Compulsory 1-yr service in rural areas for Andhra PG medical students

Amaravati: The Andhra Pradesh government has passed an order making it compulsory for medical students to work for a year in rural/government service. This will apply to post-graduate/super specialty students admitted in government medical colleges under state quota and Category-A seats in private medical colleges from the academic year 2022-2023

The order was introduced by the state medical and health department with the aim to address the lack of specialist doctors at secondary and tertiary healthcare levels.

According to the principal secretary to the government, M.T Krishna Babu, the fresh specialist graduates will have more chances to handle cases and take decisions independently. "This is simultaneously very useful to the patients in the rural and tribal areas of the state," he said.

The director of medical education has requested the government to issue necessary orders in the matter.

The students will be paid an honorarium and their services be utilized in the health institutions of Andhra Pradesh Vaidya Vidhana Parishad on first priority. "The services of the remaining students, if any, shall be utilized in the health institutions of the Director of Medical Education," the order read.

As per the GO, each non-service candidate admitted to a PG course shall execute a bond to serve the government for a period of a year. If they violate the bond condition either by not joining or by not completing the stipulated service period of one year within a maximum period of 18 months after obtaining the PG degree, a penalty of Rs. 40 lakhs on PG degree candidates and Rs. 50 lakhs for super specialty candidates shall be levied, it added.