DMER proposes waiving ₹20 lakh penalty for resident doctors leaving seats due to mental health

Mumbai: The Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER) has submitted a proposal to the state government seeking to waive the ₹20 lakh penalty imposed on resident doctors who decide to leave their seats due to mental health concerns

Mumbai: The Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER) has submitted a proposal to the state government seeking to waive the ₹20 lakh penalty imposed on resident doctors who decide to leave their seats due to mental health concerns. The current penalty has been a point of contention, drawing attention from the Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD).

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Dr Abhijit Helge, president of central MARD, emphasised the need for mental health-friendly policies in medical education, pointing out the stress and work overload contributing to burnout among medical students. The proposal comes in the wake of 85 postgraduate medical students discontinuing their studies in the past five years in the state, with 11 recorded suicides among postgraduate medical students during the same period.

“Many students, overwhelmed by stress, desire to quit but are deterred by the hefty penalty. For those hailing from rural areas, where parents work as farmers, the financial burden is a significant challenge,” said Dr Helge, in a letter addressed to the commissioner of the medical education department. emphasizing the lasting impact on their mental well-being.

Expressing dissatisfaction with sub-standard hostel conditions for resident doctors, the MARD central committee accused DMER of neglecting their concerns and demanded resolution of these issues to ensure optimal service delivery and maintain quality patient care.

MARD also demanded to set up a monthly evaluation committee in every medical college, comprising the dean, faculties from the department of psychiatry, faculties from every department, and members of MARD.

The letter says, “the objective of this committee would be to have a feedback mechanism from the residents to assess and maintain a healthy work culture within each department. Any red flag detected by this committee should be resolved at the earliest to prevent any unfortunate incident.”

A senior officer from the DMER acknowledged the mental health concerns among postgraduate medical students, stating, “We plan to propose eliminating the penalty for those choosing to quit for mental well-being. However, a robust system for implementation and certification is crucial to prevent potential misuse of these benefits.”