MUMBAI: The Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC), which functions as a regulator of the medical profession, is taking a closer look at foreign-trained doctors as well as doctors who pursue post-graduate degrees through distance education.
It has sent notices to 600 doctors across Maharashtra who have earned their basic medical degree from universities in Russia, Ukraine, China, etc. This follows complaints about foreign-trained doctors putting up boards stating that they are "MD Physicians" although India recognizes them as "MBBS equivalent" doctors only.
"We consider these misleading boards to be a menace. What if an injured child is rushed to a doctor who claims to be a paediatrician but has only undergone a distance post-graduate degree from Seychelles?" said MMC president Dr Kishor Taori.
Regarding foreign-trained doctors, he said they had been asked to return their MMC degrees so that fresh ones could be issued. "Instead of saying that they have an MBBS-equivalent degree, we will give them a new one stating that they have an MBBS degree," he said, adding that the move will eliminate any ambiguity about their status.
Many East European nations offer an integrated MD course. "When these doctors return to India, they have to undergo a national screening examination before getting a registration as an MBBS doctor," he said, adding, "It is possible that these doctors don't realize that they cannot be termed MD Physicians in India. So we will reword their degree certificates."
It has sent notices to 600 doctors across Maharashtra who have earned their basic medical degree from universities in Russia, Ukraine, China, etc. This follows complaints about foreign-trained doctors putting up boards stating that they are "MD Physicians" although India recognizes them as "MBBS equivalent" doctors only.
"We consider these misleading boards to be a menace. What if an injured child is rushed to a doctor who claims to be a paediatrician but has only undergone a distance post-graduate degree from Seychelles?" said MMC president Dr Kishor Taori.
Regarding foreign-trained doctors, he said they had been asked to return their MMC degrees so that fresh ones could be issued. "Instead of saying that they have an MBBS-equivalent degree, we will give them a new one stating that they have an MBBS degree," he said, adding that the move will eliminate any ambiguity about their status.
Many East European nations offer an integrated MD course. "When these doctors return to India, they have to undergo a national screening examination before getting a registration as an MBBS doctor," he said, adding, "It is possible that these doctors don't realize that they cannot be termed MD Physicians in India. So we will reword their degree certificates."
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