Role of Forensic Medicine in Under Graduate Curriculum

byDr. M. Narayana Reddy

Professor & HeadDept. of Forensic Medicine,Osmania Medical College/Osmania General Hospital

Law – Medicine Relationship

• Forensic Medicine

• Legal Medicine or Medicine Legale

• Medical Jurisprudence

The subject of

Medical Jurisprudence,

Forensic Medicine and

Toxicology

deals with

The Medico Legal aspects of

• Identity

• Persons found Dead

• Presumption of Survivorship

• Wounds

• Sexual Offences

• Impotence and Sterility

• Pregnancy & Delivery

The Medico Legal aspects of

• Abortion & Infanticide

• Legitimacy

• Mental Alienation

• Feigned Diseases

• Disqualifying Diseases

• Poisoning

Advances in Medical Technology > New Legal Issues

• Brain Death and Organ Donation

• Preconception Sex Determination > Selection of Sex of Zygote to be conceived

• Prenatal Sex Determination leading to Abortion

• In Vitro Fertilization & Embryo Transfer

Seven Skills that Medical Students should master

by the end of Health Law and

Ethics Education (Medical Jurisprudence)

are:

Seven Skills• The Ability to Identify the Legal and Moral

Aspects of Medical Practice.

• The Ability to Obtain a Valid Informed Consent or a Valid Refusal of Treatment.

• Knowledge of How to Proceed if a Patient is only Partially Competent or Incompetent to Consent to Treatment.

Seven Skills

• Knowledge of How to Proceed if a Patient Refuses Treatment.

• The Ability to Decide when it is Legally and Morally Justified to Withhold Information from a Patient.

Seven Skills

• The Ability to Decide when it is Morally Justified to Breach the Confidentiality.

• Knowledge of the Legal and Moral Aspects of Care of Patients with a Poor Prognosis, including Patients who are Terminally Ill.

Is Forensic Medicine

a Pre-clinical

or Para-Clinical

Subject?

Notification No. MCI-34 (41)/93 – Med.(N),

dated 20th September, 1993, Published in the Gazette of India,

Extra., Pt. III, Sec. 4,

dated 29th September, 1993.

MCI – The Establishment of New Medical Colleges,

Opening of Higher Courses of Studyand

Increase of Admission Capacity in Medical Colleges Regulations, 1993

Annexure I: List of Higher Course in Medical Subjects

The Specialities for P.G. Courses divided into Four groups:

• Group A: Gen. Medicine & Gen. Surgery

• Group B: Specialties (37): Sl.No. 12. F.M.

• Group C: Super-Specialities

• Group D:Basic Sciences: Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry, Pharmacology, Microbiology, Pathology & Bio-Physics

Faculty of Forensic Medicine as per the MCI Regulations,1998 (1989)

• Professor

• Reader/Associate Professor

• Assistant Professor/Lecturer

• Tutor/Demonstrator/Resident/Registrar/ Casualty Medical Officer/Resident Pathologist

Curriculum of Kathmandu University – Nepal (1996)

Semesters: Subjects taught

• 1,2,3&4: Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry, Pharmacology, Pathology & Microbiology

• 6 & 7: Forensic Medicine, ENT, & Ophth.

• 5 to 9: Gen.Med.& allied subjects, Gen. Surgery allied subjects & Obstetrics &Gynaecology

• 1,2,5,6&7: Community Medicine

MCI Recommendations on

Graduate Medical Education

Adopted by the MCI in April 1977

Scheme of Exams: Phase II: Para-clinical subjects

Subject

Theory Oral

Practical

Internal Assess

Total

Path.& Micro.

