Draft TEQ 2024: Doctors Concerned Over NMC’s Decision to Allow Non-Medical Teachers in Medical Colleges

The National Medical Commission (NMC) recently released the Draft Teachers Eligibility Qualifications 2024 Regulations (TEQ 2024), which proposes allowing non-medical teachers to teach critical pre-clinical subjects like Anatomy, Biochemistry, and Physiology in medical colleges. This decision has sparked debates across the medical community, with many doctors raising concerns about the potential impact on the quality of medical education.

What Does TEQ 2024 Propose?

Under the draft regulations, individuals with an MSc and PhD in these subjects from NMC-recognized institutions will be eligible for appointment as Senior Residents or Faculty during a defined transition period. However, non-medical teachers will not be eligible for leadership roles such as Head of Department, Dean, Director, Principal, or Medical Superintendent.

The transition period is intended as a temporary measure to address the shortage of qualified medical faculty. The duration of this period will be determined by NMC based on recommendations from the Postgraduate Medical Education Board (PGMEB).

Doctors’ Concerns

Many doctors have expressed disappointment and worry over this decision. They argue that appointing non-medical teachers in medical colleges could compromise the quality of education and training provided to future healthcare professionals. Key concerns include:

  1. Foundation of Medical Education:
    • Core subjects like Anatomy, Physiology, and Biochemistry form the foundation for medical graduates. Doctors fear that allowing non-medical teachers to handle these subjects could weaken this foundation, impacting the skills and knowledge of future surgeons and clinicians.
  2. Patient Safety Risks:
    • Teaching by non-medical practitioners may result in gaps in medical graduates’ understanding, which could ultimately jeopardize patient safety.
  3. Exploitation in Private Colleges:
    • Doctors worry that private colleges may exploit this decision to reduce costs by hiring non-medical teachers instead of qualified MD faculty, further degrading education quality.
  4. Temporary Measure Becoming Permanent:
    • Some fear that the transition period could turn into a permanent arrangement, undermining the standards of medical education in India.

What Do Experts Say?

National President of the United Doctors’ Front, stated, “This decision undermines the foundation of medical education, impacting healthcare quality in the country. While addressing the faculty shortage is important, this measure must remain strictly temporary.”

Chief Patron of the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA), called the decision “tragic,” adding, “Lowering the standards of medical education will leave Indian doctors jobless and unskilled in the future.”

The President of the Federation of Resident Doctors’ Association (FORDA) acknowledged the shortage of medical faculty but emphasized the need for a clearly defined and strictly enforced transition period.

NMC’s Perspective

The NMC has clarified that these measures are a response to the shortage of qualified MD faculty in non-clinical specialties. It also stated that the regulations protect the appointments of already-employed non-medical teachers and aim to fill vacant faculty positions in medical colleges.

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