Maulana Azad Medical College

The Maulana Azad Medical College (MAMC) is a government medical college in Delhi affiliated to University of Delhi. It is named after Indian freedom fighter and first education minister of independent India Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. It is located at Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi.^[1] MAMC is one of India's premier medical colleges and consistently ranked amongst the top medical schools.

The college has the following hospitals attached to it:^[2]

1. Lok Nayak Hospital
2. Govind Ballabh Pant Hospital
3. Guru Nanak Eye Centre
4. Sushruta Trauma Centre
5. Chacha Nehru Bal Chikitsalaya

The hospitals have a combined bed strength of more than 2400 beds (with further expansion underway) and cater to a population of more than 20 million people in Delhi alone and many more from the surrounding states in north India. The college is a tertiary care referral centre and has teaching programs for graduation, post graduation and subspecialities (referred to as superspecialities in India).

History of the college

It is the second best college for medical science in India.

The history of Maulana Azad Medical College, could be traced to 1936, when India was being ruled by the British. Indian Medical Service at that time was heavily manned by the British. In 1940, Col. Curickshank of the Indian Medical Service (IMS) [a British national], was appointed Medical Superintendent Irwin Hospital and Chief Medical Officer of New Delhi. He saw the dream of building a medical college complex near Ramlila Ground.

But before his dream could come to fruition, the Second world war started in 1939, and the plan of a new medical college had to be dropped. During Second World War some barracks were rapidly constructed near Safdarjung's tomb to establish a medical center for American Troops fighting in this region. This hospital was well equipped with x-ray machine, laboratory and other facilities for various emergency procedures. After the Second World War was over America handed over this place to Government of India. This place, where the present Safdarjung Hospital exists was to be taken over as an extension of Irwin Hospital. Later CGHS took over this place directly to be run by Central Health Ministry.

Today the grave of Mughal era poet, Momin lies near the parking area near the college.^[3]

Ranking in India

Although many surveys have given it various ranks, the overall ranking of MAMC has always been in the top ten. Its location in the capital city makes it a particularly attractive choice among students across Northern India. In the 2011 India Today Rankings, it is ranked second in India.

Firsts in India from MAMC complex

1. Ear Drum Transplant
2. Transpulmonary Correction of Tetralogy of Fallot
3. Right gastroepiploic artery as a conduit in coronary artey bypass surgery
4. Surgical ablation of WPW syndrome
5. Surgical ablation of ventricular tachycardia#Maze III procedure for atrial fibrillation
6. Balloon Mitral Valvotomy
7. Balloon angioplasty for co-arctation of aorta
8. Renal Angioplasty
9. Closure of Patent Ductus Arteriosus and Atrial Septal Defect
10. Combined modality treatment in muscle infilterating bladder tumour
11. Feasibility study of role of PAP smear in preparation and early detection of Cancer of the Cervix
12. Typing of MRSA
13. Pulse Polio Program
14. Motiabind Unmoolan Abhiyan (public health program for eradication of cataract)
15. Shravan Shakti Abhiyan
16. Occupational and Environmental Medicine Department in a Medical College
17. Post Graduate (Residency) program Course in Radio-therapy
18. Centre of Excellence in Non-scalpel Vasectomy
19. First Non-scalpel Vasectomy
20. International published Work on Endoscopic third ventriculostomy in Tubercular hydrocephalus
21. ndovascular therapy of vascular lesions of brain by neurosurgeons.
22. International use of shape memory alloys in fixation of cervical spine.
23. First Laser Micro-neurosurgical Procedures
24. First CUSA assisted cardiac/ gastro/ and neurosurgical operation
25. World's first: All types of valve replacement on beating heart
26. First successful MVD for trigeminal neuralgia
27. First successful trans-oral odontoidectomy for CV junction anomaly
28. Delayed surgical decompression in partial spinal cord injury
29. Extra-cavitory anterior decompression in thoraco-lumbar diseases
30. Longest duration and longest running Continuing Medical Education (CME) program in Surgery for postgraduates. The program runs with the name 'Surgery Update'.
31. First Clinical Skills Centre in the country with facility for hands on surgical skills training, laparoscopic surgery training and Basic and Advanced Life support skills training.

