Single timetable for all medical faculties

Nadira GUNATILLEKE

The Health Ministry will hold discussions with the Higher Education Ministry, the University Grants Commission (UGC) and Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC) to introduce a common annual academic calendar for medical faculties in Sri Lanka, a Health Ministry spokesman said.

The main objective of this is to avoid the time wasted by doctors waiting for their internships, the spokesman said.

Some doctors who pass from some state universities, wait for a long period until other doctors from other medical faculties pass out, to commence the internship.

"The Health Ministry begins internship for all doctors who pass out from all medical faculties at once.

Medical students who enter state universities in a certain year, start their internship at once with some even passing out in January with some passing out in November or December in the same year," the spokesman said.

"The delay in academic activities in some universities caused by unrest and protests result in a long gap between the passing out date for different universities" he said.