State medical body opposes move to increase internship tenure
Indian Medical Association (IMA), Punjab, on Thursday supported medical students agitating against the move of Medical Council of India under directions from the Central government to increase the internship tenure from one to two years and the mandatory one year rural service to be eligible to take admission in post-graduation.
Indian Medical Association (IMA), Punjab, on Thursday supported medical students agitating against the move of Medical Council of India under directions from the Central government to increase the internship tenure from one to two years and the mandatory one year rural service to be eligible to take admission in post-graduation.
Dr Manoj Sobti, president, IMA Punjab, demanded that this 'illogical' decision to increase the duration of the 'already longest professional' course should be dropped. "The government has no moral right to take such decisions of far reaching consequences which would impact the career of thousands of doctors," he added.
He also said that on the one hand, the government was trying to introduce a 3.5-year shortened medical course to produce doctors in rural areas but on the other hand, it was taking an 'illogical' move to increase the MBBS course duration in urban areas.
"If the policy makers think that urban people deserve 7.5 years to complete their MBBS course to become trained doctors, then on what basis the government thinks that half-baked doctors of the rural areas just after 3.5 years in medical colleges would be able to serve in rural areas," Sobti said.
Meanwhile, members of the IMA have urged the Central government to rethink the decision.