Courses offered

The medical school offers the degrees of MBBS, post graduate degrees of MS, MD and superspeciality degrees of MCh and DM. It has attached schools offering degrees in nursing and pharmacy. The attached hospitals are well renowned for the training programs in all medical specialties and subspecialties.

Admissions

Competition for entry to this institute is highly competitive. The entrance examination for MAMC is through a common pre-medical test (Delhi University Medical Entrance Test, DUMET), conducted by the University of Delhi for all its affiliated medical schools. 180 students are admitted each year. Reservation for the backward and underprivileged class exist to the extent of 33%. In-state residents have a preference towards almost 75% of the seats. Students who have graduated from high school can appear for the admission test.

Notable faculty and Alumni

A significant percentage of its alumni are currently working in the United States (more than 10% graduates), United Kingdom (almost 25% graduates) and other countries (Australia, New Zealand, Singapore etc), and those in India are usually faculty members or very well known private practitioners.

Most members of the faculty visit Europe and America for conferences, training programs etc, and bring with them rich experience that enhance the educational experience of its students and of the Physicians-in-training.

Faculty

• Dr. S. I. Padmavati, former Director MAMC, Padma Vibhushan

Alumni

Notable alumnus around the world include

• Dr. Pankaj Sadaphal, graduate (1989), Preventive and Social Medicine post-graduate (1994). Received prestigious NIH-funded Fogarty AIDS International Training and Research Program fellowship grant to pursue Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) degree in Infectious Diseases Epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, USA. He developed an innovative computational algorithm to recognize TB bacilli in Ziehl-Neelsen stained sputum smears to reduce lab-related delays in TB diagnosis^[4]. He is an invited Member of the New Diagnostics Working Group for the Stop TB Partnership / World Health Organization (2009-present). He is a reviewer for WHO Bulletin, AJE, BMJ, and IJTLD.

• Dr. Bhupesh Parashar, Program Director, Radiation Oncology Residency Program, Cornell University, NY.

• Dr. Raj Goyal, Mallinckrodt Professor of Medicine^[5], Harvard Medical School, Founder President^[6] of the American Motility Society, Former Chair^[7] of the Division of Gastroenterology at Beth Israel Hospital in Boston. He joined Maulana Azad Medical College in 1964 as a post-graduate student in Internal Medicine after completing his undergraduate training in Punjab.^[8].

• Dr. Ravi Vij, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, MO. Reviewer for several journals, including Blood, Bone Marrow Transplantation, Journal of Clinical Oncology, and Experimental Hematology^[9]. He completed his undergraduate training at Maulana Azad Medical College in 1989^[10].

• Dr. Manmeet Ahluwalia is an oncologist who treats patients with brain tumors and brain metastases at the Cleveland Clinic. He completed his fellowship at Roswell Park Cancer Center, A NCI designated Comprehensive Cancer Center. He is a reviewer for Clinical Oncology and Cardiovascular Pathology Journals. He graduated from Maulana Azad Medical College in 2000.
• Dr. Utkarsh mani tripathi is a world famous cardiologist who is currently working at harvard
• Dr. Vandana Jain, noted ophthalmologist and cornea specialist; trained at MAMC and LV Prasad Eye Institute, she is currently the academic dean and head of cornea, cataract and refractive services at Aditya Jyot Eye Hospital Pvt. Ltd, one of India's leading eye hospitals. She is currently a reviewer of many ophthalmology journals like Ophthalmology, Indian Journal of Ophthalmology. She is also a visiting faculty member at the Jules Stein Eye Institute, CA, USA.

