Graduate Training at Patna Medical College

In order to help prospective students and international organisations learn about graduate medical training at Patna Medical College (PMCH), this page summarises the essentials of graduate medical training at Patna Medical College:

• Patna Medical College is enlisted on FAIMER International Medical Education Directory / World Directory of Medical Schools with ID F0001598 (Click here to view) and is recognised by the Medical Council of India (MCI) for admissions to the Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) course on upto 150 seats every year [subject to revision, please check latest status on MCI website].

• Graduate medical training at Patna Medical College takes a time period of 5 and a half years for the award of the degree of MBBS under Aryabhatta Knowledge University Bihar (AKU Bihar). This degree was formerly awarded to PMCH graduates by Patna University.

• The medium of instruction and testing is uniformly English across all subjects, specialties and years.

• In accordance with guidelines of Medical Council of India, the 5 and a half years for graduate medical training at Patna Medical College are divided into 4 and a half years of classroom education and hospital-based observation, plus one full year of rotatory medical/surgical internship across all clinical subjects in the hospital.

• The initial 4 and a half years are divided into four "professional years" i.e. first professional (12 months), second professional (16 months), third professional part I (12 months) and fourth professional part II (12 months).

1. At the start of the academic session, a two-month preparatory course is conducted in accordance with latest MCI guidelines for competency-based medical education.

2. The first professional year consists of the subjects of Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry and Community Medicine. Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry are tested at the end of this professional year by the AKU.

3. The second professional year consists of Pharmacology, Pathology, Microbiology and Parasitology, Forensic Medicine and Toxicology and Community Medicine. Pharmacology, Pathology, Microbiology and Parasitology, and Forensic Medicine and Toxicology are tested at the end of this professional year by the AKU.

4. The third professional year consists of Ophthalmology, Otorhinolaryngology, Community Medicine, Internal Medicine, General Surgery, Paediatrics and Neonatology and Obstetrics and Gynaecology. Ophthalmology, Otorhinolaryngology and Community Medicine are tested at the end of this professional year by the AKU.

5. The fourth professional year consists of Internal Medicine, General Surgery, Paediatrics and Neonatology, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Radiology, Dermatology, Anaesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Orthopaedics and Psychiatry. All these subjects are are tested at the end of this professional year by the AKU.

• Continuous weekly as well as monthly assessments are done in a flexible manner which contribute to the score in internal examinations. Internal examinations are held every 6 months and these contribute to the score in the professional examinations.

• At the end of 4 professional years (4 and a half years) and after qualifying all four professional examinations, the graduate is given a provisional degree of MBBS which is valid only for internship (vide infra).

• Every graduate has to undergo an additional one year of compulsory rotatory medical/surgical internship (hands-on medical/surgical practice under supervision) in order to receive the award of the final degree of MBBS.

• This final degree of MBBS has to be registered with the Bihar Council of Medical Registration or similar organisations at the state level, or directly with the Medical Council of India, in order to be valid for medical practice within India. Likewise, this degree has to be registered with the licensing authorities of foreign countries in order to be valid for medical practice within the respective foreign countries.

• Patna Medical College endorses degrees from both universities to be valid if independently verified by Patna Medical College. Requests for credentials' verification may therefore be submitted to the undersigned.

For further details, please contact Principal, Patna Medical College, at principalsoffice[at]rediffmail.com