Sir/Madam,

This is to bring to your notice that apropos of the public notice published on 6^th September, 2023; File No.N-P016(11)/2/2023-PGMEB-NMC,we the Members of Society of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Diseases in India (STMIDI) would like to request consideration of   inclusion of MD (Tropical Medicine) as a feeder discipline for different DM courses.

Current syllabus of MD TROPICAL MEDICINE is designed to create a pool of physicians adept at independent practice of clinical tropical medicine (i.e. to approach and solve clinical problems, diagnose, and treat various tropical diseases) and appropriately manage common medical diseases (non-communicable diseases included) prevalent in tropical settings, which caters to all medical issues in India. 

The GUIDELINES FOR COMPETENCY BASED POST GRADUATE TRAINING PROGRAMME FOR MD IN TROPICAL MEDICINE issued by the then MCI and ratified by the NMC includes the following subjects in its curriculum –

• Infectious diseases
• Internal Medicine
• Environmental disorders
• Nutritional disorders
• Tropics-specific organ-limited diseases
• Poisoning

The aforementioned curriculum also mandates dedicated clinical postings for the trainees in the following departments – 

• at least 01, preferably 02, active externships (active clinical duties, not mere observership) of at least 01 month, preferably 02 months, each
• 02 months in a primary care set-up (primary health centre)
• 02 months in Emergency Medical services
• 02 months in Cardiology
• 02 months in Neurology
• 01 month in Nephrology
• 01 month in Endocrinology/diabetes care
• 01 month in Gastroenterology
• 03 months of laboratory work in general Microbiology, parasitology, and virology laboratory; remaining time should be spent in Internal Medicine.
   This is being followed in the training program.

The postgraduate trainees are also trained in CRITICAL CARE MEDICINE at the adequately equipped Critical Care Unit available at the institution that has been operational since 2014.

The Institute also boasts of an Endoscopy Unit where Endoscopies have been regularly performed since 2013, with a brief pause during the pandemic.

The institute has a department of Haematology which provides Outpatient and Inpatient care for various types of Hematological disorders. Residents are managing those patients under guidance of faculty.

The Institute also has a Department of Endocrine, Nutrition and Metabolic Diseases which provides outpatient and Inpatient care. Residents get adequate training during their posting in the department.

Furthermore, in practice, Postgraduate trainees of MD TROPICAL MEDICINE are used to managing all sorts of clinical cases, catering to all streams of study within the purview of internal medicine. A copy of the statistics of the distribution of marks between topics tested in the MD Tropical Medicine final theory examinations between 2018-22 is being attached herewith as a testament to the emphasis on the varied topics mentioned therein. 

In this context, we would like to draw your attention to the fact that MD (Tropical Medicine) course has been eligible for DM (Infectious Diseases) since 2016, ref No.MCI-4(3)/2016-Med./ serial no. 53 Amendment in Post Graduate Medical Education Regulation 2000 with regard to prior requirement, qualification for admission of DM (Infectious Diseases) as MD (Tropical Medicine) (copy annexed). This has also been reflected in the latest National Medical Commission Post Graduate Medical Board Guidelines on the subject of Guidelines for Competency Based Postgraduate Training Programme for DM in Infectious Diseases no. D 11011/1/22/AC/Guidelines/12 dated 04/08/2022 (copy annexed).

In fact, the institute is already running DM (Infectious Diseases) course with intake of three students per batch for last two years.

In view of the above, we request that MD (Tropical Medicine) passouts be allowed to appear in the NEET-SS entrance examination for the following DM courses 

• DM (Infectious Diseases)
• DM (Critical Care Medicine) 
• DM (Clinical Haematology)
• DM (Endocrinology) 
• DM (Medical Gastroenterology)
• DM (Hepatology)
• DM (Cardiology) 
• DM (Nephrology) 
• DM (Neurology)
• DM (Rheumatology & Clinical Immunology)

We request you to re-evaluate and revise the proposed draft for POST-GRADUATE MEDICAL EDUCATION REGULATIONS-2023 to include MD TROPICAL MEDICINE as one of the eligible feeder broad specialties to the aforementioned super specialties.

Thanking you,                                                                                                                                          

Yours faithfully,

 (Dr) Mehebubar Rahman,                                                                   Dr. Dolanchampa Modak

Secretary                                                                                                        President 
 Society of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Diseases in India             Society of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Diseases in India

108, C.R. Avenue, Kolkata 700073                                                        108, C R. Avenue, Kolkata - 700073

Annexure:

1. GUIDELINES FOR COMPETENCY BASED POST GRADUATE TRAINING PROGRAMME FOR MD IN TROPICAL MEDICINE. Click to view
2. The statistics of the distribution of marks between topics tested in the MD Tropical Medicine final theory examinations between 2018-22. Click to view
3. National Medical Commission Post Graduate Medical Board Guidelines on the subject of Guidelines for Competency Based Postgraduate Training Programme for DM in Infectious Diseases. Click to view
4. Letter of Permission for DM (Infectious Diseases) in School of Tropical Medicine Click to view