• Dr. Charu Taneja. She is a Surgical Oncologist and Director of the Breast Health Program at Roger Williams Medical Center at Boston University^[11]. She graduated from Maulana Azad Medical College in 1989^[12].
• Dr. Shubh yadav. He is a world renowned pediatric surgeon who has performed many complex surgeries and pathbreaking innovations.he is currently working at Massachusetts super speciality health centerharvard medical school
• Dr. Tajinder Singh, Pediatric Cardiologist and Assistant Professor, Harvard Medical School^[13]. He graduated from Maulana Azad Medical College in 1984^[14].

• Dr Saumitra Rawat, Consultant laparoscopic Surgeon, UK. Contributor to Oxford handbook of clinical Surgery 3rd Edition (Best-selling surgical book) and Oxford handbook of operative Surgery 2nd Edition. Faculty- laparoscopic core skills course, advanced laparoscopic skills course and specialist registrar skills course, Royal college of Surgeons.

• Dr. Himanshu Tyagi, Psychiatrist and noted Internet psychology researcher^[15], UK. He was attributed to as a leading psychiatrist^[16] in UK by BBC in July 2008. He is also a co-founder of RxPG, a popular professional networking portal for medical students and doctors^[17]. He graduated from Maulana Azad Medical College in 2000^[18].

• Dr. Mandeep Bhargava, Staff Cardiologist, Cleveland Clinic, USA^[19].

• Dr. Rajeev Diddy, the only Indian Radiologist licensed to privately practise in Germany^[20].

Some of the notable members in India-

• Col. Bashi Lal Taneja (The first Dean of the college). The block where the hospital faculty has its offices, is known as Col. B.L. Taneja Block, after his name

• Dr. I. D. Bajaj. First reader of anatomy department. He later rose to the position of Director General of Health Services.

• Dr. P.C. Dhanda. Padma Bhushan, 1962

• Dr. Narottam Puri. Primarily an otorhinolaryngologist, but also a musician, singer, encyclopaedist and a quiz master. His sports quiz on TV during 1970s and 1980s was a much watched show. He currently heads

• Professor Arun Aggarwal, Otorhinolaryngologist (Current Dean)

• Professor Nirmal Kumar, Eminent Gastroenterologist, pioneer in GI Endoscopy and Hepatology. (ex Prof at GB Pant Hospital). A compassionate physician in field of clinical medicine and research. Recipient of several awards and fellowships. He currently heads Dept of Gastroenterology & Hepatology at Sri Balaji Action Medical Institute, New Delhi and is Professor-Emeritus at St.Stephen's Hospital, Delhi.

• Dr. Premashis Kar, noted Physician-Scientist in the field of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, recipient of many National and International awards, over a 135 international research publications

• Dr. Amit Banerjee, Director-Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery.First alumnus to complete MBBS, MS and MCh from MAMC. Delhi Govt State Awardee and Dr B C Roy Awardee. First alumnus to become Medical Superintendent(2009) of Lok Nayak Hospital.

• Dr. Jugal Kishore, Department of Family & Community Medicine, recipient of many national and international awards and author of popular textbooks, listed in Marquis’ Who’s Who in the World 19th Edition 2002 published from USA.

• Dr. Anil Aggrawal, Forensic Pathologist, and editor of Anil Aggrawal's Internet Journal of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology

• Dr Pawanindra Lal, Professor of Surgery, Laparoscopic Surgeon, International Tutor & Examiner, Royal College of Surgeons, established the 1st Surgical Skills Laboratory in MAMC; listed in Marquis Who's Who in the World

• Dr Abhijeet Bhatia,a young ENT surgeon by training was part of India's Antarctic expedition "Maitri". He stayed in Antarctica from 2008-2009 providing medical care to the expedition members.
• Dr. Manju Chauhan, noted ENT specialist in the field of Rhinology and Pediatrics, recipient of President award.

Related Websites

• MAMCOAANA - The MAMC Alumni Association of North America
• Spandan.com - All about MAMC
• Primary Source Credential Verification for US persons

Notes and references