Against the tide

The issue of bridge course after BDS to MBBS is being criticized by the medical fraternity but I wish to throw in the spanner before things go out of hand. How is an MBBS made an MBBS in the first place. It is by virtue of his teaching and training in scientific evidence based medicine and its paraclinical subjects. Let us not deny the fact that the country needs more qualified doctors of modern scientific medicine. Mind you I have not said that the country needs more “Doctors”. We already have surplus of persons masquerading as doctors of modern scientific medicine with or without some kind of inappropriate qualification. If we get a few qualified ones into the system it cannot be considered bad. There is no need to engage in a turf war on the issue or to introduce the practice of untouchability in our profession.

The BDS course teaches medicine predominantly related to a particular area of body but in a evidence based scientific manner similar to that used to teach MBBS students. A bridge course spanning 3 years as envisaged may turn out better doctors of modern scientific medicine without any mismatch of various pathies. The tubular vision like career course that we permit to our graduates whether MBBS or BDS is stifling and a person should be permitted to switch career paths without total wipe out of the time spent specially when there is overlap in subjects studied. Internship should be compulsory only of the stream which the person wishes to practice. If he wishes to practice both dentistry as well as medicine then internship in both would be needed. The problem with bridge course for BAMS, GAMS, BHMS and other Indian systems of medicine is that the pathophysiology of disease and basis of therapy as taught is very different. Bridge course teaching a different pathophysiology and basis of pharmacological therapy for the disease will create confusion in the minds of the students. This argument however does not work in case of BDS students.

A child of 15 years in our country is asked to choose his career by joining medical stream in 11th standard and even CBSE does not allow change in stream after registration. At this age it is unfair to expect a person to have a clear vision about their career path. Many a students feel suffocated having gotten into a particular stream realizing mid stream that it is not meant for them. Not only after BDS I suggest a bridge course in any stream for a person to change career path giving credit for study already done which may be calculated any which way the authorities may deem fit.

The Government is already mulling NEXT exam for MBBS graduates. With foreign medical graduates, graduates from private medical colleges , bridge course graduates, and regular MBBS graduates of prestigious medical colleges it makes sense to standardize the product which is to be certified to practice modern scientific medicine. However it is also true that MBBS course already involves too many exams hence the NEET PG entrance exam should also be considered the NEXT exam and all these categories should be permitted to give the NEET/NEXT Exam. Those who clear it should be eligible for registration and the counselling for PG seats should continue in the same fashion as currently ongoing. This will also remove the criticism from Foreign medical graduates that their eligibility exam is deliberately made tough so that pass percentage is very low since now they will appear in the same exam as everyone else. The only problem that will arise in this formula will be those who have to complete various Bonds of service after MBBS who would not be competing for NEET. Solutions could however be found for the same.

Dr Neeraj Nagpal 
Convenor,Medicos Legal Action Group, Managing Director MLAG Indemnity,
Ex President IMA Chandigarh
Director Hope Gastrointestinal Diagnostic Clinic,
Sco 1066-67, Sector   123 , New Sunny Enclave , Mohali 
09316517176 , 9814013735
0172;  2707935, 2706024, 9478082176 , 9465109935
email; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
For Contributions; "Medicos Legal Action Group" Ac No 499601010036479 IFSC code UBIN0549967 Union Bank Sector 35 C Chandigarh;