BANGALORE: The Association of Health Universities of India will write to the Medical Council of India (MCI) to make professionalism and a code of ethics part of the MBBS course, which will be assessed through an exam.
Hitherto, though medical ethics were taught to students, there was no exam to assess them. This was one of the most debated sessions at the third conclave of vice-chancellors of health universities of India, hosted by the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS) on Monday.
A faculty of MS Ramaiah Medical College, which runs a certificate programme on ethics for its interns, spoke of the need to introduce the programme for students and faculty. "We had done a survey on students some years ago. We realized they come to medical college with high ideals. But as years pass, their principles erode and towards the end, many are ready to compromise on their values," said Dr Venkatesh D, director, medical education unit, MS Ramaiah Medical College.
MS Ramaiah has been running a certificate programme for interns for the past three years. The one-year programme has one module per month, followed by an assignment. Around 80% of students take up the programme.
Even while some topics are taught in universities, not many (as in RGUHS) are assessed. Also, while most universities have lectures on ethics, little is interpreted in real terms.
Batting for a uniform syllabus for ethics across the country, Dr Arun V Jamkar, chairman, Association of Health Universities of India said: "MCI has been mooting it. We want it to become a reality. We want students to be assessed on it along with their practical skills. Faculty should also be trained."
The universities will also bat for an ethics programme for faculty. "To have such a course is the need of the hour. Right now, we have an orientation programme on ethics. We need both students and trainers at these courses mandatorily. They need to be uniform across the country," said Prof Amit Banerjee, vice-chancellor.
DOCTORS' DILEMMA
The programme proposed by Venkatesh for faculty has text, video and case studies. For example, a pilot is under depression and administered anti-depressants, which make him drowsy. A doctor needs to maintain confidentiality about his patient's disease. Is it right for him to tell the pilot's employer about it? Or a patient who is on dialysis asks a doctor to take him off it for want of resources. A patient has a say on his treatment. What does the doctor do?
VARSITIES' STAND
All universities seem to be taking the medical values course seriously. We will also try to implement it as soon as possible.
Hitherto, though medical ethics were taught to students, there was no exam to assess them. This was one of the most debated sessions at the third conclave of vice-chancellors of health universities of India, hosted by the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS) on Monday.
A faculty of MS Ramaiah Medical College, which runs a certificate programme on ethics for its interns, spoke of the need to introduce the programme for students and faculty. "We had done a survey on students some years ago. We realized they come to medical college with high ideals. But as years pass, their principles erode and towards the end, many are ready to compromise on their values," said Dr Venkatesh D, director, medical education unit, MS Ramaiah Medical College.
MS Ramaiah has been running a certificate programme for interns for the past three years. The one-year programme has one module per month, followed by an assignment. Around 80% of students take up the programme.
Even while some topics are taught in universities, not many (as in RGUHS) are assessed. Also, while most universities have lectures on ethics, little is interpreted in real terms.
Batting for a uniform syllabus for ethics across the country, Dr Arun V Jamkar, chairman, Association of Health Universities of India said: "MCI has been mooting it. We want it to become a reality. We want students to be assessed on it along with their practical skills. Faculty should also be trained."
The universities will also bat for an ethics programme for faculty. "To have such a course is the need of the hour. Right now, we have an orientation programme on ethics. We need both students and trainers at these courses mandatorily. They need to be uniform across the country," said Prof Amit Banerjee, vice-chancellor.
DOCTORS' DILEMMA
The programme proposed by Venkatesh for faculty has text, video and case studies. For example, a pilot is under depression and administered anti-depressants, which make him drowsy. A doctor needs to maintain confidentiality about his patient's disease. Is it right for him to tell the pilot's employer about it? Or a patient who is on dialysis asks a doctor to take him off it for want of resources. A patient has a say on his treatment. What does the doctor do?
VARSITIES' STAND
All universities seem to be taking the medical values course seriously. We will also try to implement it as soon as possible.
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