*Major boost to advanced healthcare training
Govind Sharma
JAMMU, Feb 20: In a significant boost to super-specialty medical education and tertiary healthcare in Jammu and Kashmir, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has approved new and enhanced intake for several DM and MCh courses in the Union Territory for the academic session 2025-26, paving the way for the training of more highly specialized doctors within the region and reducing dependence on institutions outside the UT.
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Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu has been granted four seats in DM Cardiology and four seats in MCh Urology against six seats sought, a development that is expected to substantially strengthen advanced cardiac and urological care services in the Jammu division in the coming years.
In the Valley, GMC Srinagar has secured approvals for two seats each in DM Pulmonary Medicine, DM Cardiology, DM Medical Gastroenterology, MCh Paediatric Surgery and MCh Urology, expanding its super-specialty training base in disciplines that are witnessing a growing patient load and are critical for tertiary care delivery.
The Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) Srinagar, the UT’s premier referral institute, has also been allotted two seats each in DM Neuro-Anaesthesia, DM Paediatric and Neonatal Anaesthesia and DM Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology. These highly specialized programmes are expected to enhance critical care, advanced surgical support and the management of complex immune and rheumatological disorders while simultaneously creating new academic and research opportunities.
With these additions, nearly 30 DM and MCh super-specialty seats have been approved across the three major Government institutions of J&K. The move is being seen as a major relief for MBBS and MD/MS graduates of the UT who have traditionally had limited avenues for pursuing super-specialty courses within the region and were compelled to compete for seats outside. The expansion is also expected to help in retaining local medical talent, augmenting faculty strength, improving patient care services and reducing referrals to hospitals in other states for advanced treatment.
The newly approved disciplines-particularly in cardiology, pulmonary medicine, gastroenterology, paediatric surgery, immunology and super-specialty anaesthesia-are aligned with the rising burden of non-communicable diseases, respiratory ailments, complex surgical conditions and critical care requirements in the UT.
Health sector observers believe that the increased intake will, over time, lead to the availability of more super-specialists in Government hospitals, shorter waiting periods for patients and a stronger tertiary healthcare system within J&K.
Overall, the decision marks another important step in the phased expansion of postgraduate and super-specialty medical education infrastructure in J&K and is expected to have a long-term impact on both medical training and specialized healthcare delivery in the Union Territory.
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