• Dedicated specialist deployed to analyse situation
• Registrar observes future challenges in providing same 

In the wake of the Government noting difficulties in providing internship training for medical graduates, the Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC) stated that it is currently analysing the situation, with a dedicated medical specialist deployed to review available internship training capacities across the country.

Speaking to The Daily Morning, SLMC Registrar, Dr. Hemantha Herath said that internship placements must be provided at properly equipped hospitals, under the guidance of qualified trainers (medical specialists), in line with standards approved by the SLMC. “We designate medical graduates across the relevant centres in a balanced way. Sometimes, we might assign two interns to a place designed for one, depending on the need. But, we try our best to avoid overcrowding or leaving a training slot vacant,” Dr. Herath pointed out.

However, he said that challenges in providing internship training for medical graduates may increase in the near future, especially since the number of medical students entering local universities increased by around 500 about five years ago. “Now, those students are nearing graduation. We have to ensure that there are enough suitable internship placements for them. We’re already working on that. A dedicated medical specialist has been appointed to analyse the situation,” he added.

This statement follows a recent announcement by the Government that local admissions to the Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) programme at the General John Kotelawala Defence University (KDU) was temporarily limited to only cadet officers and foreign students, due to the issues in allocating internship training slots. Responding to a question in the Parliament raised by Opposition Parliamentarian Ravi Karunanayake, Health Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said that the internship is as essential as the medical degree itself, and that Sri Lanka is facing a shortage of medical specialists required to train interns. He added that the restriction on new admissions to the KDU is a temporary measure, introduced until a sustainable solution is found.