NMC asks medical colleges to take care of PG students' mental health, well-being

New Delhi: The National Medical Commission (NMC) asked medical institutions offering post-graduate programmes on Wednesday to look out for the mental health and wellbeing of its students by making sure they have enough rest, weekly off, counselling, approved leaves, and a pleasant working environment.

The commission has also asked these colleges to submit action-taken reports on the issue as well as the practice they follow with special mention of cases of suicide, gender bias and incidences of dishonour to a woman's decency.

In a letter addressed to the directors, principals or deans of the medical colleges and institutions imparting post-graduate courses, Dr Vijay Oza, president of the Post-Graduate Medical Education Board, NMC, said it has received grievances from PG students (resident doctors) stating they are under stress due to long working hours, no weekly offs, non-sanctioning of leaves during emergency etc.

This issue has been flagged in the print media and also raised in Parliament, the letter said.

The PGMEB, in a meeting on June 28, discussed the grievances and decided that all medical colleges should take care of the mental health and well-being of the PG students by ensuring they get adequate rest, weekly offs, and counselling if necessary. The institutions should arrange yoga sessions on a regular basis, sanction leaves when required and respect the dignity of the students by providing a positive and conducive working environment, the board decided.

A committee may be constituted to look into the complaints and grievances received, including those from anonymous sources, Oza said.

"A healthy and stress-free resident doctor is critical not only for his her own well-being but also for the well-being of the patients he or she treats. All medical colleges and institutes are therefore requested to take necessary steps for taking care of the mental health and well-being of the PG medical students studying or working with them.

"An action-taken report on the issue as well as the practice being followed in the college or institute may be provided to the National Medical Commission on a regular basis specially mentioning the cases of suicide, gender bias and incidences of dishonour to a woman's decency etc," the letter read.