Chennai: Admissions to UG medical and allied health studies are underway, and courses are now commencing at govt medical colleges across the state, but still the post of director of medical education, who holds administrative control of all medical colleges, has been lying vacant since July 31.While officials say selection is in progress, doctors ‘ bodies such as the Service Doctors and Postgraduate Doctors’ Association, have objected to the health department’s interview-based process for selecting the next director. The association says the mandatory promotion panel was not published before the exercise.In a press release, the association general secretary Dr A Ramalingam said 10 medical college deans were interviewed for the post, which fell vacant after former DME Dr Suganthy Rajakumari retired in July. “Appointments in the department were usually made by preparing a promotion panel every year, based on the eligibility and seniority of doctors as on March 15. The panel would then be used to grant promotions and make appointments to senior administrative posts,” he said.The association urged the state govt to appoint an eligible senior doctor as DME on the basis of promotion panel. It also demanded that promotions to professor and associate professor posts be completed annually without delay.
