Structured programmes for MRCS
Recognition: Professor Gautam Sen, chairman, Indian Chapter of The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.
“The Medical Council of India (MCI) has to take many factors into consideration before giving blanket recognition for [degrees such as] MRCS and FRCS and MRCP,” says Professor Gautam Sen, chairman of the Indian Chapter of The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.
MRCS is only an acknowledgement that the candidate is fit for four more years of training before he or she could be certified to practise surgery, says Dr. Sen. In an e-mail interview with Education Plus, he explained the background of these degrees.
“MRCS diploma is Membership of Royal College of Surgeons of all Royal College of Surgeons in England — The Royal College of Surgeons of England, The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh and The Royal College of Surgeons of Glasgow. This diploma came into existence only in 2000, when the training to become a surgeon became more structured. It was provided in two stages — a two-year basic surgical training (BST), and only after two years of Basic Surgical Training (after MBBS) and a Basic Surgical Skills Course — one could appear for this basic diploma and if successful become member of either of the Royal College of Surgeons.”
MRCS was a first step to undertake four more years of higher surgical training in the U.K. On completion, a certificate of completion of surgical training (CCST) is issued. Thus after six years of training in the U.K., one could appear for the FRCS examination. Only after this could one become a consultant surgeon.
Changes introduced
In 2001- 2003, changes in training methods were introduced under the new Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board (PMETB) — an autonomous body, set up by the U.K. Government and independent of all Royal Colleges. This was followed by the Modernising Medical Career (MMC) Document, which the U.K. considers as basic to train their doctors into specialists. “The emphasis is on structured training, competence-based continuous and in-training assessment,” Dr. Sen says.
Basically, there is Foundation Year 1, Foundation Year 2 and Foundation Year 3, training which is common to all, after MBBS, followed by, if selected, further four years of continuous training before one can get a Completion Certificate of Training. This means a student could be considered for appointment as consultant in NHS hospitals.
Phased out
“The present pattern of MRCS Examination is soon going to be phased out. The Indian Chapter of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh brought FRCS examination to India in 1998 so that surgical trainees here could write it. The examination was discontinued in 2000 in favour of the BST and HST system.
“The Colleges conduct MRCS examination in India that does not require training as eligibility criterion, unlike in the U.K., where a structured training programme after MBBS is a pre-requisite.
“Theoretically, one may take this examination in India, without a single post of training, and get MRCS Diploma,” he explains. Earlier, successful non-European Union MRCS students could go to the U.K. and work in NHS hospitals.
Basic and Higher training
The Indian chapter has initiated a dialogue with the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, for conducting the Basic Foundation Years of Structured Training (3 years), followed by MRCS examination and then continuing further four years of structured training in Specialty, followed by FRCS examination as in the U.K.
Recognising MRCS diploma as an eligibility to practise surgery does not arise. If a candidate undergoes BST and HST for six to seven years in Indian hospitals then the MCI should recognise such training and the FRCS degree as Postgraduate Degree in Surgery or in higher specialty in Surgery.
As regards recognising the old FRCS — that is, 1975 to 2000 (FRCS prior to 1975 was recognised) is welcome, as most of the doctors with this old FRCS had enough experience and developed competence working in the U.K. and later in India.
MRCS is the first step to undertake four more years of higher surgical training in the U.K.
R. SUJATHA
Credit from http://www.topix.net
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