GMERS to prioritise non-practising doctors for teaching posts

Ahmedabad: Observing that medical teachers who are not involved in private practice tend to focus more on teaching and provide more attention to students, the Gujarat Medical Education and Research Society (GMERS) has decided to give preference to non-practising doctors in the upcoming recruitment process.

While the 390 vacant teaching posts across 13 medical colleges have currently been filled by GMERS with practising doctors, the society has decided to prioritise hiring non-practising teachers in the next recruitment drive to improve teaching quality.

Of the 390 vacant posts, 33 are in General Medicine, 29 in General Surgery, 16 in Anatomy, 17 in Physiology, and 17 in Biochemistry. These 13 colleges are located in cities including Sola, Gandhinagar, Valsad, Junagadh, Himmatnagar, Patan, Navsari, Godhra, Rajpipla, Morbi, Porbandar, and Narmada.

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The decision comes after senior GMERS officials observed that non-practising medical teachers give more attention to students when compared to those engaged in private practice. This observation led to the decision to give preference to non-practising doctors during recruitment.

Based on this, a new circular has been issued, stating that non-practising doctors will be prioritised during the upcoming recruitment process, reports Ahmedabad Mirror.

Currently, GMERS hires medical teachers on an ad hoc or 12-month contractual basis. Teachers are usually allowed to work either with or without private practice. However, the new rule will now give an advantage to non-practising doctors as well, who dedicate their time fully to teaching.

The circular also mentions that teachers who are at present private practitioners but wish to shift to non-practising mode must submit a written application to the Dean of their respective colleges within one week. Officials believe that this move will help students get better academic support and improve the standard of education in government medical colleges.

Medica Dialogues had previously reported that the Gujarat Medical Education and Research Society (GMERS) medical college in Gandhinagar dismissed four professors from their services, accusing them of neglecting their duties and leading to unsatisfactory departmental performance. The dismissed professors included two on temporary 12-month contracts and two in ad-hoc positions, one of whom was a female doctor.

Also read- GMERS Medical College terminates 4 professors, faces backlash