The National Medical Commission (NMC) has declared that postgraduate medical students will be assigned to medical duties during the Char Dham Yatra in Uttarakhand under the District Residency Programme (DRP). However, it will be voluntary for medical students to opt for this duty during the annual pilgrimage.
In a circular issued, the NMC said that the deployment will offer postgraduate students an opportunity to serve in resource-limited settings while enhancing their medical training.
“Unlike other places, the health needs will be under different circumstances. People will be exposed to high altitude-related medical complications. This will provide a new opportunity for training of postgraduates. The Government of Uttarakhand has also appealed for healthcare services to be supported by other resources,” the circular said.
“Considering the unique opportunity of learning a different area, the National Medical Commission considers this as a potential benefit to post graduate training. Therefore, posting of students who are willing to provide services may be subsumed under the District Residency Program. The Nodal Officer of the States shall facilitate such posting from volunteers to help the health authorities of Uttarakhand State,” the circular stated, adding that many medical students are ready to volunteer.
The DRP is a mandatory three-month rotational posting at district-level health facilities, aimed at helping medical residents understand healthcare challenges at the grassroot level.
