Delhi Medical Council moves Health Ministry after FMGs denied Internship seats at LHMC, VMMC

New Delhi: Raising the issues faced by Foreign Medical Graduates willing to get enrolled in Internship programmes in India, the Delhi Medical Council (DMC) has now approached the Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya.

DMC wrote to the Union Health Minister after the FMGs were denied enrolment for internship at the Centre-run medical colleges including Lady Hardinge Medical College (LHMC) and Vardhaman Mahavir Medical College (VMMC).

In the letter dated May 1, 2023, the council informed the Minister that more than 2000 medical graduates from abroad have applied for Internship to the council.

According to the medical council, Centre-run medical colleges like LHMC and VMMC had previously informed the council about the availability of Internship seats, and based on this, the Council released a merit list on April 27, 2023. However, when the students approached the medical colleges for admission on Monday, they were turned down by the college authorities.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that DMC had last month issued a public notice and informed that a total number of 42 seats only in certain hospitals were available for FMGs to get enrolled in the internship programme.

Also Read: 42 Seats available for FMGs willing to enroll for Internship, clarifies Delhi Medical Council

Providing details about the number of seats available at the medical colleges, DMC in its notice dated April 27, 2023 informed that there are 18 FMG Internship seats available at Lady Hardinge Medical College (LHMC), and another 13 seats available at Vardhaman Mahavir Medical College (VMMC).

In the case of Hamdard Institute of Medical Sciences (HIMS) and Baba Shaheb Ambedkar Medical College (BSA), there are 4 and 7 Internship seats available respectively, DMC had informed.

Referring to this notice, DMC has now written to the Union Health Minister Mandaviya. The council stated,

"The Delhi Medical Council received more than 2000 applications from Foreign Medical Graduate students to start their CRMI (Internship), Lady Hardinge Medical College (18 seats), Vardhman Mahavir Medical College (13 seats), Baba Saheb Ambedkar (07seats) Hamdard Institute of Medical Sciences (04 seats), informed the Delhi Medical Council about their number of seats, after which, the Delhi Medical Council released the merit list on 27th April, 2023, which was communicated to the FMG as well as to the concerned medical colleges and the National Medical Commission."

"When the students reported to the Lady Hardinge Medical College and the Vardhman Mahavir Medical College on 28th April, 2023 (Friday), they were assured that the internship will start by 03rd May, 2023 and were asked to submit all the necessary documents and affidavit on Monday i.e. 01' May, 2023. On Monday (01' May, 2023), at 10.00 a.m., the FMGs reported to the Lady Hardinge Medical College/Vardhman Mahavir Medical College with all the necessary documents at 10.00 a.m., the officials at Lady Hardinge Medical College/Vardhman Mahavir Medical College denied to provide the seats and stating that they do not have any seats, as they have already allotted the 7.5% of the students for this Academic Session in November, 2022 according to the National Medical Commission Guidelines," the letter by DMC Secretary Dr. Girish Tyagi further mentioned.

Pointing out the problems faced by the medical graduates from abroad, DMC has urged the Minister to issue instructions to the authorities to take necessary action in this regard.

"These are meritorious students, whose future and career, are at stake; you are requested to instruct the authorities of the National Medical Commission/ Lady Harding Medical College/ Vardhman Mahavir Medical College to take necessary action and accommodate these students, at the earliest," stated the letter.

Thousands of medical graduates across India are facing an uncertain future due to the scarcity of adequate Internship seats. Without completing the mandatory internship, Foreign Medical Graduates will not be able to register/ practice in India.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that around 2,000 FMG doctors are facing the issue. In case of Rajasthan alone, only around 30 percent of the total students, who cleared the mandatory FMGE test in January have secured a seat for Internship. Earlier, Rajasthan Medical Council only held counselling for filling only 399 seats while the state almost has approximately 2,000 FMG internship seats. 966 of the 1,365 exam-qualified candidates are still waiting for an internship seat. In Haryana, around 40 students are yet to get an internship seat, sources informed Medical Dialogues.

Students are not certain about the number of available seats in several States and even after three months of the FMGE results, many states across the country have not yet commenced the counselling process.

To view the DMC letter, click on the link below:

https://medicaldialogues.in/pdf_upload/dmc-letter-208689.pdf

Also Read: Limited Internship Seats, Thousands of FMGE graduates facing Uncertain Future