89% report poor infrastructure, 73% residents overworked, 40% cite medical staff toxic work environment: FAIMA survey

A nationwide survey by the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) revealed major gaps in India’s medical education. According to the survey, 89.4 per cent of colleges reported poor infrastructure, 73.9 per cent of residents faced excessive clerical work, and 40.8 per cent medicos cited toxic work environment.

FAIMA-Review Medical System (FAIMA-RMS) survey, conducted across medical colleges in India, collected over 2,000 responses from students, residents and faculty, including participants from institutions such as the AIIMS, the PGIMER, and the JIPMER. Responses came from 90.4 per cent government colleges and 7.8 per cent private colleges.

The survey examined infrastructure, faculty strength, training standards and mental well-being of medicos. It identified deficiencies in newly established medical institutions. Respondents reported 71.5 per cent adequate patient exposure. Regular teaching sessions were held for 54.3 per cent of participants. Laboratory and equipment facilities met needs for 68.9 per cent patients.

As per the survey findings, timely stipends reached only half of the respondents and fixed working hours applied to 29.5 per cent. Around 73 per cent staff reported excessive clerical load. Staff shortages affected 55.2 per cent of cases and poor infrastructure impacted education quality for 89.4 per cent.

Private colleges recorded higher teaching regularity and faculty numbers. Government institutions provided more patient exposure, but faced heavier administrative loads. Confidence in skill acquisition stood at 70.4 per cent with 57.4 per cent noting gaps in theoretical and practical learning.

The FAIMA linked these issues to broader mental health concerns. The survey followed a 2024 National Task Force review of undergraduate, postgraduate and teacher experiences. Task force recommendations included fixed duty hours for residents and interns, appointment of mental health counsellors in colleges and parental involvement in wellness programmes annually. It also proposed 10 days of leave for medicos.

One year after the task force report, the FAIMA stated that few recommendations reached the implementation level. The association called for intervention from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

“We plan to submit the report to the authorities for corrective actions. The goal is to align India’s medical education network with global standards,” told Dr Akshay Dongardive, FAIMA’s president, to The Tribune.

“The FAIMA will give detailed recommendations to the National Medical Commission (NMC) and NITI Aayog on mental and academic well-being of medicos across the country,” a statement issued by the FAIMA stated.

“The FAIMA will like to mention it specially that multiple attempts have been made by its representatives to meet the NMC chairman and other officials, but they have been unreachable at all times to meet the largest resident doctors association in India and listen to these suggestions,” the doctor’s body said.