Current status of pulmonology training in medical colleges in India, perspectives of trainee and newly qualified pulmonologists

Abstract

Background: Every year 470 students do post graduate training in pulmonology in 73 Public (P) and 87 private (Pvt.) institutes in India. The quality of training these new pulmonologists (Pulmos) receive hasn9t been evaluated. We aimed to understand perspectives of Pulmos in training and newly qualified Pulmos9 about quality of training and identify gaps in infrastructure and training. Methods: We invited trainees and recently passed pulmos at the annual conference of the Pulmos of India, NAPCON 2015 at Jaipur to tak a self-administered questionnaire about no. of patients they see, infrastructure and their confidence in management of respiratory diseases. Results: 215 doctors participated (75.8%-trainees, 24% newly qualified); (51%-P, 49% -Pvt.). P students saw significantly higher no. of out-patients. (80% P saw> 400 patients per week Vs. 20% Pvt.; p= 0.01). 52.3% of P students felt overburdened by the patient load. Availability of eqpt was: Spirometer-96%, Fibre-optic bronchoscope-88%, Rigid Bronchoscope-30%, Body Box-20%, IOS-13%, DLCO-58%, Bronchial Challenge-15%, Thoracoscopy-47%. Students were less confident in managing advanced lung diseases Conclusions: Pulmonology trainees from Public Institutes feel overburdened by the patient load. Pulmonology departments need to upgrade their infrastructure in advanced pulmonary function testing. Training in advanced lung diseases is inadequate.