When I saw the title, I really thought this was a diploma mill scam, but it’s not. It appears to be a pioneering approach to teach some medical specialties in India not currently offered there:
Learn medicine from US experts in Mumbai in 2 years
Mumbai, December 14: Every year, several post-graduate students from the city travel to foreign shores to learn medicine. But two years from now, they may have the option of learning from medical experts from the US right here in Mumbai.
This is because the University of South Florida (USF)—along with Maharashtra Medical University—has offered to start various post-graduate courses in medicine in Mumbai.
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Speaking to Newsline, (USF President) Dr Genshaft said that USF would like ‘‘to extend (its) expertise to city doctors and help produce better trained physicians’’. The newly-constructed 13-storey building of GT Hospital could be used for this purpose, USF officials suggested.Director of Public Health Dr P P Doke said that this initiative is aimed at providing specialisations that Mumbai University does not currently offer.
‘‘Students have to spend a lot of money to go abroad and study subjects like immunology or emergency medicine,” he said. “If these courses are made available right here, it will help a lot of prospective doctors. They will probably pay the same fees, but won’t need to go abroad.’’
Dr Doke added that a policy decision will have to be taken by the cabinet soon. Only then will the process start. And though only certificate-level courses will be offered initially, the certificates will be acknowledged internationally and be on par with those received after actually studying abroad, he added.
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Random thoughts:
- I am so thankful I only had to travel to California for training, instead of another country and culture.
- I hope Dr. Genshaft didn’t really say that, or said something similar that didn’t sound nearly as bad.
- Some USF docs could be in for a very interesting experience, teaching medicine in the biggest democracy on earth.
- Not having this education system, what is a ‘certificate level’ of medical instruction? I need education on that subject.
USF is one of three Florida med schools, in Tampa.
So, there’s a little international medicine thrown in. I’m trying not to be too predictable.
Minor point, but there are four allopathic schools in FL now: USF, UF, FSU and Miami. FSU is the newest MD school in the country, I believe the first built since the mid 70s? I know there is at least one DO school around here too.
Allen, certificate level in my understanding is the equivalent of an advance degree like a masters or doctorate.In India-having an MD in front of your name implies residency training in some specialty- most doctors are ‘MBBS’ meaning only a rotating internship after med school. There are far more med school grads than there are residency slots-you have to take a competition exam to get into a residency and depending upon your rank you might get a particular residency not necessarily of your choice in specialty. That article is clear as mud. Specifically because unless the Medical Council of India recognizes a specialty-having a certificate in it means nothing. Currently there are some Emergency Medicine programs in India that are sponsored by US establishments but the specialty is widely unrecognized. Interestingly, the official handbook of residencies from the MCI lists ‘Accident and Emergency Medicine’ as a specialty but very few people in academia are aware of that fact as I discovered during my trips in residency.
BTW me and Nicky are moving back to Freso-she will be training in internal medicine there-that program has made some big strides since they got a new director.
Navdeep
Navdeep,
First, best of luck to the two of you on your return to Fresno. Rick told me you were coming out there, and that’s good news for Fresno and Fresnans.
Thanks for the ‘Certificate level’ education. Sounds like Indian medical politics aren’t any better than those in the US.