DEPARTMENT OF MEDICINE

The Department of Medicine is a pioneer department of the institute, and much sort odestination by postgraduates. It is the first point of contact for patients seeking medical care and admits more than 80% of emergency admissionsin JIPMER. The outpatient department runs on all week days except Sundays and public holidays, while specialty clinics on hypertension, hematology, HIV/AIDS, and clinical genetics are held once a week in the second half of the day. The diabetes clinic is held on Mondays from 9 AM to 2PM. The geriatric clinic that once used to run only once a week is upgraded to a department, and special clinics now runs from Mondays to Fridays.

The department is currently headed by Dr. M. Vivekanandan, Professor. There are six units in the department, each headed by a faculty. The bed strength in the department is 170 for general wards, 16 beds in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), and6 beds in the High Dependency Unit (HDU).

A well-structured teaching program for Undergraduates (UG) and Post-graduate (PG) students is a unique strength of the department and is among the best. Apart from theory classes, the 180 Undergraduates who enter the clinical side every year from the third semester onwards are rotated in various units for system based learning, to develop sound communication skills and capacity building to manage common medical disorders.

The number of PGs was 20 per year from 2015, 10 in January session, and 10 in July session. Since 2020 the number has increased to 24 per year, 12 in each session. PG teaching focuses on imparting clinical skills, hands-on experience in managing a variety of complex and critical cases under the close supervision of the faculty. Emphasis is laid on practice of evidence-based medicine through seminars, topic reviews, and presentations in the journal club. They are also trained in basic bedside ultrasound and echocardiography. By the 2^nd year they are well versed with central line insertions, temporary cardiac pacing, pericardiocentesis, placements of intra-arterial lines, ultrasound guided kidney biopsy, liver biopsy, bone marrow aspirate and biopsy. The residents are also well versed with nerve and muscle biopsy. As the medicine department is the first point of contact and admission for all department cases the postgraduates have a 360 degree experience ably assisted by all other departments.

Research focus of the faculty members is on locally prevalent conditions with the aim to improve patient outcomes. Presently research is being done in the field of infectious diseases, diabetes and metabolic diseases, clinical toxicology, clinical cardiology, clinical nephrology, and clinical rheumatology.

Last Updated:01-Nov-2024