Coronavirus Impact: Medical Council of India eases Internship path for MBBS graduates

The decision to this effect was taken by the Board of Governors in supersession of the Medical Council of India (MCI BoG) considering the current scenario across the country due to the coronavirus outbreak.

According to the MCI's Regulation on Graduate Medical Education, 1997 as regards "Internship" in Regulation 14 (5), "Every candidate shall be required after passing the final MBBS examination to undergo compulsory rotational internship to the satisfaction of College authorities and Universities concerned for a period of 12 months so as to be eligible for the award of the degree of Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) and full registration."

Further concerning "Assessment of Internship" these Regulation 14 (6) inter alia provides that the intern shall maintain a record of work which is to be verified and certified by the medical officer under whom he works. Apart from the scrutiny of the record of work, assessment and evaluation of training shall be undertaken by an objective approach using situation tests in knowledge, skills, and attitude during and at the end of the training. Based on the record of work and date of the evaluation, the Dean/Principal shall issue a certificate of satisfactory completion of training, following which the University shall award the MBBS degree or declare him eligible for it.

Now in view of COVID 19 Pandemic, it was clarified by the Board of Governors in Supersession of the Medical Council of India via a recently issued notice signed by the Secretary General Dr. Rakesh Kumar Vats that no permission or "No Objection Certificate" or clearance is required from MCI for undergoing internship in any approved Medical Institution provided the Dean/Principal of the Medical College (in which the student is studying) allows the same.

"It is clarified that only the requirement of obtaining "NOC" or "Permission" from MCI has been dispensed with; the students still require permission from the Institution in which they are studying and permission from the Institution in which they wish to do a compulsory rotating internship. It may further be noted that the internship is allowed only in Recognized Medical College/Recognized non-teaching hospital."

View the notice attached below:

Meanwhile, the MCI has also issued an advisory the all the states including their health secretaries,department of Medical educations, the health universities as well as the respective medical colleges regarding the use of MBBS doctors by engaging them as non-PG Junior Residents.

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Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that with the cases of coronavirus rising across the country, there has also been demands to fast track the graduation of MBBS students, to all more doctors to the workforce. However the Medical Council of India clearly stated that no decision has been taken on the matter till now

Read Also: Final Year MBBS To Be Roped In Against Coronavirus Battle, MCI Asked To Consider Proposal: Report

The Board of Governors in supersession of the Medical Council of India (MCI BoG) also recently directed all government and private medical colleges in the country to conduct the MD, MS, PG Diploma examinations for the Final Year PG medical students as soon as the situation is suitable for the same.

Read Also: MCI Tells All Medical Colleges To Conclude Final Year PG Medical Exams, As Soon As Condusive