Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram

Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram
Type Government college
Established 1951
Chancellor Dr. Thomas Mathew
Vice-Chancellor Dr. Girijakumari
Location Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, IndiaIndia
8°31′26″N 76°55′41″E / 8.524°N 76.928°E / 8.524; 76.928Coordinates: 8°31′26″N 76°55′41″E / 8.524°N 76.928°E / 8.524; 76.928
Campus Urban, 139 acres
Registration Indian Medical Council
Nickname TMC
Affiliations Kerala University of Health and Allied Sciences
Website http://www.tmc.kerala.gov.in
Medical College gate Thiruvananthapuram

Thiruvananthapuram Medical College is in Thiruvananthapuram city, the capital of Kerala state, India. It was founded in 1951 and was inaugurated by Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime minister of India. This is the oldest and most prestigious medical college in Kerala. In official records, it was named simply Medical College (of Thiruvananthapuram) since it was the only medical institute in the state at its inception. It is being upgraded to the status of an All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).

The Medical College campus houses several hospitals and institutions, other than the Medical College Hospital (MCH), including the College of Nursing, College of Pharmaceutical sciences, Regional Cancer Centre, Thiruvananthapuram Dental College, Sree Chitra Thirunal Institute of Medical Sciences and Technology, Priyadarshini Institute of Paramedical Sciences and Sree Avittom Thirunal Hospital for Women and Children (SAT Hospital). Regional Institute of Ophthalmology (RIO) is a part of medical college and is being upgraded to the status of national level independent institute. The School of Optometry is located inside RIO campus.

Location

Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram is in Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of Kerala, 6 km from the Thiruvananthapuram Central Railway Station and KSRTC Central Bus Station. The college campus and the hospital spread across an area of 32,4680 sq. meter lies to the west of Kumarapuram-Ulloor Road which has been renamed Dr. C.O. Karunakaran Avenue. Across the hospital is the Chalakuzhi road which meets the National Highway NH 47 near Pattom. The college is about 5 km from the Trivandrum International Airport.

History

Nehru inaugurating Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital in 1951

1948-1980

The Government of Travancore in 1948 appointed a committee to formulate proposals for starting a Medical College at Thiruvananthapuram. The committee submitted its report and the scheme was sanctioned in October 1948. Dr. C. O. Karunakaran was appointed Special Officer for the implementation of the scheme and he went on to become the first principal of the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College.

Greeny Sideways in TMC Campus

The campus was selected on 139 acres (0.56 km2) of picturesque land with hillocks surrounded by evergreen coconut groves and paddy fields, facing the sea which lies at a distance of 4 km on the northwest border of the Thiruvananthapuram city. The topographical layout and the architectural designs were prepared by J.A. Ritchie from Bombay. The college and the hospital buildings were separated by playgrounds for football, hockey, a cricket pitch, courts for tennis, basketball, badminton and volleyball and a 400-meter track.

The foundation stone was laid by His Highness the Raja Pramukh of Travancore – Cochin at 11:45 am on 26 January 1950. The first batch of students was admitted in August 1951. The college was formally inaugurated by Shri. Jawaharlal Nehru at 8:00 am on 27 November 1951. In January 1952, the Sri. Avittom Thirunal Hospital (SATH) was inaugurated by Smt. Rajkumari Amrit Kaur. In 1952, Men's Hostel and one year later Women's Hostel was inaugurated. The Medical College Hospital was inaugurated by Shri. Jawaharlal Nehru on 1954.

The School of Nursing was inaugurated by Her Highness Sethu Lakshmi Bai in 1954 and was upgraded to College of Nursing in 1963. The cancer block was inaugurated in 1958 and after two decades, the Regional Cancer Centre, one of the premier cancer care center catering the needs of South India was established. The dentistry course and the first post-graduate course commenced in 1959.

The 1960s saw the establishment of the library. The limb center, mental hospital and ophthalmic hospital were brought under Medical College administration. Later in 1990s the Regional Institute of Ophthalmology came into existence. Over the years, the campus saw establishment of Sree Chitra Thirunal Centre, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Priya Darshini Institute of Paramedical Sciences, Silver Jubilee Auditorium and the hostels.

