Final year MBBS students to help overworked seniors

Tribune News Service

Faridkot, May 2

While the Departments of Medical Education and Health are contemplating enlisting final year MBBS students in fight against Covid, Guru Gobind Singh Medical College Hospital here has already started imparting oxygen therapy training to all non-clinical postgraduate medical students. The anaesthesia department of the hospital is organising the training.

“No resident should be posted at any Covid-19 facility without undergoing the essential training module,” said Dr Rajiv Sharma, principal. “From uploading the details of patients on mobile apps to maintaining a record, interns and final year students can offer great support to overworked senior doctors in Covid wards,” said a senior functionary in the Medical Education Department.

However, Covid duties are more challenging for interns who are waiting to appear in post-graduation exam for admission in MD/MS courses. The exam was scheduled for April 18, but now stands postponed indefinitely in view of surge in Covid cases.

“Till the exam is conducted, most us won’t be willing to work in Covid wards,” said an intern.

Sources said the National Medical Commission has conveyed to the state governments that final year medical students wouldn’t be equipped to make clinical decisions.