E-Paper
Ukraine-returned med students: Sans practical skill medicos apprehensive
Many Indian students – including many from UP – who were studying in Ukraine, returned to India during the pandemic and could not return due to the subsequent war
Many Indian students – including many from UP – who were studying in Ukraine, returned to India during the pandemic and could not return due to the subsequent war.
Many of them have been attending classes online, even completing a semester remotely for two years in a row now. Even though the online classes are going on, some of them in their final year are uncertain about their future as they say they lack practical knowledge and find it tough to get internships in India.
The Nation Medical Commission that regulates Indian medical education and medical professionals decided to accommodate final year students, on Thursday. Those who have completed their degree and have been granted a course compilation certificate by the respective institute before June 30, 2022, will be allowed to intern after clearing Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE).
They are in a dilemma whether to prepare for the FMGE or wait for things to normalise, which is unlikely any time soon.
“I’m confused as the online semester is going to begin from the first week of September. Our studies were affected for 2 years by Covid-19 and then the war. Though online classes were going on, it hardly has any relevance in absence of practical exposure,” said Shivam Singh from Jaunpur who is in his 6th or final year and studying in the Rectorate of O.O. Bogomolets National Medical University, at Kyiv, Ukraine.
“We have no choice. I’ve been trying to land an internship or at least for observations but I have been declined. Those junior to me are getting as those having links in pvt hospitals are getting. I have a choice to prepare for FMGE which is very tough to clear or to wait for things to normalise,” he added.
Dhawal Kumar Verma who is also in the 6th semester in the same university and returned during Covid-19 is temporarily practising in Midland Hospital in Lucknow, said, “The NMC should consider us too. This is an unprecedented situation and we should not be made to pay for this. We vote for the government, they must think for us,” added.
“Even if we get transferred to Indian universities, it will be of no use to us as our knowledge is equal to a nursing staff right now,” said Akriti Chitransh from Jalaun a 5th year student at Kyiv university and has returned to India through the Mission Ganga initiative of the government. “All the years went with Covid-19 and war, even when we were taking offline classes, those were just basics. Our university has agreed to transfer to other countries but those are very expensive and not affordable,” she added.
