Starting medical colleges gets tougher

THRISSUR: Starting medical colleges could become a tougher task if the draft guidelines prepared by the recently constituted National Medical Commission (NMC) come into effect. One major change that has been mooted is that applications for setting up a new medical college can be submitted by individuals and entities that are running a 300-bed hospital at least for two years.
As per existing norms, applications for starting medical colleges can be submitted even by freshers with enough financial resource base, and land, though they lack any exposure in the medical field. Interestingly, the guidelines have been generally welcomed by both government officials and owners of private medical colleges in Kerala, though all have suggested some changes.
Ensuring a hospital running experience is considered a major asset for those venturing into the medical education field, according to vice-chancellor of the Kerala University of Health Sciences (KUHS) Dr Mohanan Kunnummal. That will provide an additional revenue stream for managements, apart from the students’ contributions, some experts said.
Though leader of private medical college association Dr K M Navas generally welcomed the proposal, he said the hospital running experience period could be reduced to one year, instead of two years. “The cost of medical education will go up, if the two-year period is insisted upon, as the college can then be actually started only after three to four years, considering procedures involved.”
Another condition being proposed by NMC is that all medical colleges must mandatorily have an emergency medicine unit. This intensive care unit (ICU), with at least 15-beds, should be headed by a professor qualified in emergency medicine field. The unit must also have at least nine senior resident doctors on duty.
Dr Mohanan said the Association of State Health University Vice Chancellors has also welcomed this proposal considering that most deaths occur in the casualty wings of hospitals, which may not be properly equipped.