Mathura Medical College’s Controversial Directive: Admit 100 Patients in 15 Days

Overview

In an unprecedented move, Krishna Mohan Medical College & Hospital in Mathura has issued a directive requiring its postgraduate (PG) resident doctors to admit 100 patients within 15 days of attending rural camps. This directive has sparked widespread outrage among the medical fraternity and has become a major talking point nationwide.

The circular, issued on Tuesday, outlines the norms for the institution’s “Outreach Community Residents Posting.” It mandates that PG residents must admit 100 patients within 15 days of attending rural camps in specified areas. The medical college, which has 850 beds and offers 102 PG seats across 11 specialties, is affiliated with Mathura-based KM University.

Harsh Penalties for Non-Compliance

The circular, undersigned by the college principal and dean, Dr. PN Bhise, states that non-compliance will result in an extension of the programme for resident doctors on a “per-day basis.” This implies that their stipulated 2–3-year course may be prolonged. Additionally, if a patient leaves against medical advice due to a PG resident doctor’s failure to consult with their consultant, the resident doctor “must admit 50 patients individually.”

Outrage Among PG Students

PG students at the institution have expressed their frustration and anger over the directive. One student emphasized that the medical education regulator, the National Medical Commission (NMC), does not mandate patient recruitment for institutions as part of undergraduate or postgraduate medical training. The directive has been criticized for placing undue pressure on resident doctors and for potentially compromising patient care.

“We have heard of these kinds of pressures that private medical institutions exert on resident doctors and consultants, but issuing an open circular and threatening students with non-compliance shows the audacity of the college administration,” – A PG Resident.

Promotional Activities and Patient Outreach

The circular also states that resident doctors will accompany public relations officers (PROs) to various villages and routes for promotional activities and patient outreach. The expectation is that they will admit “at least 100 patients within the next 15 days.” Failure to meet this target will result in an extension of the programme on a per-day basis.

This directive has raised significant ethical and practical concerns within the medical community. Many argue that such mandates could lead to unethical practices and compromise the quality of medical education and patient care.

Voice of UDFA

Dr. Arun Kumar, national general secretary of the United Doctors Front Association (UDFA), a body representing resident doctors across the country, called the college’s move impudent and demanded government intervention.

“This kind of target-setting for patients in corporate hospitals is an open secret, but a college openly asking PG residents for hospital admissions is something new and shows that private medical colleges do not fear either the medical education regulator or the government,” Dr. Kumar stated.

Voice of IMA JDN

1. Unreasonable Admission Targets: PG residents are required to admit 100 patients within 15 days. Failure to achieve this target results in an extension of the program on a per-day basis, creating undue pressure and exploitation.

2. Unfair Accountability for Patient Decisions: If a patient opts to leave against the medical advice of a consultant, the resident doctor is compelled to admit an additional 50 patients individually. This punitive measure disregards the autonomy of patients and unfairly shifts the burden to the resident.

3. Non-Medical Duties: PG residents are mandated to work with the college’s public relations team for promotional activities, which are unrelated to their medical education or patient care responsibilities.

Such guidelines not only exploit the workforce of resident doctors but also jeopardize the ethical standards of medical training and patient care. The psychological and physical strain imposed by these regulations is immense and is a violation of the rights and dignity of the resident doctors.

Statement of Dr. Ravi Wankhedkar-

Dr. Ravi Wankhedkar, former president of the Indian Medical Association (IMA),
“During the Medical Council of India (MCI) era—before it was replaced by the NMC in 2019—there were at least regular inspections. But under the NMC, it primarily relies on data provided on the college website,”
“In the latest circular, what the institution is asking students to do is neither part of their studies nor their training. Ideally, the college must be held accountable for this,”

The Medical Bulletin