It is a medical course suggested by Health Ministry and Medical Council of India (MCI) for rural population in order to recoup the rural health services in India.
Most of the Indian rural areas are facing big shortage of doctors and in some areas there is no access to medical facilities and health care at all. It is believed that urban doctors are hesitating to work in rural areas and therefore it is crucial to produce well educated and well trained rural people who can really take up health care tasks in these areas and treat the needy. This proposal is expected to justify the health issues of rural population.
According to Central Govt. “BRMS course is a community based solution to current ruralpublic health challenges and will produce about 145,000 doctors to serve the health needs of rural people and the quality will not be compromised whatsoever.”
As per the proposal, the prospective students will be selected based on their Class-XII marks with Physics, Chemistry and Biology as subjects of consideration. Weightage would be given to students who have studied in village schools and they would be allowed to join the Bachelor’s course in the district they belong to. For now the intake is kept at 25- 50 students per institute/ annum and all of which would be under the Directorate of Medical education.
There will be one medical school per district, in the district hospital. It will have bed strength of 150-300. MCI is also planning to set up 300 medical colleges to cater to the needs of non-medical college zones in India.
It is a 3 ½ yr course and has different learning phases involved- in the first phase which is about 1 ½ yr, students will be permitted to work in primary health centre’s (community health centre); in second phase of 1 yr duration they will work in district hospitals (secondary level) and the final third year will be spent in a tertiary hospital.
The classes will be held in medical schools located in district hospitals by well-qualified professionals and the degree will be officially issued by the university it is affiliated to. The subjects include: Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry, Pathology and Microbiology, Pharmacology, Forensic medicine, Medicine and allied disciplines, Paediatrics, Surgical an allied disciplines, Orthopaedics, Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Community Medicine.
The medical degree is subjected to certain limitations: The registered doctors will have to practice only in a specified state and in notified rural areas with a population of approximately 50,000 or less. Their degree is not considered for providing services in other states (considered invalid in other states). They also will have to renew their registration every year for up to 4 yrs after which they can receive permanent registration. This rule is good only for first five years after their initial training period. After the 5yr period they will be permitted to pursue higher education and can be in par with other doctors.
As per the proposed draft, “Registration of the BRMS graduate will be worked out by the states concerned and their respective medical councils. The medical schools will be recognised for the conferment of degree by the concerned state medical council or by such authority as would be notified for the said purpose.”
However only a basic outline of BRMS course has been given so far, few changes might be expected in future.