Common first two years for MBBS, BDS, Nursing courses; Lateral Entry for other Medical Disciplines into MBBS: NEP draft 2019

New Delhi: Reiterating the government idea of having a bridge for nursing, dental etc to allow them to practice allopathic medicine in the country, the National Education Policy draft 2019 recommends lateral entry for nursing, BDS into MBBS courses, besides for developing a new medical education framework that allows for a common foundational education period for all these graduates.

The National Education Policy Draft was recently submitted to the Ministry of Human Resource Development, recommends a Pluralistic healthcare education and delivery by suggesting a common first few years/semesters for all science graduates including MBBS, BDS, Nursing or other specialisations, whereby specialisations can be taken up after completing the common coursework.

The NEP also calls for a Graduates from other medical disciplines such as nursing, dental etc., being allowed lateral entry into the MBBS course. In particular, its recommendations state

The first year or two of the MBBS course will be designed as a common period for all science graduates after which they can take up MBBS, BDS, Nursing or other specialisations. Common foundational courses based on medical pluralism will be followed by core courses focused on specific systems, and electives that encourage bridging across systems. Graduates from other medical disciplines such as nursing, dental etc., will also be allowed lateral entry into the MBBS course.

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Besides nursing and dentistry, the NEP also calls for mainstreaming of AYUSH education and calls for a new medical education qualification framework to bring about the requisite changes

A medical education qualification framework to achieve this will be developed in conjunction with the NMC. Given the pluralistic health care legacy of the country, the different health systems such as Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy (AYUSH) will be mainstreamed, and better access to AYUSH treatment will be provided through co-location in public facilities. The precedent set by the National Rural Health Mission, which leveraged the popularity of AYUSH and the low cost of medicines, by  appointing AYUSH physicians at the PHC/CHC levels will be evaluated and adapted as necessary

Medical Dialogues had recently reported that the same draft also recommends that Professional Councils such as Medical Council of India (MCI), Dental Council of India (DCI), Indian National Council (INC) should focus on regulating the professional practice and move away from regulating professional education,

Read Also: MCI, DCI must do away from regulating Education, Limit to regulating Professional Practice: NEP 2019