The Autonomous Post Graduate Medical Education Board (PGMEB) of National Medical Commission (NMC): Minimum Standard of Requirements for Postgraduate Courses-2023 (PGMSR-2023) - Impact on Family Medicine/ Family Physician Vocational Training for Indian Medical Graduates.

Abstract

The National Medical Commission (NMC) of India has issued new guideline for post graduate medical courses in India on 15th January 2024. These Guidelines may be called the "Minimum Standard of Requirements for Postgraduate Courses-2023 (PGMSR-2023)". These guidelines will come into force with immediate effect. Unfortunately, Family Medicine specialty has been entirely excluded from this document, despite clear mandate in the National Medical Commission Act 2019. Previously, the Undergraduate Medical Education Board of NMC did not include the Family Medicine as a mandatory department for training at MBBC Course. In the absence of a specific policy on medical education, a careful planning is required for number of post graduate residency positions across India depending upon population coverage and morbidity patterns. So, far during past three decades the increase in the number of post graduate residency posts/ seats have been random. There has been no clear-cut policy by the government or by the regulator itself. There appears to be no mapping for specialty need across geographical territories and population density in the background of the morbidity pattern. Under section 24(1)(c) of the National Medical Commission Act 2019 The Under-Graduate Medical Education Board shall perform the following functions, namely: - (c) develop competency-based dynamic curriculum for addressing the needs of primary health services, community medicine and family medicine to ensure healthcare in such areas, in accordance with the provisions of the regulations made under this Act; Under section 25. (1)(j) National Medical Commission Act 2019 The Post-Graduate Medical Education Board shall perform the following functions, namely: - (j) promote and facilitate postgraduate courses in family medicine. Under section 57. (1) The Commission may, after previous publication, by notification, make regulations consistent with this Act and the rules made thereunder to carry out the provisions of this Act. (2), and without prejudice to the generality of the preceding power, (p) the curriculum for primary medicine, community medicine, and family medicine under clause (c) of sub-section (1) of section 24. It is to be noted that Family Medicine is a community-based clinical discipline, all parameters for the graduate Family Medicine department, training, and faculty eligibility have been kept as per other hospitalist disciplines. It is the mandate of the Post Graduate Board of NMC to promote the PG program in Family Medicine. Suggestions articulated in this paper may be worthy of consideration of the esteemed members of National Medical Commission.