Specialists from govt hospitals to become medical college professors, says NMC

The National Medical Commission (NMC) has introduced a provision that allows specialists from government healthcare institutions to serve as faculty members in medical education, aiming to enhance the quality and number of faculty in medical colleges.

Under this new approach, specialists holding postgraduate medical degrees and with at least two years of experience in government hospitals with a capacity of 220 beds or more will be eligible for appointment as assistant professors in broad specialties.

Those with a decade or more of experience can qualify as associate professors.

Dispelling misconceptions about the purpose of the reform, Dr BN Gangadhar, chairman of the NMC, clarifies, “The intent is not to treat this as an arrangement to fill up vacant posts, but rather as a facilitative measure to encourage specialists, who have not traditionally been part of academic teaching setups, to transition into medical education roles. Many specialists may not have undergone formal pedagogical training since they were not previously engaged in teaching roles but will do so once the academic role is assigned.”

To support these specialists in adapting to academic responsibilities, the initiative mandates skill development in teaching.

Dr Gangadhar explains, “To maintain the academic standards, all newly appointed faculty will be required to complete a compulsory training program such as Basic Course in Medical Education Technology (BCMET) within a stipulated period.”

“The faculty development training will be offered through recognized medical education units set up under the purview of the NMC and faculty development programs. These efforts are expected to help create a more competent, trained faculty base, even for those who are transitioning from pure clinical practice to teaching,” Gangadhar added.

This measure is a key element of the broader reforms outlined in the draft Teachers Eligibility and Qualifications (TEQ) Regulations, which have been finalized by the NMC and are currently under review before being officially published.

The draft regulations propose a range of updates to the criteria and qualifications required for medical educators.

However, sustaining the involvement of these specialists in academic roles presents challenges. Many prefer the flexibility and financial benefits of private clinical practice.

“Challenges do exist, especially when specialists choose to move to private clinical practice, leaving academic appointments. Their remuneration and service conditions, though largely uniform, are also regulated by the limitations of the employing state department. This responsibility lies primarily with the respective institutions and state authorities,” said Dr Gangadhar.

From a student perspective, the new policy is expected to improve access to experienced faculty and enrich the learning environment.

Dr Gangadhar said, “While the long-term impact on learning outcomes will take time to assess, the immediate benefit is in expanding the academic ecosystem by including a wider pool of qualified professionals. On a monetary dimension, the hospital becomes a teaching institute by using its current doctors as faculty, so the government does not need to spend extra money.”

“Appointments will begin as soon as the gazette notification is issued, and medical colleges initiate the recruitment process based on the updated eligibility norms. The NMC move seeks to ensure that students benefit from more practice-informed faculty,” he added.