HP: Many IGMC's senior faculty members to join AIIMS Bilaspur

While many in the medical community have expressed concern over the loss of faculty members in medical colleges, many have defended the decision of the doctors to opt for better opportunities.

"Losing senior faculty members will affect the institution's functioning. The impact will be felt more in smaller departments", said IGMC Principal Surinder Singh. Over a year ago, two prominent faculty members from IGMC's nephrology department left the facility to join AIIMS. With only one assistant professor in charge, the department is still battling to get back on its feet, reports the daily. Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College, Tanda's physiology and the hospital administration have also been unable to recover from the loss of academic staff to AIIMS.

"We have still not got any replacement for the doctors who left," said Principal Bhanu Awasthi. In the fresh round of interviews at AIIMS, two more doctors from Tanda were selected. "We have enough strength in the departments from where doctors have been selected this time," said Awasthi.

The increasing instances of doctors quitting medical colleges to serve AIIMS have become a matter of great concern for the medical community as it is adversely impacting the medical colleges. One of the doctors told The Tribune, "Most of the colleges are already short on faculty. Taking doctors from there will hamper the services". "Also, what difference will AIIMS offer if most of the doctors are picked from our own medical colleges. It would have been better if most of the faculty was brought from outside," he said.

On the other hand, many doctors have supported the idea of striving for a better career in premium institutes like AIIMS. "AIIMS offers better pay, incentives and other facilities. Everyone has the right to explore possibilities for career progression," said Dr Pushpender Verma, secretary, Himachal Medical Officers Association."

Defending the choices of the doctors, he stated that it should be the responsibility of the government to ensure that proper alternatives are implemented to ensure that there is no scarcity of teaching staff in a medical college. "The government is not offering time-bound promotions. Had it done so, there would not have been much problem", said Verma.