MBBS could become a 6.5-year course soon
Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad supported the government's intention to increase the duration of the MBBS course from the existing 5.5 years to 6.5 years, reported IBN Live. He said that the Medical Council of India was working on the proposal.
The Minister affirms the government's intention to introduce one year mandatory rural posting for doctors. According to Mr. Azad, the rural stint will address the shortage of seven lakh doctors in villages. The proposed year increase in MBBS duration is being considered to retain the additional year for mandatory rural service of MBBS graduates.
As per the new proposal, MBBS degree will be awarded only after the completion of 5.5 years of regular MBBS course in addition to one year of rural posting which would be linked to the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM).
The proposal was suggested to improve the poor healthcare facilities in rural India and strive for better medical treatment and facilities to the rural population. Moreover, the government has put much emphasis on its flagship NRHM program. (Read more)
Meanwhile, another interesting angle has emerged. In a bid to check the outflow of doctors leaving the country on the pretext of higher studies a bond has been introduced. Any doctor travelling to the United States for higher medical studies from this year onwards will have to sign a bond with the government, promising to return to India after completing his / her studies.
"Any student travelling for further medical education to the US will have to give us a bond that he will return after completing the studies. In the last three years, 3,000 doctors went abroad for studies and didn't return. If a student doesn't return from the US, he won't be allowed to practise there," Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said. (Read complete story)
Comments
(1)
2012-05-29 23:46:24