Docs with no teaching experience hired to teach at GMC

Suhail A Shah

Anantnag, December 1

Most of the doctors inducted to teach at the newly started Government Medical College (GMC) in Anantnag from different peripheral hospitals have no teaching experience at all.

These doctors have been serving at peripheral hospitals for more than 20 years and now, in the twilight of their careers, they have been entrusted with the future of future doctors.

The college, where the first batch was admitted recently, has inducted these teachers in haste to get a clearance from the Medical Council of India (MCI). However, in haste, no care has been taken to keep into consideration their working experience. “Ironically, they have been made the heads of their respective departments and are the ones who will oversee the working of other teachers,” sources in the college told The Tribune.

They said the doctor heading the surgery department and entrusted with teaching surgery had been working in the Anantnag district hospital for 20 years. “Let alone teaching, the doctor is not even well acquainted with the latest procedures in surgery for the plain fact that the Anantnag district hospital does not house those facilities and procedures. How is he supposed to teach?” said the sources.

Same is the case with medicine, dermatology and a few other departments.

“Senior doctors with no teaching experience and years of service at peripheral hospitals are heading these departments,” said the sources.

Dr Showkat Jeelani, principal, accepted that the appointed doctors had no teaching experience and were inducted due to teacher shortage.

“There was one-time relaxation from the MCI in these appointments due to shortage. These teachers will now undergo training programmes to get them acquainted with teaching,” Jeelani told The Tribune.

The sources criticised the “excuse”, maintaining that younger doctors should have been appointed, as they would have benefitted from the training programmes. “Instead of hiring doctors nearing retirement, younger ones should have been preferred,” the sources added.