Ahmedabad: The decision by the Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER) Gandhinagar office to depute 375 second year MBBS students of four different medical colleges to the NHL Medical College as Covid-19 assistants did not go down well with the medicos, as they are concerned whether they will be joining the duty as medical students or as intern doctors, and will this deputation will be considered as their internship.
The DME order was issued on Sunday, a few days before the publication of the results and the commencement of the internship of the medical student. The order directed the deans of four medical colleges to depute the second year medicos to the NHL Medical College as Covid assistants.
As per the Chief Personnel Officer, Office of the Health Commissioner, examinations of second-year MBBS students of GMERS Medical College, Sola, GMERS Medical College, Gandhinagar, GCS Medical College, and AMC-Met Medical College (LG Hospital) have been completed, so they have been instructed to report to the Dean of NHL Medical College to join COVID duty immediately that has been assigned to them.
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The interns confirmed that they have no problem serving COVID duty but the authorities should also consider their position and deploy them as intern doctors. As per a recent media report by Ahmedabad Mirror, the Gujarat Intern Doctors Association (GIDA) is planning to approach the Deans of the colleges to ensure that the COVID duties of the second-year MBBS students should be considered as a part of their internship work.
The medicos stated that even before they can start their internship, they have been instructed to serve COVID duty. Hence, the question arises if the time of deputation will be considered as a part of their internship or not because if they serve the COVID duty on deputation, the government may not give them any salary or stipend.
However, if they are assigned the duty as intern doctors, the government will have to pay them a salary. Many members of the GIDA are of the view that the notification was intentionally issued on Sunday before the publication of their results.
A member of the core committee of the GIDA told Ahemdabad Mirror, "Our results will be out in the next 5 days. Then our internship. We would not mind if we were put on deputation for Covid duty during the internship as each student gets a stipend from his/ her medical college." He further added, " Since our results are pending, if we object to this deputation, there is a likelihood that our results will be affected."
Moreover, another member also claimed that the Rs 5,000 per month that was earlier awarded for COVID duty has also been discontinued for three months. A student of MBBS Part-2 of GMERS Medical College Sola said, "As many as 125 students of GMERS Medical College Sola, 50 students of GMERS Medical College, Gandhinagar, 50 of GCS Medical College and 150 of AMC-Met Medical College will make representations to their deans on Tuesday. If we are not heard, we have planned to make a representation in Gandhinagar."
Addressing the concerns of the second-year medicos, Chief Personnel Officer Navnath Ghavane told the daily, "This is a pandemic. Everyone needs to understand the situation and help the government and society. As far as the internship duration during Covid duty is concerned, we will certainly look into it and support them. Regarding payment of Rs 5,000 per month for Covid duty, we are considering it and a decision in this regard will be taken in the next two-three days."