Fewer work hours for PG doctors on cards

livemint.com:

NEW DELHI : Post-graduate students of medicine will get at least one day a week off and will not have to work more than 48 hours a week, according to new regulations in the works. This is part of the National Medical Commission’s (NMC) attempts to address severe stress and mental health issues among medical students. Currently, many post-graduate students at medical colleges work without a break for as much as 100 hours a week.

A recent student suicide at a Tamil Nadu medical college prompted an emergency meeting of the NMC. In addition according to the commission, in the last five years, around 200 incidents of ‘ragging’ have been reported from medical colleges. The Prevention and Prohibition of Ragging in Medical Colleges and Institutions Regulations were issued in 2021.

“We are trying to fix that every medical student should get weekly off, provided reasonable time to rest, and not exceed their working hours for more than 48 hours per week. The regulations are likely to be out by next month, as at present it is still in consideration," an NMC official said on condition of anonymity. Queries sent to the health ministry remained unanswered.

Ragging refers to the practice of subjecting new students to humiliating or abusive behaviour as a way of initiating them into a group or community. “Regarding the suicide by a 27-year-old girl in a medical college in Tamil Nadu, we conducted an emergency meeting and directions have been given to the college to submit the report by Thursday. Besides this, state medical commission and NMC officials are also inspecting the medical college at their level to collate information from students, faculty and staffers," said the official, adding that the report will be prepared within 15