Medicos, doctors wary of internship in AYUSH posts

“The one-year internship is aimed at designing the course in a way to make the best out of the one year postings, but Ayush postings will not be of any help to MBBS students. Though MBBS postings in Ayush can give more exposure, the time can be given for more basic and important services,” said Dr Arvind Santhosh, a post graduate student at Madras Medical College and Hospital.

The notifications by the National Medical Commission saw state wide protests against the mixopathy of the specialities upon allowing the mixing of the two forms of medicine and now the students are unhappy with the mixopathy during the one-year mandatory internship.

“The postings of the interns would not only mix the curriculum for both the types of medicine, but would cut down on the period assigned on the MBBS programme. The internship earlier was designed in a way that all common services could be covered. However, the structure of the internship will also be affected,” said Dr Vishnu K, a medico at Kilpauk Medical College and Hospital.

The doctor’s associations also support the medicos and state that the mixopathy will hamper the medical education and healthcare in the state.

“The students were posted for the practical knowledge of the course. However, the posting in AYUSH courses for the MBBS students would be of no use for them as they would not want to pursue that in speciality courses. The mixopathy was being opposed from the time of its introduction because of the opportunities that will be compromised,” said Dr GR Ravindranath, secretary of Doctor’s Association for Social Equality.