GMER-23 decoded: What's new on the syllabus for MBBS? Check details

The National Medical Commission (NMC) has initiated a major overhaul of the nation's undergraduate medical education for the first time since 1997. “The new regulation, i.e., Graduate Medical Education Regulations 2023 (GMER-23), is a continuation and evolution of thought in medical education making it more learner-centric, patient-centric, gender-sensitive, outcome-oriented, and environment appropriate,” said India’s apex medical education regulator in a circular.

So, what are some of the major changes and why were they introduced? Business Standard explains.

Why?

It has been nearly 25 years since the Regulations on Graduate Medical Education were notified in 1997, and according to the NMC, a relook at all aspects of the various components in the existing regulations had become necessary. The apex regulator in its official announcement emphasised that it was high time these rules were adapted to the “changing demography, socio-economic context, perceptions, values, advancements in medical education and expectations of stakeholders.”

“Emerging health care issues, emerging diseases, the impact of advances in science and technology and shorter distances on diseases and their management also need consideration,” it said.

When?

The Graduate Medical Education Regulation 2023 was framed by the Undergraduate Medical Education Board in an 82 pages document. The guidelines were published on June 13.  These new guidelines shall be applicable to all the admission made to MBBS Courses in a medical college in the academic year 2023-24. GMER-23 guidelines also state that there shall be common counseling for admission to graduate courses in medicine for all medical institutions in India based on the merit list of the NEET-UG. However, this will be applicable from NEET UG 2024.

What?

Under the GMER-23, the period of four and half years MBBS course will be divided into three phases with the first and second phases of 12 months each, and phase three will be of 30 months. The third phase will be further divided into two parts — Part 1 of 12 months and Part 2 of 18 months.

Medical students shall have a variety of choice-based credit courses of limited duration offered in addition to the NMC curriculum.

Most notably, GMER-23 has modified six modules for forensic medicine and two for psychiatry taught to undergraduate medical students to make the education more friendly to the LGBTQ+ community. Sodomy and “lesbianism” have been removed from the list of unnatural sexual offenses. The curriculum also makes a distinction between sexual fetishes such as voyeurism, exhibitionism, or masochism and mental disorders stemming from such atypical interests. And the two-finger test for virginity has been identified as “unscientific, inhuman, and discriminatory.”

The modified module on the virginity test will also train students on “how to apprise courts about the unscientific basis of these tests if the court orders it.” This is in contrast to the discussions on the medico-legal importance of the hymen that had continued to be included in medical courses despite the Supreme Court ruling it out nearly a decade ago.

The NMC has also decided to do away with the concept of “supplementary” batches. The students who fail to clear the university exams appear for supplementary exams in six months. Under the new guidelines, this exam will have to be conducted within three to six weeks of the results, so that they can join the regular batch in the same year.

Among other changes, adopting a family and becoming their first point of contact for all medical reasons will now be a mandatory part of the MBBS curriculum right from day one of the course for students. This will help students adapt to the concept of being first-line doctors.

The NMC has also tightened norms to impart knowledge, skills, attitudes, values, and responsiveness. The commission said students must recognize “health for all” as a national goal and the health rights of all citizens.

The new rules ask for doctors to be familiar with “essential drugs" and their common side effects and to have sound knowledge of national health policies.