The Division of Emergency Medicine at the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences has taken up the task of introducing a new discipline in medicine for excellence in emergency care.
Described as a new initiative, AIIMS has collaborated with Division of Emergency Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, in this endeavour. Dr. Sanjeev Bhoi of the AIIMS JPN Apex Trauma Centre (Emergency Medicine) and Dr. Sagar Galwankar from the University of South Florida, Tampa, are spearheading the initiative. This is the fifth year of collaboration between AIIMS and University of South Florida.
Pointing that the Medical Council of India has recognised emergency medicine as a separate specialty, Dr. Bhoi said: “To teach post-graduate students, we need to have teachers specialising in emergency medicine. We have started an online course from December 15. More than 20 candidates including me are taking up the exam. Every month there will be a test for six days and the final exam will be on October 5, 2010. Anybody who has taught at a medical college can appear for the exam.”
In its efforts to popularise emergency medicine, AIIMS has taken along with it 60 medical colleges that are recognised by the Medical Council of India. “Emergency medicine is already an existing speciality in the United States but here we are lagging behind,” added Dr. Bhoi.
Dr. Sagar Galwankar from the University of South Florida is conducting tests to produce doctors who are experts at multi-tasking. “After finishing the course, doctors would become competent enough to handle heart patients and accident victims. In short, he will act a life saver and then the patient can be treated at Intensive Care Unit,” added Dr. Bhoi.
In fact, on the eve of the golden jubilee celebration of Assam Medical College, Dibrugarh, AIIMS received an invitation to conduct CME-cum workshop on emergency medicine. The workshop provided a platform to initiate networking with other medical colleges of the North-East region through Assam Medical College to develop robust emergency and trauma care programme.
Distance learning initiative was also started through telemedicine facility of AIIMS and Assam Medical College. Regular virtual classes will be held through this programme. From AIIMS, the initiative was spearheaded by Dr. M. C. Misra, chief of the JPN Apex Trauma Centre.
