The Tamil Nadu Medical Council has decided to permit registered medical practitioners to carry over incomplete credit hours under Continuing Medical Education to the next block of five years. A group of doctors mounted a legal challenge, which failed.
The Indian Medical Council Act, 1956 (Professional Conduct and Ethics) Regulations, 2002, stipulate that physicians improve their medical knowledge and skills continuously. They must affiliate himself/herself with a reputed allopathic organisation and attend the continuing medical education programme for at least 30 hours every five years.
The Tamil Nadu Medical Council implemented the rule but a few doctors challenged it. While the rule stipulates action against registered medical practitioners who do not complete the 30 credit hours in the stipulated time, the Tamil Nadu Medical Council allowed doctors to carry over the unfinished credit hours to the next block of five years.
Under this decision, doctors who had not completed 30 credit hours in the earlier block of five years could carry it forward to the next five years, 2017-2022, but they were required to pay the Council a nominal fee.
Council president K. Senthil said the court had accepted the explanation and dismissed the case filed by a group of doctors. “We told the court that the regulation stipulates action for misconduct. We are being lenient, asking the candidates to carry over. If they are going to stand firm, we will press ahead with action. The court found our argument fair and the case was dismissed.”
