AIIMS to offer MD in emergency med

Doctors can now get accredited to teach emergency-care medicine at the post-graduate level after an online exam, reports Rythma Kaul.

Doctors can now get accredited to teach emergency-care medicine at the post-graduate level after an online exam.

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The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) has tied up with the University of South Florida to design an online exam that doctors need to qualify to teach emergency medicine in medical colleges across the country.

This specialised branch of medicine will be introduced for the first time in the country at the post-graduate level from 2010 academic session.

AIIMS will be among the first to start a full-fledged post graduation course in emergency medicine — a specialty Medical Council of India (MCI) recognised as recently as July 22, 2009 as a distinct entity.

The standing finance committee of the institute has already passed the resolution, and from the next academic session, three seats will be allocated for MD residency in emergency medicine. Like for other branches, the institute's entrance exam at the all India level will be the qualifying exam for emergency medicine as well.

Apart from AIIMS, Christian Medical College, Vellore, and Guwahati Medical College, have applied for a separate department in emergency medicine.

“Emergency medicine is yet to receive its due as a distinct entity in India, unlike in the US and UK, where it is an integral part of the acute trauma care procedure,” said Dr M C Misra, chief, AIIMS trauma centre.