomy, physiology and biochemistry as teachers of these courses were well-paid at private medical colleges.

Similar was the scenario in the case of general physicians and surgeons, he said urging the students to opt for these courses that promised greater scope. Seats for postgraduate medical programmes offered at colleges across the country were insufficient to accommodate even a small chunk of MBBS graduates. He expressed the hope that there would be increase in postgraduate seats in private medical colleges to meet the rising demand.

Despite a substantial increase in healthcare facilities in the country, the difference in doctor-patient ratio was disturbingly high. Medical education, across the globe, was moving towards evidence-based medicine and medicos had to update their knowledge every day. Referring to the practical exposure to the medical students, Dr. Hussain said students in India enjoy good amount of training resources that the Western countries lack.

The Director of Medical Education T. P. Kalanidhi urged the students to cultivate empathy and treat their patients with utmost care. Students, he said, must be equipped with sound knowledge in their area of specialisation and adopt a humane approach for a better patient care.

Dean of medical college P. Ravishankar presided and Deputy Superintendent of K. A. P. V. Government Medical College hospital N. Balasubramanian offered felicitations. Eighty-six students received their degrees.

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