160 40 50 40 300

Pharma. 80 15 25 30 150

F.M. 80 15 25 30 150

S.P.M. 80 15 25 30 150

MCI Recommendations on

Graduate Medical Education

Adopted by the MCI in March 1981

Scheme of Exams: Phase II: Para-clinical subjects

Subject

Theory Oral

Practical

Internal Assess

Total

Path. 80 20 25 25 150

Micro. 80 20 25 25 150

Pharma. 80 15 25 30 150

F.M. 80 15 25 30 150

Medical Council of India

REGULATIONS

ON

GRADUATE MEDICAL EDCATION,1997

Scheme of Exams: Phase II: Para-clinical subjects

Subject

Theory Oral

Practical

Internal Assess

Total

Path. 80 15 25 30 150

Micro. 80 15 25 30 150

Pharma. 80 15 25 30 150

F.M. 40 10 30 20 100

Medical Council of India

REGULATIONS

ON GRADUATE MEDICAL

EDCATION,1997 Teaching Schedule

Chapter I: General Considerations & Teaching Approach

7. Training Period and Time Distribution

(5)

• Didactic Lectures should not exceed One Third of the Time Schedule;

• Two Third Schedule include Practicals or/and Group Discussions.

Minimum

Teaching Hours

Prescribed

by MCI

PRE-CLINICAL SUBJECTS – (Phase-I: 1st and 2nd Semesters)

Subject Hours of teaching

Anatomy: 650

Physiology: 480

Biochemistry 240

Community Medicine 60

(40x6x7= 1680 – 1430) = 250 Hours+

PARA-CLINICAL SUBJECTS - (Phase-II: 3rd to 5th Semesters)

Subject Hours of teaching 

Pathology 300 Pharmacology 300 Microbiology 250

Community Medicine 200 Forensic Medicine 100

Clinical Subjects 240

(58x6x4 = 1392 – 1390) = 2 Hours+

Clinical Subjects Phase – III – 3rd to 9th Semesters

Subject Hours of teaching Gen. Medicine 300

Paediatrics 100

T.B. and Chest Diseases 20 Psychiatry 20

Skin and STD 30

Community Medicine 50

Clinical Subjects - Phase – IIIAnaesthesia 20

Gen. Surgery 300

Orthopaedics 100

Opthalmology 100

E.N.T. 70 Radiology 20

Dentistry 10 Obst. & Gynaec. 300

1440 – 240 = 1200 Hours

(84x6x4 = 2016 – 1200) = 816 Hours+

Minimum Number of Teaching Hours available - 3rd to 9th Semester

Phase Semesters Effective duration of teaching in weeks

No. of Hours of Teaching available

II 3,4&5 58 1392

III 6,7,8&9 84 2016

Hours of Teaching allotted – II & III Semesters

Phase Teaching Hours available

No of hours allotted

Surplus Teaching Hours

II 1392 1390 02

III 2016 1200 816

SURVEY COMMITTEE REPORT

ON MEDICO-LEGAL PRACTICES

IN INDIA 1964

Medico-legal Survey Committee• The Central Medico-legal Advisory Committee at its

Second Session held at Delhi, during March 1957 appointed a Survey Committee consisting of:

• 1.      Dr. K.V. Venkatraman - Chairman.• 2.      Dr. K.C. Jacob. • 3.      Dr. H.S. Mehta.• 4.      Dr. N. Ghatak.• 5.      Lt. Col. S.D.S. Greval.• 6.      Shri A.R. Jayavant.• Dr. I. Bhooshana Rao - Secretary.

Reconstitution of the survey Committee on 24th March 1961

• 1.Dr. Bhooshan Rao-Convener.

• 2.Dr. H.S. Mehta.

• 3.Dr. N. Ghatak.

• 4. Dr. K.C. Jacob.

• 5. Dr. H.S. Mahal.

• 6.Dr. A R. Natarajan.

• 7.Shri D.B. Kulkarni.

Teaching of Forensic Medicine

• Medical Colleges: 80• Separate Dept. of FM: 13• Separate Chair of Prof.– with qualification (MCI): 10 • Part time Prof./Lecturer Civil Surgeon – with or without P.G. Qualification