Final-yr PG students to continue working as resident doctors

Tribune News Service

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Faridkot, April 28

To deal with heavy rush of Covid-19 cases, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has issued instructions to all medical colleges and institutions to continue to utilise the services of final-year postgraduate students as resident doctors (MD and MS) until fresh batches of PG students join the institutions.

Due to the pandemic, the admission to PG courses in all medical colleges has been delayed this time. The National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test-Postgraduate (NEET-PG) exam for admission in MD/MS courses which was scheduled to be held on April 18 has been postponed for indefinite time.

“Consequently, the delay in admission will lead to the delayed starting of academic session 2021-2022 of the PG students and the new batch of these students will join their respective colleges only after counselling which will happen after NEET-PG is held,” said Dr RK Vats, secretary, NMC.

Despite them completing practical hours of their course, the PG students are unable to complete their course so far as the final year exams of PG courses have been delayed in many colleges.

According the NMC sources, there are 75,236 postgraduate students, 26,969 senior residents, 19,998 non-PG junior residents and 7,748 PG students in super speciality studies in India. All medical colleges in the state, tertiary care centres, are presently facing shortage of doctors in view of increasing rush of Covid patients.

Guru Gobind Singh Medical College and Hospital in Faridkot which is presently treating over 265 Covid patients and facing shortage of doctors has already invited applications for the walk-in-interview to fill 59 posts of senior resident and senior tutor, junior resident and tutor in various departments.