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| LETTER TO THE EDITOR |
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| Year : 2022 | Volume
: 15
| Issue : 6 | Page : 958-959 |
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Updated criteria for promotion of a medical teacher in India
Shaikat Mondal1, Himel Mondal2
1 Department of Physiology, Raiganj Government Medical College and Hospital, Raiganj, West Bengal, India
2 Department of Physiology, Santiniketan Medical College, Bolpur, West Bengal, India
| Date of Submission | 20-Aug-2021 |
| Date of Decision | 20-Oct-2021 |
| Date of Acceptance | 01-Nov-2021 |
| Date of Web Publication | 01-Feb-2022 |
Correspondence Address:
Dr. Himel Mondal
Department of Physiology, Santiniketan Medical College, Bolpur - 731 204, West Bengal
India
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/mjdrdypu.mjdrdypu_690_21
How to cite this article:
Mondal S, Mondal H. Updated criteria for promotion of a medical teacher in India. Med J DY Patil Vidyapeeth 2022;15:958-9 |
Dear Sir,
We read an editorial that discusses the justification of the publication of Indian research papers in the foreign journals.[1] We hope that this editorial would provoke the authors to think about publishing in the Indian journals.
We agree with the author that the inclusion of an Indian bibliographic database-IndMed in the National Medical Commission (NMC)-accepted database could enhance the “Make-in-India” campaign. Although we were aware of this database, we never searched any journals or articles there. Being enthusiastic about the database after reading the editorial, we searched the Internet about “IndMed.” It was shocking that we could not find the website working. However, this may be a temporary technical glitch (?)
The criteria of promotion of a medical teacher in board specialties have been updated on February 12, 2020 and are effective from February 17, 2020. The new criteria are presented in [Figure 1]. According to this amendment, the first, second, third, and corresponding authors would get credit for a paper. An assistant professor needs one research paper for a promotion to associate professor. In addition, principal or co-principal investigator of a research project funded by a national research body such as Indian Council for Medical Research, Department of Science and Technology, Department of Bio-Technology or any such body may show their project in place of the research paper. An associate professor needs another two papers for a promotion to professor.[2] Types of paper and accepted databases by the NMC are available elsewhere.[3] Medical teachers should be cautious about Index Copernicus. It is no more an accepted database by NMC for promotion. Furthermore, Index Medicus has ceased publication in 2004 and the database has been migrated to MEDLINE.[4] | Figure 1: Journey of a medical teacher in an Indian medical institution. MET: Medical Education Training (conducted as workshop in various colleges under the aegis of NMC nodal/regional centres), BCBR: Basic Course in Biomedical Research (an online course found at https://swayam.gov.in/; final exam for certificate is conducted in designated centers)
Click here to view |
There is some confusion among researchers about MEDLINE, PubMed Central (PMC), and PubMed. For a better understanding, we are presenting [Figure 2]. MEDLINE, PMC, and Bookshelf are the databases that use PubMed to show the results.[5] PubMed is not a database. | Figure 2: Relation of PubMed with MEDLINE, PubMed Central, and Bookshelf. NLM: National Library of Medicine. The infographic was made by authors according to the details available at: https://pubmed.ncbi
Click here to view |
We think that this updated information in this letter would help to reduce confusion among the readers about the promotion of a medical teacher in an Indian medical institution and the difference among MEDLINE, PMC, and PubMed.
Update
A draft (18/11/2021 - Teachers Eligibility Qualifications (TEQ) published on 22/11/2021; available from https://www.nmc.org.in/information-desk/all-news/) has been published by NMC that seeks comments. According to the draft, an assistant professor needs two papers and an associate professor needs another two papers for promotion. Getting credit by showing research projects in place of published papers has been removed. Hence, readers are requested to check the TEQ on the NMC website when it is finally published regarding the number of papers and about the research project that is shown in [Figure 1].
Financial support and sponsorship
Nil.
Conflicts of interest
There are no conflicts of interest.
| References | |  |
| 1. | Kumar S. Craze for publishing research in “foreign” journals: Are we justified. Med J DY Patil Vidyapeeth 2022;15:6-8.  [Full text] |
| 2. | |
| 3. | Mondal H, Mondal S. Check indexing status of a journal. J Family Med Prim Care 2020;9:3166-7. [Full text] |
| 4. | Castillo M. Is your journal indexed in MEDLINE? AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 2011;32:1-2. |
| 5. | |
[Figure 1], [Figure 2]
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