Sri Ramachandra Medical College to provide training for MRCP, MRCS and FRCS.

Chennai The 28^th convocation of Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research recently gained greater significance when it saw the institute enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU ) with the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons, Glasgow. The MOU signed was related to training medical graduates in preparatory courses and examinations of MRCP, MRCS and FRCS.

The signatories of the MOU happened to be none other that David J. Galloway, President, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons, Glasgow and P. V. Vijayaraghavan, Vice-chancellor, Sri Ramachandra.

The institution signed the agreement as its visionary P. V. Vijayaraghavan intends to provide the training required by medical students to take up MRCP, MRCS and FRCS examinations.

"Graduates have to travel to the United Kingdom and sometimes to countries such as Singapore and Malaysia to take the exam. Now, we are bringing it to their doorstep. Faculty from UK and examiners will come and conduct the exam here," he told reporters.

"We are planning to provide membership/fellowship to faculty members. Graduates can go and work in the UK to get the exposure and experience," he added.

He spoke of subsidy plans for graduates attending these courses to the Hindu and added that the preparatory course costed £250, while the examination costs £900.

Dr. Galloway , adding a highlighter to this step forward said that it would initiate the introduction of specialities such as podiatry (foot care)which was not so heard of in this part of the world or practiced with proficiency reported Hindu.

Addressing the convocation gathering, Steve Graham, Chief Executive Officer, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons, Glasgow, said outside of the UK, India was by far the largest community of College Fellowship and Membership. There are over 1,100 Indian Fellows and Members.

"Sri Ramachandra will become the hub and focal point for our Royal College's activities in Tamil Nadu and south-east India. This will allow both institutions to support delivery of postgraduate healthcare training and assessment across many disciplines," Graham added. Sri Ramachandra's Chancellor V. R. Venkataachalam conferred degrees and distributed certificates to 845 graduates.