Financial Commissioner, Health & Medical Education, Atal Dulloo, today chaired a meeting of UT level Steering Committee for implementation of District Residency Programme (DRP) in Jammu and Kashmir, for the batch of 2020 PG students admitted in various Medical Colleges of the UT.The meeting was attended by Principal, Govt. Medical College, Jammu, Dr. Shashi Sudan Sharma; Director (Coordination) New Medical Colleges J&K, Dr. Yashpal Sharma; Director Health Services Kashmir, Dr. Samir Mattoo; Director Health Services Jammu, Dr. Renu Sharma and Registrar, University of Jammu while as Director SKIMS, Srinagar, Principal, Govt. Medical College Srinagar, Registrar Academics, Govt. Medical College Srinagar and Registrar, University of Kashmir attended the meeting through virtual mode.Speaking during the meeting, Atal Dulloo said that this programme will be a game changer in Medical Education as the PG students will get benefitted from rural postings and the patient care in Rural districts will be improved.Dr. Yashpal Sharma on the occasion gave a detailed power point presentation regarding the implementation of the programme. He informed the meeting that all post graduate students pursuing MD/MS in broad specialties (Clinical / Non-clinical) shall have to undergo a compulsory residential rotation of three months in District Hospitals as a part of the course curriculum. He added that the rotation shall take place in the 3rd, 4th and 5th semester of the PG programme.
The meeting decided that the District Residency Programme shall be implemented in twelve rural district hospitals with more than 100 beds capacity and availability of the concerned specialists.The Financial Commissioner directed the Principals of Medical Colleges and Director SKIMS to provide the details of PG students admitted in the academic year 2020 besides Director Health Services Jammu and Kashmir were directed to intimate the availability of specialists and facilities in the District Hospitals so as to start the District Residency Programme at the earliest.Atal Dulloo further stressed on them to ensure the availability of accommodation, transport facilities and the security for the District Residents during the stay at the respective Districts.Pertinently, the Board of Governors in Supersession of Medical Council of India amended the Post Graduate Medical Education Regulations 2000, by incorporating District Residency Programme. This programme will expose the post graduate student to District Health System and involve them in health care services being provided at the District Hospitals for learning while serving. Notably, the DRP shall be implemented from the month of June, 2021 across Jammu and Kashmir.