New Delhi: In the midst of ongoing legal proceedings at the Bombay High Court, the Undergraduate Medical Education Board (UGMEB) of the National Medical Commission (NMC) has reaffirmed its decision to eliminate the Respiratory Medicine Department from MBBS medical colleges throughout the nation. The top medical education regulatory authority provided this reasoning following a letter from the Karnataka Pulmonologists Association, which had urged the Commission to restore the Department in India’s MBBS medical colleges.

 In its justification, the NMC UGMEB stated that tuberculosis and chest diseases, along with related topics, were considered new disciplines 50 years ago when there was a lack of sufficient skills and knowledge in these areas.”Over the past seventy years, medical science has advanced significantly. Currently, specialized and super-specialized training in Respiratory Medicine/Pulmonary Medicine is available in medical colleges,” noted the Commission.

The NMC further highlighted that General Medicine and related subjects for undergraduate students are taught by the faculty in Medicine. It also stated that UGMEB has been tasked with enhancing medical education at the undergraduate level: “A law aimed at creating a medical education system that increases access to quality and affordable medical education, ensures the supply of sufficient and high-quality medical professionals throughout the country; promotes equitable and universal healthcare with a focus on community health and makes medical professionals’ services accessible to all citizens; and supports national health objectives.”

The Commission further noted that beyond TB & Chest Diseases/Respiratory Diseases, there are at least 27 additional specialties, each needing their own focus within CC education. “This puts a significant strain on undergraduate medical students, jeopardizing their involvement in the process.”UGMEB aims to make UGME enjoyable and invigorating for students, encouraging them to become leaders in primary healthcare services. Consequently, this subject will be taught by faculty from General Medicine and related fields.

This approach will also simplify the establishment of new colleges, particularly in rural peripheral areas,” the Commission stated, adding that Respiratory Medicine/Pulmonary Medicine has already evolved into Specialty and Super-specialty fields where interested individuals can further their education and meet societal needs.

New Competency-Based Medical Education Guidelines

The Undergraduate Medical Education Board (UGMEB) of the National Medical Commission (NMC) has eliminated three departments—Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PMR), Respiratory Medicine, and Emergency Medicine—from the list of essential departments that every medical college or institution must have to be authorized for annual undergraduate medical admissions. The newly released Competency-Based Medical Education 2024 guidelines also lack a provision for a separate department for respiratory medicine.

Despite respiratory medicine specialists approaching various authorities to request a reconsideration of this decision, they received no relief and opted to seek legal recourse. Consequently, the Indian Chest Society (ICS) lodged a Public Interest Litigation regarding this matter before the Bombay High Court. The Indian Association of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation is also a petitioner in this lawsuit.