Faridkot: Health Dept's move to hire house surgeons riles pvt medical colleges' students

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Faridkot, July 2

The state Health Department’s move to hire 523 house surgeons for a period of six months in district and subdivisional hospitals has left thousands of MBBS doctors down in the dumps.

Department’s selection criterion states that candidates doing their MBBS from government or government-funded medical colleges would be given first preference, followed by graduates of private medical colleges and lastly pass outs of foreign institutions.

Punjab has 12 medical colleges out of which five are funded by the state or the Central Government.

A Set policy matter

Giving priority to graduates of government medical colleges is set policy matter of the state government. Recruitment would be done as per the policy. Medical graduates would be hired only for six months for emergency and general duties and not for a single specialty. —Dr Adarshpal Kaur, Director, Health & Family Welfare

Every year, around 1,000 MBBS graduates pass out from private colleges. Besides, 150 graduates of colleges in foreign countries come to the state each year.

As per the department’s policy, merit would be determined on the basis of percentage of marks obtained in professional examination, rued a doctor who completed his MBBS from Ukraine five years ago, cleared the National Board of Examinations (NBE) and registered with the Punjab Medical Council.

Clearing the NBE and registration with the council is also necessary for all foreign students.

Thousands of graduates from local private colleges are upset with the criterion to hire house surgeons in which priority is given to alumnae of government colleges.

Dr Adarshpal Kaur, Director, Health and Family Welfare, said giving priority to graduates of government medical colleges was already set policy matter of the state government. She said recruitment would be done as per the policy. She said medical graduates would be hired only for six months for emergency and general duties and not for a single specialty.