1981–present

A super-specialty block exclusively housing all the medical and surgical super-specialties of the college, has been completed and has started functioning as the OP block of the super-specialties from 1 July 2010. It was funded under the Prime Minister's Swasthya Suraksha Yojna scheme and by the State government. The 253-bed super specialty block, spread over 160,000 sq ft (15,000 m2) houses the outpatient clinics and inpatient wards of the six super specialties, eight operation theatres, 29-bed six intensive care units, haemo dialysis unit and renal transplant unit, apart from administrative blocks.

It is financed and administrated by Health and Family welfare Department, Government of Kerala. The Medical College was initially affiliated to the University of Kerala, but the establishment of Kerala University of Health Sciences made the later batches from 2010, being inducted into the new Medical University.

Establishment of departments

Initially the hospital started with departments of Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry and Bacteriology. These departments were headed by Dr. V. Mathew, Dr. C. Vareed, Dr. Narayana Rao and Dr. C. O. Karunakaran respectively. Department of Bacteriology consisted of Microbiology, Pathology and Hygiene initially. During the Asian flu epidemic, the department was in the forefront in isolating the influenza virus under Prof. R. Ananthanarayanan. In 1981, an AIDS surveillance center was established under the department. The Department of Community Medicine established in 1953 was the first of its kind in India. For field training, a Primary Health Centre was established in July 1953 at Cheruvikkal, which was shifted to Pangappara in 1964. Initially interns training were conducted at Indo Norwegian MCH unit at Neendakara. A Regional Cell for Prevention of Epidemic and Infectious Diseases is functioning in the Department. Forensic Medicine which was attached to Community medicine became a separate entity in 1966 under Dr. V. Kanthasamy. Medicolegal autopsies were undertaken since 1955 and the department was raised to the status of State Medico-legal Institute in 1986. The department of Pharmacology which initially catered pharmacy practicals later established an experimental pharmacology wing under Dr. Tyler.

The clinical departments of Medicine and Surgery were started along with the Medical College hospital in 1952. Initially the students had training at the General Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram. A separate department of Infectious Diseases was established in 1983. Dr.R.Kesavan Nair FRCS who was then the chief surgeon at General Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram was appointed as Prof. Of Surgery thus establishing the Department of Surgery. Recognizing the importance of the new specialty of orthopaedic surgery the then Government of Travancore sent Dr. K.I George from the health service Dept. to U.K on deputation for higher training. After acquiring requisite training he joined in the medical college in 1956 and founded the first Department of Orthopedics in Kerala.

The Department of Paediatrics, which was initially under General Medicine, has the highest number of patients in Kerala. The Obstetrics and Gynaecology departments were started in 1954 and later added to the Family Planning Clinic contraception testing unit, WHO training center and Infertility Clinic. The Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation established in 1968 was a pioneering institution in the country for disability management and occupational diseases.

The superspecialty departments were established in 1965 with neurosurgery under Prof. M. Sambasivan, former President of WFNS. The Department of Cardiology was established in 1972 and nephrology in 1981. Medical and Surgical Gastroenterology units were established in 1972 and 1975 respectively.

Constituent Institutions

The college is headed by the Principal and Dean Dr.Thomas Mathew.

Major institutions and units under the Medical College, at Thiruvananthapuram are:

Medical college

In addition to MBBS course, PG degree and diploma courses in 22 specialities, super specialty courses in 10 specialties etc. are offered. The institute was originally under the University of Kerala and have now been shifted under Kerala University of Health Sciences (KUHS).

Medical College Hospital

The Medical College Hospital is the premiere institution for the provision of comprehensive tertiary health care irrespective of economic or social status and disabilities. It is the largest multi-specialty hospital in South Kerala serving the major portion of Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam Districts and adjacent districts of Tamil Nadu. It is administered by a Superintendent. The hospital consists of the main hospital block, Trauma care, Casualty, Out Patient Department Block, Super Specialty block, KHRWS Pay wards and Administrative block. This 3000 bed hospital admits 80,000 patients a year and provides over 7,500,000 OP consultation. The newly constructed OP block houses out-patient wings of medical and surgical specialties, pharmacy, Office of the Superintendent of the hospital, quarters of the house surgeons and post graduates. On average, the hospital manages 55 major operations, 125 minor operations, 35 normal deliveries and 15 Caesarean Sections per day. The bed occupancy remains at 90-95% throughout the year.[1]

Regional Institute of Ophthalmology

Located around 4 km away from the main campus, RIO is housed near the General Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram. It was originated as a government ophthalmic hospital in 1905 and brought into the National Programme for Control of Blindness in 1995 as the autonomous Regional Institute of Ophthalmology although its location is other than at the Government Medical College. The institution is directed by Dr. P. S. Girija Devi. Post graduate courses in ophthalmology are offered, a four-year bachelor's degree course in Optometry is available with an annual intake of 20 students. The BSc.Optometry course was started in 2010.

