Private doctors can now teach at government medical colleges: Health Ministry

In a bid to curtail the shortage of teachers and faculty in medical colleges, the Union Health Ministry has planned to engage private and overseas doctors in teaching the students at government and private medical colleges.

However, this new regulation will not be applicable to the All India Institutes of Medical Sciences, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, and Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Puducherry.

The notification in the matter was issued by the Medical Council of India (MCI). It says that the teachers who would be appointed will be on a part-time basis known as "visiting faculty."

The visiting faculty should have minimum work experience of eight years in his specialty department after achieving the post-graduate degree and the age limit shall not exceed 70 years.

"The hiring of the visiting faculty would be made by a committee involving director, principal, dean of the medical college, head of the concerned department, head of the department from any other specialty and at least one expert on the subject from a medical college outside the city. He could be from an institute of national importance," said a senior official.

It may be noted that the previous regulation did not allow private doctors to teach at the government medical colleges.

The notification, issued on December 18, reads: "With a view to enhancing the comprehensiveness and quality of teaching of both undergraduate and postgraduate students in pre-clinical, para-clinical and clinical departments, medical colleges/medical institutions can appoint additional faculty members on a part-time basis who would be known as "visiting faculty. The College may provide an honorarium to the Visiting Faculty."

"To encourage and facilitate the inclusion of Indian diaspora in medical education, overseas citizens of India can also be appointed as visiting faculty," adds the notification.

The visiting faculty can be private medical practitioners, retired personnel and from NGOs, who are interested to teach young medicos, states the notification.