MMC's deadline creates chaos among doctors
The Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) has set 29th February as the deadline for the submission of CME (continued medical education). This has caused a chaotic situation for more than 80,000 doctors as they have to gather certificates by that day to prove they have completed 12 hours of continued medical education (CME) failing which, they will be ineligible for re-registration with the MMC.
The MMC, a semi-judicial body which is engaged in checking on the working of medical colleges and ethical issues, also has the authority to suspend registration of doctors. Doctors need MMC registration-renewed every five years-to practice in the state. While some doctors are questioning the legal status of the CME precondition, which has been introduced for the first time, others are rushing from one conference to another to gather these 12 points. In a Times of India report, a senior doctor told that there is chaos as pharmaceutical companies have tied up with medical associations to hold conferences. General practitioners are going for radiology conferences while gynecologists are attending urology conferences just to make up the credit-hours numbers. According to him, there is total confusion as no one has bothered to lay down rules about these CMEs.
According to Dr Jayendra Parulekar from Sawantwadi, practitioners from rural areas are especially facing tremendous problems due to this precondition, reported TOI. Most of them were not aware of this till MMC's notice on December 14, 2011, he added. (Read more)