RIO is India's second government controlled institute offering bachelor's degree in optometry. It hosts a well established optical outlet (in collaboration with HLL Life Care) with dispensing facility which is a first in Kerala. Specialized services including a retina clinic, paediatric ophthalmology clinic, low vision clinic, cornea clinic, glaucoma clinic, eye bank, tele ophthalmology, Uvea clinic, Dispensing Lab, Contact Lens clinic and a Cataract clinic. The first mobile eye hospital in Kerala, 'Sunayanam,' operates from RIO. A new super specialty building is being constructed opposite to the current building.

School Of Optometry

School of Optometry is located inside RIO campus. Bachelor of Science (Honours) in optometry is affiliated to Kerala University of Health Sciences. GMC Thiruvananthapuram is India's second Govt. institute offering 4-year professional degree course in Optometry (First is AIIMS New Delhi). Annual Intake is 20. The course was started in 2010.

Medical College Health Units

The first health unit was established at Neendakara as an Indo-Norwegian collaboration project. A Primary Health Centre was established in July 1953 at Cheruvikkal as a field practice area, which was shifted to Pangappara in 1964. Two Rural health centers is working under the Medical College in Pangappara and at Vakkom. These centers are aimed at field practice for medical students and interns.

Sree Avittom Thirunal Hospital

Inaugurated in 1952, the hospital services are confined to women, mothers and children under 12 years of age. It was built by the Royal family in memory of Prince Sree Avittom Thirunal who died at the age of eight years of rheumatic heart disease. The hospital houses the Departments of Obstetrics-Gynecology and Pediatrics. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology runs the Post Partum, family welfare counseling, Infertility, Trophoblastic, PPTCT, Adolescent, Vesicular mole clinics and a WHO and ICMR collaborative study centers. Super specialty care in Pediatrics including Cardiology, Neurology, Nephrology, Genetics, Surgery and Psychiatry are under the wings of SAT Hospital. It has one of the highest rates of deliveries in Kerala.

Superspecialty block

The Superspecialty block inaugurated in 2011 houses 6 super-specialties including Nephrology, Urology, Neurology, Neurosurgery, Medical and Surgical gastroenterology and their Out-patient and In-patient wings with 40 ICU beds, 25 high-care beds, 6 modular theaters. A liver transplant theater is to be constituted soon which would be first-of-its-kind in the government sector. Cadaver organ retrieval and transplant was initiated in 2012, making it the first government hospital in Kerala to offer the services affordable to the common man.

Department of Biomedical Engineering

A skilled team of biomedical engineer’s and technician’s service is available at the hospital. The team provides an efficient support in maintaining the equipment in the hospital in a good working condition. The department functions 9 am to 5 pm to render emergency service support on breakdown/failure of equipment. The department ensures quality functioning of all category of equipment in the multi specialities of the hospital. The biomedical engineering department plays an important role in aiding smooth and complete patient care. Biomedical Engineering staff of GMCT to support the provision of exemplary patient care and enhance the effective use of healthcare technology through engineering, consultation, evaluation, operation, education and development.

Child Development Center

The Child Development Centre (CDC), Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram is an autonomous centre established by the Government of Kerala with the intention of bringing up the centre as an autonomous centre of excellence in Early Child Care & Education, Adolescent Care & Education, Pre-marital Counselling, Women’s Welfare and other related fields. It has given significant contributions in reducing childhood disabilities and has devised the Thiruvananthapuram Development Chart which is widely used to assess child development in community settings.the

Mental Health Center

The Mental Health Center is in Oolampara, Peroorkada and is under the administration of the college. With more than 150 inmates it is the second largest mental health center in India. In addition to treatment facilities, a rehabilitation center has been established by the aid of Hindustan Latex Limited.

Chest Diseases Hospital

The previously known Government TB Sanatorium has been taken over by the Department of Respiratory Medicine. Located in Pulayanarkottah it was initially constructed for isolation of tuberculosis patients. The Respiratory Medicine department functions are here except for the Out Patient Department and Intensive Care unit which is in the Medical College block itself. Government TB Sanatorium has been renamed to Chest Diseases Hospital and now homes two departments in collaboration, the Department of Respiratory medicine of Medical College, and Department of Respiratory medicine of the Health Services.

