Madurai Medical College has sparked a row over preventing its students from learning about issues faced by LGBTQIA+ people.
Published Sep 29, 2024 | 11:18 PM ⚊ Updated Sep 29, 2024 | 11:18 PM
Representative image of a medical student
A Continuing Medical Education (CME) program titled “Unlocking Understanding: An Update on LGBTQIA+” at Madurai Medical College (MMC) was abruptly halted by college authorities on Saturday, 28 September, leading to the removal of students from the venue.
The program, organised by the MMC Alumni Association, aimed to enhance medical students’ understanding of the issues that queer people face and was scheduled to take place in the college’s new academic block.
A Savior Selva Suresh, secretary of the MMC Alumni Association, stated that the event was part of a tradition where each batch organises an annual event, including CME programs, aimed at enriching the upcoming doctors’ knowledge. “This program was planned to address the complexities surrounding LGBTQIA+ people’s health and medical procedures,” he told The Hindu.
Despite securing prior permission from the college, Suresh alleged that the Dean, V Selvarani instructed students not to attend the program earlier in the week for undisclosed reasons. After further discussions, it was decided that only final-year MBBS students could attend. However, the situation escalated when members of the Tamil Nadu Government Doctors’ Association intervened during the event, insisting that the students leave the hall because non-medical professionals were invited to speak.
Azhaga Jagan, founder of the Aniyam Foundation and one of the invited speakers, expressed disappointment at the interruption and told The New Indian Express: “We are not just random people; we work closely with the state government and educational institutions to demystify issues surrounding LGBTQIA+ individuals,” he noted.
Jagan called the authorities’ actions insulting, particularly at a time when the government and higher courts are advocating for better policies and support for LGBTQIA+ communities.
In response, Dr Selvarani clarified that the college’s policy prohibits the inclusion of non-medical professionals in CME programs, asserting, “Once we learned about the program being conducted with said speakers, we had to interrupt and remove students from the event.”
The sudden cancellation of the program has raised concerns about the college’s commitment to inclusivity and the importance of discussing issues faced by people from the LGBTQIA+ communities within medical education institutions. Activists and alumni alike have expressed their dismay, highlighting the need for ongoing dialogue and education on such critical topics.
Critics of the cancellation highlighted that among the five speakers, three were qualified doctors specialising in psychiatry, urology, and general medicine, while the remaining two were activists actively involved in LGBTQIA+ welfare.
“Shockingly, the Tamil Nadu Government Doctors’ Association intervened and demanded that students leave because ‘non-medical professionals’ were speaking. Why is the patient experience being dismissed as non-professional?” Dr. Satendra Singh, a disability rights activist, questioned on X.
He added, “Dr. Selvarani claimed non-medical professionals shouldn’t be invited to CMEs. But patients are the experts of their own lived experiences—why exclude them from medical education? The National Medical Commission (NMC) allows Medical Humanities and patient voices in the AETCOM (Attitude, Ethics, and Communication) module. At the University College of Medical Sciences in Delhi, the #Iridescence LGBTI student group teaches SOGIESC (Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression, and Sex Characteristics) issues as part of the foundation course. Patients share their disability experiences in AETCOM, becoming the most important teachers for future doctors.
Questioning the Tamil Nadu government over the issue, he asked, “Subramanian Ma, Tamil Nadu’s health minister, why is TN lagging behind in patient-centered care? Literature often refers to ‘patients as teachers,’ but we have reframed this term as ‘medicine’s most important teachers.’ Disabled storytellers provide perspectives from the inside, making storytelling a form of social action. Medical students deserve exposure to diverse voices, including activists and patients, who offer invaluable insights. Denying them access to these perspectives fails the future of healthcare.”
Dr. Selvarani claimed non-medical professionals shouldn’t be invited to CMEs. But patients ARE the experts of their own #LivedExperiences—why exclude them from medical education? NMC allows #MedicalHumanities & patient voices in AETCOM ethics module 5/
— Satendra Singh, MD (@drsitu) September 29, 2024
Dr Gargi Mahananda Dhananjayan asked, “What a shame. Why shouldn’t medical college students learn about LGBTQ+ healthcare? There are competencies specifically designed for undergraduate medical students to learn about LGBTQ+ rights and healthcare in psychiatry and forensic medicine. Will they dare to omit those as well?”
What a shame. Why shouldn’t medical college students learn about LGBTQ+ healthcare? There’s separate competencies for undergraduate medical students to learn about LGBTQ+ rights & healthcare in psychiatry & FM subjects will they dare to omit that as well? https://t.co/uGDsBe1oOZ
— Dr.Gargi Mahananda Dhananjayan (@Doctor_Gargi) September 28, 2024
Both experts stressed that excluding activists and patient advocates from medical education denies future doctors the chance to understand the nuanced healthcare needs of diverse communities, which could hinder progress in creating inclusive healthcare systems.
Meanwhile Dr. Suresh emphasised that the aim was to provide students with a humanistic perspective, stating, “There is no harm in inviting them; it is essential for students to learn about the communities they will work with as medical professionals.”
(Edited by Neena)
