Opinion
1,700 doctors who did PG Diploma from IGNOU
can’t practise cardiology as MCI refuses to recognise their degrees
Dr KK Aggarwal
President CMAAO, HCFI and Past National President
IMA
The two-year course was started in 2006 to train
doctors as cardiologists in 70 hospitals across the country. Between 2006 and
2012, about 1,700 doctors opted for the course. The university, however,
stopped fresh enrolment in 2013 after the Medical Council of India (MCI)
refused to grant a license to students pursuing it.
A group of doctors who had earlier taken the course
then approached the Delhi High Court. In September last year, the court asked
the Union Health Ministry to take a view in the matter.
The MCI-Board of Governors too concluded that those
doctors cannot be allowed to work as cardiologists.
Reason Given: Evaluation
of the training programme was not done within one year of starting it as per
the Indian Medical Act, 1956 rules.
My Comments
MCI Ethics Regulation: 1.4.2 Physicians shall display
as suffix to their names only recognized medical degrees or such
certificates/diplomas and memberships/honours which confer professional
knowledge or recognizes any exemplary qualification/achievements.
Under clause 1.4.2 there should be no reason not to
write about their diploma on their letterhead along with then name of IGNOU. It
will still be IGNOU certified and not MCI certified.
The clause 1.4.2 does not stop people for doing non-MCI
diploma or take certificates. It give options of both only recognized
medical degrees or such certificates/diplomas. MCI itself has no Diploma or
a certificate course in cardiology, so other certificate and diplomas courses will
invariably be started by institutions. The MCI clause 7,20 should not be read in isolation
but read with 1.4.2
7.20 A Physician shall not claim to be specialist
unless he has a special qualification in that branch.
Also, the reason given by MCI is technical and not on
merit.
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