Dental College

Thiruvananthapuram Dental College was established in 1959 in an attempt to provide avenues for formal dental education. Four dental colleges were started in the four southern states of India. Dr. M. Thangavelu, the then Principal of the Medical College was instrumental in organizing the institution. Dr. A.M. Clement, Dental Surgeon in the Medical College was appointed as the first Director of the college. It admits 50 students a year for the B.D.S course. Post graduate courses were started in 1966. There are six departments working under this autonomous institution under the head of principal Dr. N.O Varghese.[2]

College of Pharmaceutical Sciences

Established in 1967, it is the first Pharmaceutical college in Kerala and offers Bachelor, Master's degree and Diploma in Pharmaceutical Sciences. Departments of Pharmacology, Pharmaceutics, Pharmacognosy, Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Microbiology works under the college. Medical College toxicology lab, Animal lab, Drug information center, Morphine tablet manufacturing and Medicinal garden are the other facilities.

Priyadarsini Institute of Para Medical Sciences

Priyadarsini Institute of Para Medical Sciences is in the Medical College campus offering para medical courses.

College of Nursing

The College of Nursing, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India, founded in 1972, is attached to the University of Kerala medical school. It was a pioneer institute for nursing education in Kerala and one of the earliest in South East Asia. The school has been offering post graduate programmes in nursing since 1987. The college has five areas of speciality training, namely mental health nursing, medical surgical nursing, paediatric nursing, obstetrical and gynaecological nursing and community health nursing. Originally the number of male students permitted to enroll in the school was restricted to 12.5% of applicants. The college admits male students with no restriction as to numbers. A nursing superspecialty block was constituted in 2011.

Regional Artificial Limb Fitting Centre

The functioning of center is mainly for the provision of rehabilitation services for amputees and was established in 1975.

Central Library

The Central Library is housed at the block containing administrative offices including the principal's office. It is equipped with books, journals and periodicals of academic nature relating to medicine and allied sciences. The Learning Resource Center (LRC) is located within the library and contains internet-enabled computers that students and staff can use for a nominal fee. The LRC also subscribes to online medical journals. The Learning Resource Center was established by the Alumni Association of the college.

Hospital Information Center

With the contributions from the alumni of the college, an information center was established in the hospital which provides all information regarding the facilities available in the hospital as well as clears any doubts regarding prescriptions or drugs.

Academics

The courses offered by the institute are:

Milestones

Achievements

Nobel laureate Rolf Zinkernagel speaking at Erudite Conclave 2011

The Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram is the principal agency in emanating the Kerala Model of health care. The establishment of the college and hospital was a fulfillment of popular ambitions and paved way for the rise of Kerala in the health sector. Kerala since then has maintained health indices at par with the developed nations, well above the national averages. This achievement has been researched and studied by multiple agencies for copying in other states of India as well as under-developed nations. During the Asian flu pandemic in 1950s it emerged as the principal institute in isolation and surveillance of the virus.

The institution has been upgraded to the status of All India Institute of Medical Sciences due to its unique achievements and as an important tertiary care-provider to the southern parts of India.

Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram has been one among the two breakthrough colleges and has found a place among the top 25 colleges in the country; ranked 21 in the India Today survey. The college and hospital has been consistently able to maintain its high quality standards despite the enormous number of patient admissions and low-cost treatment facilities. Expertise of the faculty and able administration with aids from the Central and State governments have helped maintain this status. Though academically well acknowledged, it has been lagging behind in the research field perhaps due to the lack of awareness and increased importance given to clinical sector.

SAT Mix which was devised by the doctors and nutritionists of SAT hospital is used throughout India for the management of childhood malnutrition. It is a cost effective measure in reducing infant mortality rates.

Thiruvananthapuram Development Chart is a scale for the assessment of child development based on 17 characters. It was devised by the Child Development Center and is recommended for use in community developmental assessment.

The institution is among the 15 prestigious ones selected across the country to be connected through the National Knowledge Network under the National Knowledge Commission for integration of its knowledge database with global scientific community.

