‘Address mental health crisis in Maha’s resident docs’

MARD demands waiver of penalty for resident doctors with mental health issues; highlights toxic work culture and long hours as reasons for mental health crisis.

MUMBAI: The Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) has demanded that resident doctors who wish to opt out of the three-year post-graduation course on account of mental health issues should not be penalised by the Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER). At present, a resident doctor has to pay ₹20 lakh as a penalty for leaving the seat.

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Dr Abhijit Helge, president, Central MARD, said the association had taken up several cases where resident doctors had even undergone psychiatric treatment and wanted to leave the course but could not because of the heavy penalty. “We are only asking DMER to consider waiving the penalty for those with mental health issues, not for other reasons” said Dr Helge. “It can put the doctors through a psychiatric evaluation to establish the mental illness. We need these policy changes.”

On October 20, MARD wrote to the governor regarding the mental health crisis in the state’s resident doctors. “Alarmingly, Maharashtra ranks second in the nation when it comes to suicides by medical students,” said Dr Sarbik De, vice-president, Central MARD. “As per Lok Sabha data, 14 medical students have lost their lives to suicide in the last five years, 11 post-graduate students among them.”

MARD representatives said that when they attempted to find the reason for resident doctors resorting to the extreme measure of suicide, their research highlighted toxic seniority, leading to a hostile work culture, as one of the prime reasons. “In many institutes and multiple departments, resident doctors face humiliation, public embarrassment and indignity on a daily basis from their seniors,” said Dr Helge.

Dr De said that MARD, in its November 6 letter to the medical education commissioner, proposed a grievance redressal committee at both college level and state level. “It will serve as a platform for resident doctors to voice their concerns, seek guidance and receive assistance for any challenges they face,” he said. “The committee should meet every month. This will be one step towards the mental well-being of resident doctors in the state.”

The long working hours (100 to 120 hours per week with on-call duties stretching up to 36 hours at times) are another reason for the increase in mental health issues among resident doctors. “We have been demanding regularisation of working hours as per the National Medical Council guidelines, which is a maximum of 48 working hours per week, at least one weekly off and a maximum of 12 hours of work per shift,” said Dr Helge. “Many resident doctors, especially those in the medicine and surgery departments, work 48 hours at a stretch.”

Dr Dilip Mhaisekar, director of DMER, said the directorate would meet MARD representatives in the first week of December. “We received their letter just before Diwali,” he said. “We will discuss their concerns and see what can be done.”