Hyderabad: A few MBBS graduates from Osmania Medical College, who allegedly completed their internship by forging the signature of their respective department heads, have landed seats in post graduation courses and have been allowed an extended internship along with the PG course. This is said to be against the rules. Many professors and doctors have opposed the move of the officials who allowed the extension.
This took place in December and the students were caught red-handed in January, when the NEET PG exam was conducted. The students were allowed an extension period and were asked to continue against the rules of the health university.
“They should not be given extension certificates. It is mandatory to complete the internship during their MBBS,” said a doctor on the condition of anonymity.
Although some of these students were selected for post graduation courses, they cannot attend the course and complete their housemanship at the same time because they have to guide interns. It is a loss for the regular MBBS students. Some professors and junior doctors allege that there have been discrepancies in issuing the extension period certificates. “Action must be taken against the students involved and the officials who facilitated this. Students cannot escape from internship. What happened to the budget which has been allocated to the internship programme by the government? They should be punished, otherwise what message are we putting across to the future doctors,” said a professor from Osmania General Hospital.
“Many such students have joined the PG course without completing their internships. Due to this, the students who completed their internships could lose their chance. The committee which was formed to look into the issue let them go without proper punishment,” he said.
“As per the regulations, MBBS graduates should have completed their internship programmes by March 31, but they were allowed the extension. These students are still completing their internships and therefore are technically not eligible for the PG course,” said another professor from Osmania General Hospital on the condition of anonymity.
Osmania General Hospital superintendent Dr Nagendra said, “We passed the extension order and the students are currently serving their extension. They can only apply for the PG course and attend counselling, and not join the course without the certificate that testifies they have completed their internship. We will issue the certificates after the completion of the extension programme. The PG allotment is still in progress. We haven't issued temporary completion certificates to anybody.”
The Junior Doctors Association has demanded a fair inquiry into the issue for a better medical education system in Telangana state.
