District Residency Programme Commences in Mumbai, 200 resident doctors join civic peripheral hospitals

Mumbai: The three-month District Residency Programme, mandated by the National Medical Commission (NMC), commenced in Mumbai from May 1, 2023, and around 200 post-graduate resident doctors have now joined the civic peripheral hospitals for the tenure of three months.

Confirming this development, the Chief Medical Superintendent of BMC peripheral hospitals, Dr. Vidya Thakur informed TOI that the resident doctors have reported for the three-month district residency programme.

“However, as May 1 was a holiday, the official induction will begin on Tuesday,” she added.

In Mumbai, NMC took the decision to recognise the peripheral or secondary healthcare hospitals of BMC as an alternative since there are no district hospitals in the city.

Commenting on this, a state medical education department official added, “The residency programme was to start in February, but the decision to recognise BMC peripheral hospitals was delayed. The first batch in Mumbai hence began work on May 1.”

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that the in case of Mumbai, altogether 1001 PG medical students belonging to the 2021 batch will have to undergo the district residency programme and it was being speculated that these doctors will be posted to the peripheral, maternity hospitals and dispensaries run by Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

The District Residency Programme had been proposed by NMC back in 2021 with an aim of "strengthening of services of the District Health System". Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that NMC had mentioned about the programme at the District Hospitals in the Draft Regulations on Postgraduate Medical Education.

Also Read: Mumbai MD, MS Doctors to soon get postings for mandatory District Residency Programme

It was proposed that all the PG medical students pursuing their MD/MS in broad specialities should undergo a compulsory residential rotation of three months in District Hospitals/ District Health System as a part of the course curriculum.

Such rotation shall take place in the 3rd or 4th or 5th semester of the Postgraduate programme, the new NMC Draft Regulations spelt out. This rotation shall be termed as 'District Residency Programme' (DRP) and the postgraduate medical student undergoing training shall be termed as a 'District Resident'.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that recently, writing to the Deans and Principals of all the medical colleges and the Directors of Medical Education (DME) of the country, the NMC PG Board mentioned how the District Residency Programme could not be properly implemented due to the COVID-19 pandemic and consequently made it mandatory for all the Postgraduate broad speciality students admitted in 2021 batch onwards.

Addressing the doubts regarding implementation of District Residency Programme for the Postgraduate medical students of broad specialty, NMC also issued a clarification and mentioned that DRP for three months is mandatory even for the students belonging to private medical colleges and deemed universities.

As per the latest media report by the Times of India, the DRP initiative by NMC has now commenced in Mumbai from May 1 as around 200 PG medical students have been posted to NMC peripheral hospitals.

Addressing the issue, the dean of JJ Group of Hospitals, Dr. Pallavi Saple told the daily, “Around 40 resident doctors from JJ Hospital’s MD-MS students in their third, fourth or fifth semesters have joined BMC’s Shatabdi Hospital in Govandi.”

Currently, it has been decided that PG students from KEM hospitals will complete their three month duration of DRP at Rajawadi Hospital, Ghatkopar. Students belonging to Sion Hospital will have to complete the tenure at Bhabha Hospital in Kurla and students from Nair will get posting at V N Desai Hospital in Santa Cruz. In case of students of Cooper Hospital, they will get posted at R Ambedkar Hospital in Kandivli.

Dr Vidya Thakur, chief medical superintendent of BMC’s peripheral hospitals added, “However, we may move a few students to other peripheral hospitals that have a shortage."

It has further been decided by NMC that some of the resident doctors could be sent to the maternity homes and mohalla clinics. Around 20 residents pursuing chest medicine will be sent to Sewri TB Hospital. The coordinator for PG students in Mumbai, Dr. Saple confirmed that students from Bombay Hospital and Somaiya Hospital will also participate in the programme.

Also Read: TN Resident doctors seek withdrawal of NMC's District Residency Programme