Senior doctors' transfer to new medical colleges may impact GMCH PG seat expansion: Dean

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: At a time when Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, is preparing to increase its postgraduate seat capacity, the transfer of senior doctors to newly established government medical colleges could possibly affect the institute's expansion plans.

Over the past few years, several doctors have been transferred from GMCH to newly established government medical colleges. Senior doctors are now being transferred to institutions in districts such as Jalna, Buldhana and Nandurbar. However, many of the posts vacated due to these transfers have not yet been filled through fresh appointments or transfers.

Speaking at a programme held at GMCH recently, Dr Shivaji Sukre said the college is working to increase PG seats in different departments. However, he pointed out that the transfer of experienced professors to newly established government medical colleges may create hurdles in achieving the goal. He urged Maharashtra's guardian minister Sanjay Shirsat to hold a meeting at the ministry level to discuss the issue.

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Dr Sukre explained that under the norms of the National Medical Commission (NMC), medical colleges must have the required number of senior faculty members to obtain approval for additional PG seats. If professors continue to be transferred from GMCH without replacement, the college's teaching faculty strength will fall, making it difficult to secure approval for more PG seats.

The college is among several institutions across the country working to increase postgraduate medical seats. At present, GMCH has 200 undergraduate (UG) seats and 203 postgraduate (PG) seats, reports Lokmat Times

An increase in PG seats would provide more opportunities for medical graduates to pursue specialist training while also strengthening the availability of specialist doctors in the healthcare system.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that the National Medical Commission approved 8 more super specialty seats across five medical colleges, including MGM Medical College & Hospital, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Government Medical College, Amritsar, M.K. Shah Medical College, Hospital and Research Centre, Ahmedabad, Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences, Karad, and Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Medical College, Jabalpur. 

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