The guidelines on the professional responsibilities of medical students were put out by National Medical Commission (NMC) on Monday, April 3 and many points about social media, learning the local language and so on were made.
"They must be aware of their limitations and should avoid giving advice regarding treatment, or doing counselling without due instruction from their teachers," according to the guidelines issued by Dr Yogender Malik, member of the NMC's Ethics and Medical Registration Board (EMRB), as stated in a report by PTI.
Here's a quick summary:
1) NMC asked students not to post about patients or information related to patients on social media
2) To communicate in a more effective way, students were urged to learn the local language of where they are practising and participate in events of the community
3) Students were asked to dress modestly and appropriately
4) Apart from introducing themselves as students, they were asked to take medical history of patients and examine them while being mindful of the fact that patients are not a means to an end
5) Students were asked to follow a healthy lifestyle and refrain from alcohol, tobacco and any other kind of substance abuse. And in the case of substance abuse, students were asked to seek treatment and counselling
6) Under responsibilities related to personal growth, students were asked to stay sensitive to the needs of the patient, maintain confidentiality and so on
7) Under the guidance of teachers, students were asked to be involved in research and they should be familiar with the ICMR guidelines that take care of research
8) Students are expected to be honest while appearing for exams
9) The guidelines urged students to participate in health camps/health awareness campaigns, when possible
10) Community interactions can lead to an understanding of the social situation, essential to understanding the social context of the community one is serving in
11) Guidelines encourage the students to organise environmental audits of the campus
12) Students should stay aware of new health laws in discussion
Regarding medical colleges, the guidelines urged them to foster a good atmosphere and appoint trained faculty members for clinical exposure of students. It also asked colleges to ensure that ragging remains banned.
