DMC: The Department of Medicine

Prof. Dr. Khan Abul Kalam Azad Head, Department of Medicine and Principal
Dhaka Medical College7

Dhaka Medical College (DMC) is the top medical institute in Bangladesh. Graduates of DMC are praised and recognized worldwide. Since the inception of DMC in 1946, the glorious journey of the Department of Medicine started. It is well known that most competent, highly skilled and sincere doctors and staff work in DMCH hence the Department of Medicine is no different to that.

Department of Medicine, DMC&H is playing its gracious role in both patient care and academic activities. Being the largest and most dependable tertiary hospital of the country, it is the cornerstone of the treatment for a huge number of attending patients as well as referred critical patients from different areas of the country. Patient care is usually given as outpatient care, inpatient care through admission and specialized care through different weekly clinics. Emergency remains open every single day, round the clock throughout the year as the inpatient department.

Generally patients load is way over the allocated beds, manpower and other logistics of the department. Despite that the department is providing its highest effort with a team of qualified and enthusiastic physicians to combat the challenges and to maintain a glorious position through their activities.

Alongside the treatment, the Department of Medicine ensures adequate academic environment for undergraduate and postgraduate students as well as research workers and effective training for working doctors and interns. Postgraduate and research workers have the tremendous opportunities to deal with a large number of common and rare patients coming from the root level of the country.

Students begin their journey in this department since they are 3rd year students. We have twelve units where the students of 3rd, 4th and 5th year are placed for clinical learning. They attend the wards during morning and evening. Clinical teaching includes procedural skill development. Intense supervised training is rendered to the intern doctors after completion of final professional examinations.
After completion of basic medical degree, for example, MBBS or any equivalent degree recognized by Bangladesh Medical & Dental Council (BMDC), a student becomes eligible for postgraduate entrance examination. A medical graduate after passing competitive entrance examination, he/she can join the higher study to be a medicine specialist.

The department regularly conducts seminar, symposium, CME and view exchange programmes among the national and international experts of medicine. So our graduates have immense opportunity to prepare themselves before entering into professional life at both home and abroad. Every Saturday all the doctors and teachers attend ground round, every Sunday the central presentation and every Thursday journal club seminar or death review are organized.

Prof. Azad with other teachers and students of 5th year in integrated teaching session at Lecture Gallery One.

We have a strong association with Bangladesh Society of Medicine and with combined endeavour we arrange orientation courses for postgraduate students and organize CMEs on recent healthcare issues. Besides, the Department of Medicine is actively participates in various national and international congresses and conferences. A good number of research works are conducted by all the teachers and doctors and those are published in both national and international reputed journals.

Senior most professor of the department is honored as the head of the department. He holds the position until his retirement or transfer. Currently, we have 6 professors, 6 associate professors, 1 assistant professor, 2 consultants, and trainee doctors as interns, residents, registrars, assistant registrars, indoor medical officers and honorary medical officers.

I am very delighted to see that the department of medicine is playing the prime role in medical education, research and comprehensive health care. As part of these combined efforts, today the progression of health sector of Bangladesh is recognized by the whole world. Our prime minister got multiple international awards for the achievements in the health sector. Without positive attitude, utmost sincerity and hard work of the doctors, these achievements would not be possible. So it is unfortunate that undue criticism about medical profession often observed in our country is not desired at all. We also urge for a good rapport with all possible authorities in this regard.

I express my gratitude and thanks to the authorities of the college, all the professors, teachers, and the students of the Department of Medicine for their constant and active cooperation in running the courses in medicine effectively and I urge my colleagues and students to forge the image of the department ahead with full commitment of services and treatment to the people of the country, especially to the patients.

I also thank The Guardian authorities for focusing on my department and the DMC.