The Medical Council of India has granted Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Bariatu, permission to start the MCh (master in chirurgiae) in paediatric surgery, a coveted three-year postgraduate course for medical students.
A RIMS official told The Telegraph that the MCI letter granting permission to start the course, signed by secretary general Dr Rakesh Kumar Vats on February 18, reached on Wednesday, giving RIMS the scope to celebrate.
“With this, RIMS has added another feather in its cap. Last year in May, the MCI had given us permission to start the doctorate of medicine (DM) course in cardiology. Both MCh and DM are most prestigious courses,” the official said.
RIMS director Dr D.K. Singh said the MCI gave the nod for three seats in MCh in paediatric surgery.
“Permission for three seats has been granted. We expect the first batch to join in August based on their scores in the all-India entrance test,” Singh said.
President of RIMS Junior Doctors’ Association Dr Ajit Singh said the MCh was an achievement close on the heels of the DM last May.
“In less than a year, RIMS has notched up two big achievements. Superspecialty courses are a symbol of success for any institute. Now Jharkhand will produce MCh paediatric surgeons who can save the lives of countless children. RIMS will have facility of paediatric surgery in the emergency ward. I congratulate the RIMS director and the entire paediatric surgery department for this achievement,” he said.
He added that the MCh course at RIMS was a boon for ambitious doctors in Jharkhand looking to increase their qualifications.
RIMS, a medical institute of Ranchi University, is also an autonomous body established under an Act of Jharkhand Assembly. Established in 1960 as Rajendra Medical College Hospital after India’s first President Rajendra Prasad, it became known as RIMS in 2002 following an upgrade and is the premier medical college and state-run hospital in Jharkhand.
The MCI recently axed the existing PG gynaecology course at another state-run government medical college, the MGM in Jamshedpur, citing faculty crunch.