NEW DELHI: The Association of DNB (Diplomate of National Board) Doctors has written to the prime minister, Narendra Modi, expressing their disappointment with the National Board of Examinations extending their training period by six weeks and until further notice. The reason cited for the extension was the 21-day lockdown imposed to control the spread of coronavirus and COVID-19, the disease it causes.

The association has 862 members but its president, Arvind Gautam, said around 2,000 should be completing the course this year. “DNB candidates were highly motivated to fight for the cause our country is currently facing,” their letter says referring to the coronavirus outbreak. They will remain in the “frontline workforce” but are disappointed to not be able to join as senior residents immediately.

Describing the decision as “arbitary, unlawful and discriminatory”, the association urged Modi, the health minister and executive director of NBE to consider the plight of students and consider refraining from taking such a “unilateral decision” at a time when the country is in need of healthcare workers.

Plus, the letter points out, several candidates have already been assigned posts by the state agencies. The extension is "punishment and harassment", says the letter.

Training of residents

The NBE on April 4 had put out a public notice saying the training which was to end between April 1, and June 30, 2020 will be extended due because in the lockdown, “training of DNB/FNB residents has been adversely impacted in the entire country”.

The association disagrees. It argues in its letter that since the DNB students are working fulltime, the coronavirus pandemic has not compromised the quality of training they are receiving and therefore and extension isn’t justified.

The letter points out that no such extension has been announced for residents in MS or MD programmes. DNB doctors have completed postgraduate diplomas in medicine after earning their MBBS degrees.

Medical colleges in many countries such as UK, US, Ireland and Italy are considering, or have already announced, early graduation of final-year students so that they can serve in areas where resources are scarce due to a rise in the number of COVID-19 cases.

Also Read:

• COVID-19: Medical colleges abroad fast-track graduation to add doctors
  

• COVID Lockdown: JEE and NEET in May, CBSE exams asap says MHRD

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