BDS to MBBS Bridge Course: Niti Aayog calls for a meeting

Now following the same, a meeting is proposed to be held at the Niti Ayog to discuss the issues on leveraging dentists to provide primary healthcare thereby reducing the gaps of current shortfall of doctors in the country.

Medical Dialogues team had earlier reported that in the year 2016, the Dental Council of India had put forward the proposal of a bridge course to the government as a solution to two major problems that the country is facing-  On one hand there is a severe shortage of MBBS doctors particularly to serve in the rural areas, on the other hand dental students are currently facing a large problem of placements and recruitment after the completion of their courses.

Read Also: Soon, Dentists to Become Physicians

The Medical Council of India and the Dental Council of India have been since then in the process of finalizing a bridge course to enable BDS passouts to pursue MBBS in the country. Last year a special committee was constituted by MCI under the chairmanship of Dr Ved Prakash Mishra for this purpose. The committee began addressing a number of technical issues, including the what will be the coursework and the fact whether dental students will have to undergo another round of internship as per the MBBS curriculum. The issue was also to be decided where these bridge pass-outs students will be registered ( MCI or DCI or dual registration ) as well as which council will be entrusted with the operations of running the said course.

With the MCI being taken over by the Board of Governors, the matter was then passed to the new body.

Read Also: BDS to MBBS Bridge course being finalised by MCI, DCI

Now Niti Ayog is expected to mull on the idea in a meeting that will also see participation from relevant stakeholders and councils including DCI.