Volume : III, Issue : VII, July - 2014

Compulsory Rural Service to be or not to be: Students' perspective

Mandar P. Baviskar, Ratnendra R. Shinde

Abstract :

Introduction: The MCI’s decision to make rural postings compulsory after MBBS had sparked a nationwide protest from doctors last year. Following the protest the postings were postponed indefinitely. This paper tries to explore the stance of interns on rural postings and reasons for the same. The authors also discuss the ways in which the issue could be resolved. Aim: The study aims to find the stance of final MBBS students and interns on compulsory rural postings. The study also tries to identify the factors which shape the perception of students. Method: A cross sectional study was carried out in interns of Seth GS Medical College, Mumbai. A convenience sample of 100 interns was taken. Written informed consent was taken from the participants. Both quantitative and qualitative data was collected in following two phases with help of a self report questionnaire and a focused group discussion. Results: Most students are against compulsory rural service. Students were willing to serve in RH or PHC after PG .No difference in opinion among students from rural & urban areas was found. Lack of confidence to manage patients after MBBS, lack of proper infrastructure, lack of amenities in rural areas, lack of money, isolation from peers, inability to grow as a professionals, exclusive interest in specialization, compromise with lifestyle, security issues, lack of facilities for family, language barriers were reported as causes. Conclusion: If the policy of rural posting is to be mainstreamed there has to be a consensus of all stakeholders.

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Article: Download PDF   DOI : 10.36106/ijar  

Cite This Article:

Mandar P. Baviskar, Ratnendra R. Shinde Compulsory Rural Service to be or not to be: Students’ Perspective Indian Journal of Applied Research, Vol.4, Issue.7 July 2014

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