JJ Professor made me do household chores, treated me like a Maid: PG Medicos files harassment complaint

Mumbai: Serious allegations have surfaced against a senior Professor attached with the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department of well-known Mumbai-based JJ hospital after she was accused of "mental and financial" harassment by a Post-Graduate (PG) student.

According to recent media accounts, the 28-year-old second-year junior resident doctor approached the Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) and registered a complaint against the Professor saying that the harassment has been going on since two years. The association, taking stern consideration, has initiated an inquiry into the matter.

The matter came to light when Dr Chirwatkar, former Central MARD President, wrote to the Director of Medical Education and Research (DMER). The DMER directed members of the provisional core committee of the interim Central MARD to look into the complaint.

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Allegations

In her letter to the state resident doctors association, the aggrieved medico alleged that the "mental and financial" harassment began after she joined the professor's unit in 2017.

She alleged that she was often called to the professor's house to run her household errands was made to sit outside her chambers for hours like a peon attending to her visitors. When she refused to do personal work, the professor allegedly hurled abuses at her and threatened her. "Her kids too treated me like a maid," the medico added.

The PG medico alleged, "She threatened to not sign my thesis if I did not carry out her orders. At a conference in Bengaluru, she made me carry her family's luggage. I was also forced to pay a part of their expenses."

The Medico further claimed that she is not the only one who is being harassed, some other students are also facing the same situation as her but they are scared of coming forward. The medico mentioned an incident saying that after returning from Bengaluru, the professor removed all the interns and junior residents from the victim's ward and did not let her enter the operation theatre. "There are many who have faced this treatment, but are scared about inviting her wrath," she alleged.

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The PG medical student wrote a complaint to her Head of Department on January 17. Consequently, her unit was changed and an inquiry was ordered. The student claimed that the professor then went around forcing people to write against her even after she was moved. "These were her tactics to scare me and make me take back my complaints. I was borderline suicidal and I decided to write to the local and Central units of the MARD," the student grieved.

Denial

Meanwhile, the professor refuted the allegations while terming them "absolutely false and baseless". She said that this is an attempt to malign her image. "I have written to the president of the Maharashtra State Medical Teachers Association regarding this."

Dr Umang Shandilaya, President of MARD at JJ Hospital infromred The Hindu, "We received the complaint on Monday morning and have taken a cognisance of the matter. No doctor deserves such treatment from anybody. We forwarded the letter to our Dean instantly and held a meeting with the hospital's. The dean has promised a speedy inquiry into the matter, and appropriate action based on the findings."

Speaking to TOI on the matter, JJ hospital dean Dr Ajay Chandanwale said that the inquiry report is expected soon. "There were several complaints against her. She was unprofessional and often got into tiffs with patients' relatives," the Dean informed.

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