The Institution is the India's second and Kerala's first govt controlled institute offering 4 year bachelor's degree course in optometry (RIO Thiruvananthapuram)

Erudite Conclave

The institution conducts the international conclave, Erudite Conclave, the first of its kind in this part of the world, in November 2011 to provide momentum to medical research fields. Speakers included Nobel laureate in Medicine, Dr. Rolf M. Zinkernagel; Ophthalmologist and inventor of inexpensive intraocular lenses, Dr. Sanduk Ruit; founder of the SRISTI and techpedia.in, Anil K Gupta and several other distinguished speakers.

The second edition of the conclave in 2012 was attended by eminent public figures including Just. R. Basant, Padmasree Dr. G. Vijayaraghavan, Dr. S Murti (IISER, Thiruvananthapuram), Prof. Dr. RVG Menon, T.P. Sreenivasan (former Indian ambassador) and Sri Pooyam Tirunal Gowry Parvati Bhai (Princess of Travancore).

Student life and activities

The student life in Thiruvananthapuram Medical College is much active and intertwined with the challenge the profession presents them. Students are given liberty in organizing their own study pattern. As a matter of fact, there is no "spoon-feeding" of the subject. Meritorius students are a consequence of their own sheer hardwork. The MBBS Students, who form the major bulk of the MC Studenthood, are the heralds of quality health care wherever they go and practice. A degree from Thiruvananthapuram Medical College is much sought after, especially because of the experience the students gets from the numerous and varied cases presented to them while at the Hospital. Though the class size is 200 students, there is ample opportunity for interaction between students and with teachers. The number of male and female students in the college is almost equal. Apart from the students of the state, students from Lakshadweep, northeast India and other parts of the country gain admission through nominations and under the All India quota. Exchange students from Karolinska Institute and other public health and medical schools from around the globe mix with this.

From the initial years itself students were given ample opportunity for international scholarly interactions. The famed visitor include Sr. Alexander Fleming, E. Lundsgaard, Karl Evang, Julian Huxley, Wharton Young, Aicardi, David Morley, Lt. Col. Dr. Sir A. Lakshmana Swamy Mudaliar. The Erudite Conclave which was organized in 2011 was a major breakthrough in reviving this tradition with lectures of personalities like Dr. Rolf M. Zinkernagel, Dr. Sanduk Ruit, Prof. Anil K. Gupta etc.

The campus life centers around the Common Rooms, Smrithi and Maithri parks, canteens and the Central Garden on the campus. It's not uncommon to see a gang of medicos hanging about in the Common Room to have a game of cards. Most of the gardens were idealized and tended by former Principal Dr. M. Thangavelu. The six canteens in the college, in and near the hospitals, also form the hot-spots of student interaction. The Men's Hostel is on the periphery of the campus, on the Ullur-Kumarapuram Road. Delicacies of the Men's Hostel canteen is much adored among the light-hearted medicos. The Ladies' Hostel is near the SAT Casualty Block.

College buses, run by the Parent Teachers Association, ply between the hospital, the college building and the Hostels, though the favorite medium of transport remains motorcycles or cars.

College Union

The College Union was inaugurated in 1952 by Sir Alexander Fleming. There was politicization and depoliticization of the Union through the decades as it was in the state capital under the direct influence of the political leadership. It is in the form of a Students Council where each batch select a representative to the Council which selects the Union. This was in accordance with the Lyngdoh Committee recommendations.

Events

Athletic Association Day and College Union Inauguration were the major events celebrated in the campus since its inception. The college has also hosted the Kerala University Youth Festival and Intermedicos Festival multiple times. Medex public exhibitions were organised in 1974 as a part of Silver Jubilee Celebrations and followed in 2000, 2001 and 2012. Annual cultural events are organised by batches and sports and games competitions take place in the campus. Academic programs like the Erudite Conclave and Student Medical Research Conference are prestigious events. Intermedicos Genesis'14 was held here from December 2 to 8.

Graduation

After completion of the courses, medical, dental, optometry and nursing colleges separately organize the graduation ceremonies. There has been no separate graduation ceremonies after the post graduation courses. The University do not have a part in these ceremonies since the legal ban on convocation ceremonies in the Universities by the government.

Notable alumni and faculty

See also

References

  1. ↑ India, Medical Council. "College Assessment Report" (PDF). Retrieved 27 April 2012.
  2. ↑ Dental College, Thiruvananthapuram, Government. "Official website". Retrieved 5 September 2013.
  3. ↑ Hindu, The (3 April 2013). "Of his many hats, he removes the umpire's". The Hindu. Retrieved 12 April 2013.
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