KOCHI: There is good news for MBBS students at private medical colleges in the state as the government may allow them to witness and learn postmortem procedures. The move comes following a Facebook post by Dr Sreelakshmi J, an assistant professor of forensic medicine at Wayanad Dr Moopen’s Medical College, explaining the hardships faced by students and teachers of private medical colleges in the state.
Health Minister Veena George has directed the Department of Medical Education (DME) director to look into the matter. “I noticed the Facebook post recently about the difficulties faced by the MBBS students in private colleges. I have asked the DME to submit a report on the same. Necessary steps to solve the issue will be taken based on the report,” the minister told TNIE.
As per National Medical Council (NMC) guidelines, medical students are required to observe 15 postmortem procedures. Only government colleges are allowed to conduct postmortem procedures in Kerala. According to Dr Sreelakshmi, it is necessary to provide students with a facility to witness postmortem examinations in keeping with NMC guidelines.
“The previous guidelines mandated only 10 procedures. It is now been increased to 15. Another option is video demonstration. However, video demonstrations are not enough for students to learn how to perform autopsy. They require better exposure,” she said.
Meanwhile, a DME official said that the students of Kerala University of Health Sciences (KUHS) were provided with the facility from 2020. “Apart from students enrolled in government medical colleges, students pursuing their MBBS degree from any medical college affiliated to KUHS can observe and learn postmortem procedures at general and district hospitals in the state. They are required to pay a particular amount as a fee,” said the official. According to him, the government order to this effect came in October 2020.
However, Dr Sreelakshmi said facilities at the autopsy rooms of district and general hospitals are limited. “Such hospitals only perform a limited number of such examinations. Moreover, these might not be carried out every day. Space limitations are also a hindrance. Also, in case of any complications, cases are referred to medical colleges. Moreover, not all general hospitals have the facility,” she said.
She added that the teachers and students of private medical colleges in the state had been requesting the DME to allow private MBBS students to witness and learn postmortem procedures, and the minister’s intervention, however, provides us hope, she added.
In other states, postmortem examinations are performed even in private medical colleges. “Postmortem procedures in our government medical colleges are excellent. When we have the facility, why should we go to the medical colleges in other states?” asks Dr Sreelakshmi.