Now, resident docs get a platform to air grievances against seniors

Mumbai: In response to escalating conflicts between professors and resident doctors, backed by allegations of mental harassment, the Maharashtra University of Health Sciences (MUHS) has decided to conduct its first townhall with resident doctors on Sunday to address their concerns to prevent further strikes. Resident doctors from across the state can sign in to table their grievances with MUHS officials.

With a strength of 9000 across the state, resident doctors are the backbone of hospitals attached to medical colleges for patient care. Over the past six months, the state has witnessed two significant strikes by them -- both at Sir JJ Hospital. (See box.) Through these impasses they openly criticized the respective department heads for their dictatorial behaviour and cited deficiencies in academics and training, leading to mental harassment.

The Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER) responded to the grievances by acting against the department heads.

MUHS has invited a third-party team, Code Blue, to provide insights and strategies to address these issues and safeguard the resident doctors’ wellbeing. The body will engage with them directly to find solutions.

In the past, a 27-year-old resident doctor from the hospital’s dermatology department took a two-year break due to post-traumatic stress disorder caused by harsh mentorship, recalled an official from the Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD).

Responding to the simmering discontent among resident doctors, MARD had in October 2023 requested DMER to implement mental health-friendly policies in education. MARD had reached out to the governor to draw attention to the prevailing challenge the residents were facing.

Dr Sarbik De, vice-president, Central MARD, said, “Resident doctors are an asset to the state and public. Their well-being should be prioritized to that they can offer quality patient care. We welcome MUHS’s step. The state medical education department has also been cooperative in the last two MARD strikes.”

An office bearer of MARD put down the rising cases of discontent among the young professionals on cross-cultural comingling which often lead to maladjustments. “The NEET- PG exams promote migration of doctors from one state to another. This has led to more diversity among the resident doctors who have come to Maharashtra from different states of the country,” he said. He underlined how some young professionals not exposed to an authoritarian and an aggressive work culture in their parent colleges, receive a cultural shock once they start their residencies here.

This, he said, was revealed when these residents shared their experiences before and after joining their residencies with their colleagues. “This change in demographic has played a significant role in drawing attention to the autocratic way of functioning in few departments of certain medical colleges,” said the doctor.

An ex-MARD office bearer said the authority to conduct internal examinations should be taken away from the heads of departments, as they wield their power unfairly. “Instead of having them as internal examiners, there should only be external examiners,” he said.

Dr Pravin Shingare, former director of DMER, said even if 1% of the total pool of post graduate teachers face repeated allegations from the resident doctors, it is reason enough for the professor to introspect.

“In both cases at JJ hospital in the recent past were the result of several past complaints,” he said. He added that office bearers of both MARD and Maharashtra State Medical Teachers Association (MSMTA) should meet annually to “discuss resident doctors’ issues”. “The MSMTA office bearers will be happy to intervene and ask their fellow professors to take corrective measures and resolve issues,” he said.