Clinical forensic medical work to be made mandatory by MCI in MD program

Nagpur: Clinical forensic medical work has been made a compulsory part of training for postgraduates trainees of Forensic Medicine by the Medical Council of India(MCI).This has been done to make the MD training program in Forensic Medicine competency based.

A minimum of 100 clinical forensic cases are to be conducted by a student during the entire training period, in addition to the autopsy cases.

The apex body has also made mandatory, the conduction of medico-legal examination (MLE) of sexual assault victims, for the forensic departments running PG courses.

Dr Indrajit Khandekar, Professor, and In-charge, Clinical Forensic Medicine Unit (CFMU), Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (MGIMS), the brain behind the entire concept change, is of the opinion that MCI's move would reform the sector of medical education in India.

Dr. Khandekar in his PIL filed with the Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court in 2012, for a revamping of the Forensic Science curriculum, pleaded that it be made mandatory for students to handle clinical forensic work, for effective practical teaching.

A recent report in TOI states that in view of the court's order, the Council Academic Committee Chairman, Dr Vedprakash Mishra, in 2014 had invited him to discuss the issue and on hearing the concept assured Dr. Khandekar of its introduction in a phased manner. It was to be introduced Ist in PG courses and then in others.

Earlier in 2010, in another PIL filed on Dr Khandekar's report on poor quality forensic examination of rape cases and his suggestion that forensic issues on rape cases be handled by experts, endorsement of the same had been given by the Council.

"Now, we hope that the apex body would work to increase the staff requirement of forensic departments due to increase in workload," he told the daily.

Clinical forensic work involves medico-legal work involving investigation of crimes like rape & other assault, age estimation, serious injuries, accidents, torture, alcoholic persons and dying declaration.

In 2012, MGIMS due to the poor quality of medico-legal reports of rape and other clinical forensic cases surfacing had handed over leadership to Dr Khandekar. This was done through the orders of then Dean, Dr BS Garg and Medical Superintendent, Dr SP Kalantri.

The MGIMS's forensic department was the only one in the country, at that time that was handling forensic issues of rape and other clinical cases reported TOI.