Hyderabad: 50 per cent medics posted without internship

Hyderabad: Many MBBS students in the state, in both government and private colleges, are allegedly bypassing internship, which is compulsory for a year.
Sources said almost 50 per cent of government medical college students are not doing their internship in one or other department after being able to get their internship certificate forged.

Recently, the Osmania General Hospital superintendent received a complaint against some MBBS graduates who were absent from internship and yet received postings.

One is able to register with the Telangana State Medical Council (TSMC) only after successful completion of a year’s internship.

But many interns are not underdoing the compulsory internship. Some of the reasons for this is to prepare for a post-graduation seat through NEET or to practice medicine in the United States.

“As there are fewer number of post-graduation seats, there is intense competition among graduates to clear NEET,” said a professor on the condition of anonymity. “As a result, many of them use the time meant for internship to prepare for competitive examinations. Many of them also prepare for the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE).”

Telangana Junior Doctors JAC chairman P.S. Vijayender Goud said interns who are doing internship are also affected. “For example, if 20 members are posted in a department, and only 8 to 9 members report for internship, then the workload on them increases. After all, those 8 to 9 interns will be doing the work of 20 members.” 

Recently, the superintendent of Osmania General Hospital received a complaint against interns pursuing unfair means of getting internship certificate without actually doing it. According to the complaint, interns who had to report at the orthopaedics and other departments have not reported for the month of December. 

Allegedly, some of them have even got their attendance signatures without actually completing internship.

“We have got the complaint. Reportedly, some students were absent. We have appointed three professors to investigate the issue,” Osmania General Hospital superintendent Nagendra said. “In Osmania General Hospital, students undergo only five months internship. After getting signature from concerned professor only the process of getting internship certificate will be initiated. We are investigating the case.”