Bhubaneswar: Odisha University of Health Sciences (OUHS) will start its maiden PhD programme for medical, dental and nursing postgraduates from the next academic session. So far, not a single medical, dental or nursing college under OUHS provides a PhD programme.
The university has formed a committee of experts to select the best candidates for the PhD programme. A pool of emeritus professors has been created to guide these scholars.
"We have formed a committee to frame the guidelines for PhD. It has already finalised the guidelines. After the guidelines are approved, we will conduct the selection of centres, supervisors and guides. Then we will issue an advertisement for PhD programme," said Manash Ranjan Sahoo, vice-chancellor of OUHS.
He said the university will encourage PG students who have passed out, along with practicing doctors and nursing officers, to apply for the PhD programme. "We completed the exercise related to providing PhD programme to practicing doctors who don't have any NET score," he added.
He said a research and ethics committee has been formed with experts from ICMR, AIIMS and other reputed institutions. Initially, the university will take a smaller number of centres, guides and students to maintain quality. Later, it may increase, according to the situation, official sources said.
"Distinguished professor of eminence has been renamed as ‘Professor Emeritus', and 15 eminent people have been selected by OUHS for this coveted honour, which happened for the first time in Odisha. All these people can hugely contribute to the academic and research environment of all medical colleges under our university," said the VC.
He said they will follow the guidelines of National Medical Commission (NMC) to run the programme. "The selection committee, having 10-12 members, will go through the guidelines, eligibility of candidates and other criteria before selecting the applicants," he added.