NMC Releases Guidelines For Completion Of MBBS Internship Post COVID-19 Lockdown, relaxes deadline

With the said guidelines, the NMC has extended the training period for MBBS internship and has released a specific protocol for medical colleges to follow for its completion.

This move is pursuant to the earlier NMC guidelines issued for the institutes as even after the spread of Coronavirus is contained, certain preventive measures will be required to be followed to avoid its recurrence, especially in educational institutions like medical colleges.

As per the NMC, apart from following the Generic Preventive Measures or COVID-19 Appropriate Behaviour including social distancing, the medical colleges will have to to make their own schedule tailor-made as per the local prevailing social and medical conditions so as to effectively deal with any eventuality arising due to COVID -19/ post-COVID-19 conditions before resuming activities on campuses. The reopening of colleges will relieve the teaching and academic staff, as well as students from uncertainties regarding students' career, mode of functioning including the conduct of physical classes.

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With this, the commission directed all States to take steps to open medical colleges on or before 1.12.2020 on the recommendations of the NMC, which had the approval of the Ministry of Home Affairs. That letter also had the revised academic calendar for all MBBS batches.

However, even with the resumption of the MBBS classes, the medicos will not be able to complete their due internship till the earlier scheduled period further hindering their future academic prospects. The current batch of interns (2020) have not completed their required clinical training and unless the same is completed, they would not be eligible for appearing for the NEET PG exam- the entrance to PG medical courses in the country.

Taking cognizance of this fact, the NMC has now extended the time limit for completion of the MBBS internship. On this, the commission stated:

The NMC was cognizant that the internship training since March 2020 had been affected in a non-uniform manner across the country. In the normal course, students who started internships in 2020 should have completed the same before or within 31.3.2021. As per the revised academic schedule issued by the NMC, this time limit for completion of the internship has been extended up to 31.5.2021 in order to compensate for the lost period of "Clinical Clerkship" due to the lockdown and restrictions consequent to the COVID-I9 pandemic in 2020.

As the critical element of the internship is the acquisition of specific hands-on experiences and skill, it is the responsibility of Medical Colleges/Institutions and Universities to ensure that the extended time provided for completion of an internship is utilized most effectively to ensure that the students acquire the competencies as outlined in the Graduate Medical Education Regulations.

Towards achieving these objectives, the colleges and Universities may take note of the following:

1. Each institution must review the missed internship training for its own students and issue a revised training schedule so as to complete the training by 31.5.2021or earlier depending on the period of internship completed/lost by the institution prior to or during the lockdowns.

2. While re-scheduling the training roster, the colleges and the individual departments where the interns would rotate, must ensure that the trainees are able to acquire the key clinical competencies as outlined in the Graduate Medical Education Regulations.

3. The onus of ensuring that the interns have completed the training satisfactorily lies with the Medical Colleges and their affiliating Universities. Hence, it is important that Colleges ensure that the interns have acquired the key clinical competencies prior to issuing the Internship completion certificate.

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

https://medicaldialogues.in/pdf_upload/pdf_upload-143758.pdf