Analysis of Medicolegal Awareness Among Fresh Indian Medical Graduates

Abstract

Introduction: Recent escalating trend in litigation against doctors is an issue of top concern, one important reason for it ispoor handling of medico-legal cases.Aims & Objective: To evaluate the status of knowledge about common medico- legal terminologies/cases among freshIndian Medical Graduates(IMG) and problems if any in teaching medicolegal aspects in the medical curriculum.Material & Methods: Observational analytical study involving 150 fresh IMG’s working in medical colleges as interns orfaculty with experience less than 1 year, using questionnaire of 30 pre-validated questions based on Likert’s scale.Results: In our study we observed that 99% IMG’s are not able to handle medicolegal cases independently. Most ofIMG’s have poor knowledge of certification of death(60%), injury(87%) etc. and important medicolegal concepts likevicarious liability(62%) and ethical aspects of artificial insemination(75%). 58 to 91% IMG’s have fair knowledge ofdifferent acts. 53% and 44% IMG’s have fair knowledge of rights of patients and record keeping respectively . More than90% participants didn’t have any experience with investigating authorities or court. 64% IMG’s would prefer to consultforensic medicine expert in medicolegal complications. No participant had attended any workshop or training session onmedicolegal cases. More than 90% IMG’s believe that UG teaching for medicolegal concepts and exposure to medicolegalcases is not sufficient.Conclusion: Medicolegal awareness among IMG’s is poor leading to inability of IMG to handle medicolegal casesindependently.