IMA seeks removal of a week posting provision for medical interns in Ayush

The Indian Medical Association has sought removal of the provision of one-week elective posting of medical interns in AYUSH medicine from the draft regulation for Compulsory Rotating Internship, calling it "superfluous" and an attempt to initiate "mixopathy".

The National Medical Commission (NMC) came out with a draft regulation on internship that stated that a week's training must be part of the rotational schedule in any of the Indian systems of medicine or AYUSH as an elective.

In a letter to the NMC, the IMA warned that the one-week period exposure especially in another system of medicine will only pave the way for a "half-baked mixopath, which is disastrous for the country".

Holding that the IMA strives for "purity" of profession, the medical body sought removal of the provision and said it can be replaced by one or two-week posting in Family Medicine along with Bioethics.

The IMA said it is not prudent for an intern trained in modern medicine to partake and practice a system of medicine which he or she has not learned at the under graduation level.

"IMA fully opposes the inclusion of one-week exclusive elective posting which is contrary to the established norm, superfluous and an attempt to initiate mixopathy. IMA strives for purity of profession," the medical body said.

"AYUSH and its components are vast subjects, working there for a week the intern will not learn any new skill, and there is no clarity who shall be their mentor, and will they be assessed by NMC faculty norms or not. What is the objective, roll or competency will be learned which will augment his competencies... Are we adding engineering and agricultural science too for a week as it will make him a perfect human being?" it asked.

The IMA underlined the importance of inclusion of Family Medicine along with Bioethics.

"Family Medicine is a specialty which is the need of the hour for catering to the common people with multi-faceted, continuous, comprehensive, cost-effective, community-oriented concept and values of family care," it added.