(Shutterstock)Indian medical microbiologists have asked medical education regulators to modify the postgraduate MD microbiology course to build a cadre of infectious disease specialists and expand microbiologists’ role in the treatment of patients. The Indian Association of Medical Microbiologists (IAMM) has asked the Board of Governors of the Medical Council of India to change the degree title to MD clinical microbiology and change its curriculum to enhance clinical training for microbiologists. “Without regular interactions between the treating doctors and patients, clinical correlation becomes difficult and occurs only because of a few conscientious doctors and microbiologists,” Wattal said. Medical microbiologists also argue that expanding the direct role of microbiologists in the clinical management of patients could also help address the challenges posed by the emergence of drug-resistant microbes, particularly in hospital settings. “Some institutions have guidelines but in many places, antibiotic decisions are taken by clinicians without adequate consultations with microbiologists,” Ravikumar said.

Source: The Telegraph April 22, 2019 01:07 UTC