Andhra Pradesh: Super specialty course in medical colleges neglected

Andhra Pradesh: Students pursuing medical courses in different colleges in the state are facing a threat, just when the super speciality course examinations are to be conducted (in a month’s time). However, the situation is not new to the medical students in the state, as this has even happened before in case of super speciality courses in the Government hospitals/medical colleges in the state for last few years.

The prevailing issue of ghost faculty, where few Associate Professors are deputed in other medical colleges during the course of MCI inspection, is just one of the reasons why patient care services are getting affected in the state. A more serious issue of a professor approving the dissertation work of M.Ch. or DM student of another college does not give a bright picture of the fact the what the student has learned during his/her course. This is an example of a situation when the medical college from which a student is pursuing his degree does not have a professor to guide the students. The students are also under the threat of MCI not recognizing their medical college-from which they have completed their course in three years.

Super speciality courses like urology, neurology, nephrology, neuro surgery, endocrinology, gastroenterology, etc. have been introduced in GMCs earlier. However, the on-ground facts are not so positive. The doctors, after having joined the courses, find the MCI guidelines for promotions, a serious deterrence to their hard efforts.

The situation is such that there is a reported shortage of professors in super speciality departments in many colleges. The vacancies continue to exist as there is a slack in promoting Assistant to the next level of Associate Professor and then a Professor. In many cases Assistant Professors end up putting more years in service than required to be granted promotions. One reason cited for not giving promotions is the fact that there are just not enough Associate Professor posts.

In 2006-07 MCI had made it mandatory for an Assistant Professor to complete 9 years in teaching, 5 years job as Assistant Professor, and 4 years of experience as Associate Professor, to be eligible for the post of Professor. Besides, two scientific publications are required each as an Assistant Professor and Associate Professor, as implied in a report by Hindu.