On Wednesday, the Union Ministry of Health asked state governments to initiate steps for the reopening of medical schools from December 1 or earlier, but with strict compliance with all Covid-19-related guidelines. Educational institutions in the country have been closed since March due to the coronavirus pandemic.
In a letter to the chief secretaries and administrators of all states and territories in the Union, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan also suggested that non-Covid beds be available in sufficient quantities at university hospitals. affiliated medicine to facilitate undergraduate training.
The Health Ministry has obtained approval from the Interior Ministry for the reopening of medical schools, the letter mentions.
“Consequently, the states and UT can take the necessary measures to open the medical schools on or before December 1, 2020,” the health secretary said in his letter dated November 25.
“It goes without saying that all SOPs / guidelines regarding social distancing and preventing the spread of the epidemic issued by the central / state and UT governments will be scrupulously followed by all universities,” he said.
The Center’s directive comes as a result of the National Medical Commission recommending the reopening of medical schools as of December 1 or earlier for MBBS students who are already taking their courses.
The NMC, which has received representations from medical students and colleges, noted that the current pool of interns (2020) have not completed the required clinical training and, unless they do, they would not be eligible to sit for the PG-NEET exam. He also noted that the PG-NEET exam for the 2021-22 academic year has been delayed as eligible candidates will complete their training late. Their training is required to be completed as soon as possible so that the PG -NEET exam for the academic year 2021-22 can be taken accordingly, he said.
“The delay in resuming training would have a cascading effect on the training of upcoming GP and superspecialties courses in the coming years,” the NMC noted.
“The new delayed academic session for 2020-21 must begin on February 1, 2021. The new PG session for the 2020-21 academic year must begin at least July 1, 2021 and therefore the PG exam -NEET for AY 2020-21 should be scheduled around March-April 2021, ”the NMC said in a statement to the Ministry of Health on November 12.
With the opening of medical schools and to facilitate the training of UG, all hospitals affiliated with medical schools would need to have a sufficient number of beds for non-COVID patients and, therefore, the facilities for outpatient and hospital management for Non-COVID patients should be restarted, if they have not already done so, the NMC stated.
Additionally, he noted that today’s students (and tomorrow’s future physicians) should also be familiar with the threats and opportunities inherent in the healthcare systems that they would eventually manage themselves. It should not become a missed opportunity for medical students to learn epidemic management skills as public health professionals, the NMC said.
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