TN: DME follows PMO directions, orders deployment of Final Year MBBS Students for COVID duty

A recent order issued by Dr. R Narayana Babu, Director of Medical Education stated, "In view of the covid-19 pandemic and as per the guidelines issued by authorities all the Deans are requested to utilize the services of the final year MBBS students who have completed their examination in 2021 for providing services like teleconsultation and monitoring mild covid cases after due orientation by and under the supervision of faculty. This will reduce the workload of the existing doctors engaged in COVID duty and provide a boost to the efforts of the triaging."

This came after the central government decided to allow the deployment of these Medical Interns in COVID Management duties under the supervision of their faculty, as part of the Internship rotation.

Medical Dialogues had reported that the Prime Minister reviewed the growing need for adequate human resources for responding to the COVID-19 pandemic in the country and many important decisions were taken to significantly boost the availability of medical personnel in Covid duty. The government announced that the services of final year MBBS students could be utilized for providing services like teleconsultation and monitoring of mild Covid cases after due orientation by faculty.

The National Convenor for IMA Medical Students Network (MSN) Dr. Prashanth told Medical Dialogues, "We will be posted for teleconsultation shortly. The DME office of Tamil Nadu has already issued orders. We have been extending our services to contain the pandemic and now we will also serve the newly added duties including monitoring of mild COVID cases. IMA MSN has always been active in extending help at the moment of a health crisis."