Mumbai: Eliminating Braindrain alongside creating a symbolic “Indian Silicon Valley” for medicos in India seems to be heading for reality, even as many as 250 Pan-India medical students (final year MBBS and MD/DNB) won scholarship grants totaling Rs 1.7 crores under the +Metropolis’ MedEngage Scholarship Program+ 2023 to follow their visionary dreams in the field of medicine.
Dr Sushil Shah, Chairman, Metropolis, said here recently that while the scholarships were given through the Metropolis Foundation in recognition of the students’ achievements in academic scores, extra-curricular activities and research papers/thesis presentations, while about 50% of them were women in the program, which witnessed the related registrations coming from 516 cities in 29 states of India.
Describing MedEngage as a +holistic, medical outreach programme aimed at nurturing young medical talent+ in the “future healthcare acumen” of India, Shah said such deserving and meritorious students would also be given practical knowledge through Metropolis’ world-class laboratories and an-board panel.
Highlighting “education being essential to the holistic development of India’s youth,” Dr Duru Shah, Chairperson, Metropolis Foundation, said that the MedEngage program aimed at improving India’s academic landscape while also “Empowering and Encouraging” medical students Our Future Healthcare Warriors in contributing to the healthcare ecosystem.
Replying to questions, she said that since the Scholarship Program’s beginning five years ago, total 531 medical students have been awarded these scholarships towards enabling their successful journey in discovery and a fruitful medical career.
Dr Kirti Chadha, Chief Scientific Officer and Group Head CSR, Metropolis Healthcare, said numerous surveys and interviews of potential beneficiaries were carried out before launching this Program and then “weaved” in all areas for doctors to give them the necessary +hand-holding, guidance, orientation, financial and academic research support.
“We opened our doors and resources for budding medical minds to succeed nationally and internationally in their difficult pursuit of excellence journey spanning science and innovation,” she said, adding “Digitalization of the module scope and beneficiary application has further helped us reach remote corners of India while impacting across Tier-city boundaries.”
She said the Foundation’s Center in Mumbai’s Dharavi Slum areas found young girls who had suffered +sexual abuse+ and were anaemic. “We helped provide a proper diet for 56 girls who were anaemic and six per cent others suffering from hypothyroid, besides witnessing lack of menstrual hygiene for which we shared relevant knowledge — before COVID-19 forced us to shut down our activities – while junior doctors were supported out in their field of activity with advice from senior doctors at home.”
MedEngage’s long-term goal is to create a “Knowledge Community” and strong platform to discuss and share best industry practices in India and beyond,” she said, adding “As India’s medical colleges and DNB hospitals increase, we are increasing our budget and beneficiaries to ensure a sizeable percentage of the eligible population getting impacted with program benefits.”
While the MedEngage platform also enables students’ participation in its Observership Program, Academic Research Support, Laboratory Tour and Internships etc, it also recently introduced a web-series called “MedTalk” for interaction between senior and young doctors in creating a +futuristic healthcare vision.
