Gandhi Medical College in Bhopal has chosen to fix a schedule of 8–12 duty hours and weekly leave for medical students in response to their complaints about a toxic work culture.

GMC dean Kavita N Singh said, “The roster system has been finalized for residents, and we have fixed 8 to 12 hours of duty and weekly off for the students. It will ease pressure and develop a healthy work culture.”

According to earlier reports by medical dialogues, five resident doctors from GMC Bhopal threatened to take their own lives on May 31, 2024, if authorities did not address their complaints about a toxic work culture. The doctors demanded that authorities stop the non-stop working hours,which they professed would sometimes extend to more than 24 hours or up to 36 hours. They nudged the authorities to ensure a healthy working environment and stop the toxicity and abuse.

Further, the PG medicos claimed that they were forced to work for more than 24 to 36 hours without sleep. They also claimed that they were not given a single day’s leave, even on Sundays. The doctors should work even if they fall sick.

Apart from this, the resident doctors alleged in the letter that even after doing so much work, they faced verbal abuse from seniors and consultants. They are also being threatened of failing the exam and not obtaining their degrees.

The doctors had raised the issue of toxic work culture in a letter addressed to the president of the Federation of All India Medical Associations (FAIMA). FAIMA chairman Dr. Rohan Krishnan had previously stated that the organization has already formed a committee under his leadership to address the problem. The association had appointed consultant psychiatrists and also discussed the issue with the leaders of the Junior Doctors’ Association of Madhya Pradesh and the Resident Doctors’ Association of GMC Bhopal. FAIMA also contacted the dean of the institute, who had earlier assured to provide a positive solution regarding the issue.

An eight- to twelve-hour duty roster system has been finalized by the dean of the institute, according to the most recent media report from the Free Press Journal. However, the Daily added that the “dean of the institute and the professors of the medical college are at odds” over the fixing of 8 to 12 duty hours (roster system) for junior doctors.

Speaking to FPJ, Medical Teachers Association President Dr. Rakesh Malviya, emphasized that resident doctor training is akin to that of commando training.

He said, “Our medical training is to save the lives of patients and not to merely perform their duty. This is why doctors are called next to God, and we get so much respect in society. So a shift from 8 to 12 hours of duty hardly matters.

Junior physicians must face the harsh reality that, in order to be full-fledged consultants, they must possess the mental fortitude of commandos in order to save patients' lives. An anonymous letter does not serve the purpose. If a student has a problem, he or she should talk to us directly,” Dr. Malviya added.

(Input from various media sources)

(Rehash/Priyanka Pandey/SB)