COVID duty by MBBS students to be treated as compulsory rotating internship: NMC

The effect follows the slew of major announcements made by the Prime Minister's Office yesterday in view of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic across the country and the shortage of healthcare personnel to battle it.

Medical Dialogues had reported that in an attempt to further augment the manpower to fight the pandemic, the government announced that the services of final year MBBS students can be utilised for providing services like teleconsultation and monitoring of mild Covid cases after due orientation by faculty.

It was decided to allow deployment of these Medical Interns in Covid Management duties under the supervision of their faculty, as part of the Internship rotation.

"This will reduce the workload on existing doctors engaged in Covid duty and provide a boost to efforts of triaging," a statement released by the Prime Minister's Office said.

Read Also: PMO calls for Utililising Final year MBBS students for Teleconsultation, monitoring of mild Covid cases under Faculty supervision

Now, as per the notification issued by the NMC under the authority of Secretary Dr RK Vats, it has been announced that the COVID-19 duties performed by the MBBS interns during their posting in the medical departments will be treated as the duty in those departments for the purpose of compulsory rotating internship.

The interns will be involved in different departments for different durations.  They will spend two months in general medicine (including psychiatry); 15 days in casualty or emergency; and two months in community medicine.

The advisory clearly states:

Considering the unprecedented situation due to the COVID-19 Pandemic where an augmentation of medical manpower is immediately required, the duties performed by interns during their posting in the following places/departments for COVID-19 management will be treated as the duty in those departments for purpose of compulsory rotating internship.

I. General Medicine (including psychiatry) —2 months

2. Casualty/Emergency Medicine/Critical Care — 15 days

3. Community Medicine/Public Health —2 months

To view the official notice, click on the following link:

https://medicaldialogues.in/pdf_upload/03052021-151863.pdf

For more details, log on to the official website of NMC:

https://www.nmc.org.in/

Other PMO decisions include the postponement of NEET-PG for at least 4 months & the exam will not be held before 31st August 2021. Students will also be given at least one month after the announcement of the exam before it is conducted.

The medical students/professionals sought to be engaged in Covid related work will be suitably vaccinated. All Health professionals thus engaged will be covered under the Insurance Scheme of Government for health workers engaged in fighting Covid 19.

The services of Final Year PG Students (broad as well as super-specialities) as residents may continue to be utilized until fresh batches of PG Students have joined.

B.Sc./GNM Qualified Nurses may be utilized in full-time Covid nursing duties under the supervision of Senior Doctors and Nurses.

Doctors, nurses and allied professionals form the backbone of covid management and are also the frontline personnel. Their presence in adequate strength is critical to address the needs of the patients well. The stellar work and deep commitment of the medical community were taken note of.