Karnataka to introduce two new paramedic courses

Vijaya K - Bangalore

The Paramedical Board of Karnataka is proposing to introduce two fresh paramedic courses titled Diploma in Mental and Psycho-Social Counselling (in consultation with faculty members of NIMHANS) and Diploma in Occupational Therapy. The courses are designed to train the paramedical staff in inter-disciplinary medical subjects.

Speaking to Express Healthcare Management, Dr K V Nataraja, deputy director of Medical Education-II of the Board said, we are planning to bring in grass root level systems for delivering quality care. Due to lack of adequate number of clinical psychologists, the proposed new course will make efforts to give better care to the mentally ill.

The Board - the first of its kind in the country - offers diploma courses in physiotherapy including six month internship, ophthalmic, dental mechanic, dental hygiene, X-ray technology, laboratory technology, OT technology, dialysis technology, health inspector and medical records through five government colleges and 54 private colleges/institutions across the State with an enrolment of about 3000 students.

All these government and private colleges are recognised by the government and affiliated to this Board which earlier conducted courses through four government medical colleges, one government dental college and about 79 private colleges/institutions.

The duration of the course is two years after PUC except for diploma in physiotherapy for which six months internship is mandatory and three years after SSLC. The Board not only monitors the above courses but also conducts examinations.

“The standards of the paramedical courses have increased after setting up this Board in 1997. We have been getting enquiries from several states to start such Board,” said Dr Nataraj who is also a Prof of Pharmacology at the Bangalore Medical College.

Prior to 1997 all paramedical courses were conducted and monitored by the vocational board. They were later brought under the control of Medical Education Department in the year 1997 and the Board was reconstituted by the government. Dr R Seethalakshmi, the Director of Medical Education and the Chairperson of the Board, has since then pioneered efforts to streamline the paramedical profession through the new Paramedical Board. The Board aims to have a generalised and uniform syllabus and standards throughout the State. “The standards of the paramedical courses have increased after the Board was set up, especially after the MCI regulations for recruiting trained paramedical staff in hospitals.

However I feel that further improvement can be done if we make PUC as the eligibility for students to seek admissions for these courses and strengthen the infrastructure and manpower including qualified teaching staff” Dr Nataraj adds.

The Board in the near future also plans to offer Diploma courses in Inhalation Therapy technology, Ultra Sonagraphy technology, Audiometry technology and ECG technology provided adequate infrastructure is in place. The Paramedical Board is managed by self financing by way of collecting affiliation, renewal of affiliation and other types of fees from paramedical colleges/institutions.