The president of Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA), Dr Aviral Mathur, discussed the issue of adhoc recruitments in government-run medical institutions, role of the UPSC is regular postings, predicament of resident doctors, and patient care with Ashish Srivastava. Excerpts:
How is paucity of UPSC seats and ad-hoc postings affecting medical institution?
Ad-hocism and contractual positions could be helpful to address the situation temporarly but it cannot replace the permanent faculty. Scarcity of regular faculty posts filled by UPSC negatively impacts medical institutes by hindering structured appointment of qualified professionals. This can lead to a shortage of experienced educators, affecting the overall quality of medical education and training.
Is the situation also impacting the research projects at the institutes?
Yes, shortage of regular faculty can significantly impact research projects in medical institutes. Established faculty members play a crucial role in driving research initiatives, and their insufficient numbers can impede the progress of ongoing projects.
How are the resident doctors affected by the crisis?
Resident doctors are adversely affected as absence of regular faculty limits their opportunities for formal entry into teaching positions. Learning during residency is affected as multiple residents are allotted the same guide and there is overcrowding of thesis candidates for the existing faculty. The lack of clear career paths and structured appointments may discourage talented individuals from pursuing teaching roles, impacting the development of future medical educators.
Are there any other consequences of these vacancies?
The absence of a robust faculty may lead to a derth of experienced professionals, affecting the standard of patient care.