Due to the seniority-basis, they (DM/Mch specialists) are lagging behind by three years as compared to less qualified (PG) doctors who are getting selected for key medical directorate posts

Vishakhapatnam: Deeming that having higher qualification has become a disappointment, doctors with super speciality degrees are strongly criticizing the promotion patterns within the state.

These super speciality doctors highlighted that they don’t get as many promotions to key administrative posts in the state when compared to their Master of Surgery (MS) and Medicine Doctor (MD) counterparts. As a result, they, despite having higher qualifications have to suffer the negative outcome of not getting selected for some coveted medical posts (including Director of Medical Education, Health Director or Additional Health Director on seniority basis).

Highlighting the doctors' agitation towards the promotion procedure, a super-specialist working at King George Hospital told the Times Of India, “Having a higher qualification has turned out to be a bane for super-specialists. An MBBS doctor studies for three additional years – in either surgical (MS) or non-surgical disciplines (MD) for working in government medical colleges.”

He pointed out that a doctor pursuing super specialisation after his post-graduation in MD or MS has to wait for another three years till the completion of his degree (MCH/DM) to join the medical college as an assistant professor. Since the promotions work on seniority basis, they lose out three years to doctors with lesser qualifications.

“Due to the seniority-basis they are lagging behind by three years as compared to less qualified (PG) doctors who are getting selected for key medical directorate posts,” he heatedly added.

Mentioning the disadvantage that they face and suggesting a remedy for the same, another super-specialist doctor stated, “Since we are at a disadvantage for promotions, we suggest the government consider a few options based on our higher qualification. Either, we should be given a priority over MS/MD or a three-year grace/weightage age-wise should be given.”

Further, the doctors have suggested another option that could be reserving key posts on 50:50 ratios or some such basis for PG doctors and super-specialist doctors.

“If the state government could have enhanced the retirement age from 60 to 63 years stating the reason that MS/MD doctors spend three years after MBBS to complete their PG degrees and enter service in medical colleges and hospitals, why not enhance another three years for super-specialists, who spend extra three years,” the doctor added while talking to TOI.