Kerala: Faculty Transfer to Manjeri may create trouble for Thrissur Medical College

Thiruvanathapuram: Eight doctors from Kozhikode Medical College, twelve doctors and eight senior residents from Thrissur Medical College are reported to have been transferred to Manjeri Medical College prior to the Medical Council of India(MCI) Inspection. While it has been done to save the recognition of Manjeri Medical College, it could imperil the status of Thrissur, MCH.

Thrissur Medical college's recognition renewal for MBBS seats is due any time this year and steps in this direction have been taken by the college. Out of the Seven Departments with 111 PG seats, 45 do not have recognistion, and await MCI approval. However, the mass exodus of doctors has put Thrissur in a state of crisis, with the college in the midst of loosing recognition of a 150 MBBS and 45 PG seats.

TOI reports that The PG seats in general medicine (8), general surgery (8), microbiology (6), orthopaedics (9), ENT (2), Paediatrics (9) and forensic medicine (3) have not yet received MCI recognition.

A unit each in orthpaedics, general surgery, ENT and general medicine are bound to loose recognition due to MCI recognized faculty being transferred to Manjeri Medical College. This is a likelihood, if the Thrissur inspection by the MCI happens now.

MCI guidelines for recognition of 150 MBBS seats and 111 PG seats, call for the college having additional posts of 11 assistant professors 18 associate professors, and two senior residents.

Presently, one post of professor, three posts of associate professor, and 75 posts of assistant professor are lying vacant. This entire faculty is from clinical specialties.

The recently transferred faculty is part of the faculty table submitted during the MCI inspection, as well as in the compliance report submitted to MCI for Thrissur MCH. The transferred staff have also appeared for the last MCI inspection at Thrissur revealed Dr Kavitha Rai, State President of Kerala Medical College Teachers Association (KGMCTA).

If the MCI inspection were to be held in the near future, the college is bound to loose course recognition in the face of the required number not being there, reports the TOI.