A brief introduction to the department highlighting its growth from inception till now
The Dept of Orthopaedics, Jorhat Medical College had rather humble beginnings coinciding with the inauguration of the 4th Medical College of Assam on 12th October, 2009. It was headed by an Associate Professor and included a few other Faculty members, Nursing and other Grade III and Grade IV staff. Infrastructure facilities were limited and many of the more critically injured or ill patients had to be referred to other, more well-equipped Medical Colleges. Since then there has been a sea-change in the scope and abilities of the Department, and this has been possible for many reasons.
In the Patient-care area, many improvements have taken placed. The number of Orthopaedic Specialists have increased significantly, as has the sophisticated equipment such as Image intensifier fluoroscopy, power drills, instrument sets for various specialised operations etc, enabling complicated surgeries to be carried out with greater speed, accuracy and efficiency. These factors, along with the increase of operating theatres from one to three, along with the supporting staff, have greatly increased the number of operations carried out daily. Operations such as Open/Closed Reduction and Internal fixation for various fractures, Spinal surgery and fixation, Partial and Total Joint Replacement, and Arthroscopy, to name a few, are now carried out at JMC, and patients do not have to be referred to other centres. The department has also moved into new premises in the hospital building, and has two units with a total of 60 beds. A number of these beds have piped oxygen and vacuum connections with bedside monitors to be added soon. This is likely to be increased to three units and 90 beds in the near future. A number of Speciality Clinics such as Clubfoot Clinic, Arthroplasty Clinic, Knee Clinics etc are also carried out in the OPD complex. Infrastructure facilities available now include an Office Complex including Faculty rooms, Departmental Library, Museum, Seminar and Clinical Demonstration Rooms, beside the patient-care areas of the OPD, Wards and Operation Theatres.
On the academic front seven batches of 100-strong undergraduates students have already passed out, with six have completed their Internship training in the Dept. and have received their permanent registration with the Assam Council for Medical Registration. Theory and Clinical classes and Assessments are carried out as per MCI (now NMC) recommendations, While the passing-out MBBS 3rd Professional Part II Examination is carried out under Srimanta Sankara Deva University of Health Sciences. Postgraduate (MS Orthopaedics) courses have also commenced in the department after receiving LOP from MCI, and two batches of 6 students each are currently undergoing PG training, with another batch due to be admitted immediately after the NEET examination. One batch of Diploma students of SSUHS have also passed out successfully from the department and the persons are rendering their valuable services to needy people as far away as Barak Valley and Goalpara. Besides these, a number of students of such courses as DEFA, DPT etc received part or whole of their training in the Department.
Currently the Orthopaedics Department of Jorhat Medical College is a full-fledged PG department headed by a Professor and having two units of Faculty and Resident staff. Patient services include six days of OPD with a high patient load, 7 days of 24-hour Emergency services, 4-5 days of routine Operations in a week and 24 x 7 days of Emergency Surgery. MBBS, MS and BPT students also receive whole or part of their training in the department. Graduates from the department have been successful in getting enrolment for higher studies at prestigious institutions in other parts of the country, or are successful practitioners far and wide. All this has been achieved in the first decade of its existence. In the upcoming second decade the department is geared up to achieve even greater heights.
Key areas/components of the specialty.
- Regular and Specialty Outpatient Clinics
- Operative Procedures including Trauma Surgery, Total Joint Replacement, Arthroscopy, Spinal Surgery
- Undergraduate & Postgraduate Teaching Programmes
- Research Activities
- Outreach Programme.