Principal's Message

It is with immense pride and emotion that I pen my message as the Principal of Vardhaman Mahavir Medical College & Safdarjung Hospital. I feel deeply honoured to be associated with this vibrant Institute which has proven its pre-eminence and uniqueness by blending medical and public health sciences under a single institutional framework. The institute has flourished and attained new benchmarks in 2023. In the past year Vardhman Mahavir Medical College has strived to achieve objectives that were laid out in the beginning of the academic year and continued on the path to broaden its horizons like never before. It is now much ambitious and shall strive for excellence wherever it can.

VMMC has chalked out a journey not just for national recognition but excelling at the international forum of premier medical institutions around the world.

Dr (Mrs). Geetika Khanna

Principal, VMMC

Building upon this narrative there has been unprecedented progress in improving medical education and research, as well as, augmenting manpower and infrastructure, all the while keeping a keen focus on faculty and student welfare.

VMMC continued to do well in the National Institutional Ranking Framework Survey 2023 which is an objective framework devised by the MHRD using the broad parameters of 'Teaching, Learning, Resources, Research, Professional Practices and Outcomes”. The college continued to march to the top with the current NIRF ranking improving from 19th in 2021 to 14th in 2023. VMMC was ranked 8th in the India Today Top Ten Colleges of India 2023 and continues to be the preferred choice of medical aspirants and students across the country.

VMMC & Safdarjung Hospital can now boast of having one of the largest shares of sanctioned/affiliated seats in postgraduate courses with a total of 325 MD/MS seats; 43 seats in super speciality fields, 7 seats of Diplomate of National Board of Examinations along with 170 MBBS, and 16 seats of Bachelor of Prosthetics and Orthotics. In addition, our faculty contributed to teaching programmes of BSc Nursing (50 seats), BSc Medical Laboratory Technology (25 Seats), BSc Medical Imaging Technology (12 Seats), and the Pre-Trauma Technician course besides several Short-Term Trainings.

“Department of Emergency Medicine” has been established in the institute. The institute also initiated the processing of new postgraduate and postdoctoral courses including DM Neonatology, DM Critical Care, MCh Gynaecological Oncology, FNB Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, and DrNB Clinical Haematology which are in various stages of approval. Proposals to start the Departments of Hospital Administration, Clinical Psychology and Medical Gastroenterology have been submitted to MOH&FW and are in different stages of receiving approval from the competent authority. Proposal for initiating DNB Emergency Medicine is also in the pipeline.

Some long pending aspirations for the college will be coming to fruition very soon. VMMC is in the process of starting a “VMMC Medical Journal” this year. The “VMMC Alumni Association” has been formally registered and shall become active from the coming year. The MBBS students also released their own magazine this year.

The institute received grant of sanction of the prestigious “Multidisciplinary Research Unit” scheme. This scheme is wholly funded by the Department of Health Research (DHR), MOHF&W, Govt of India and shall provide a boost to capacity building in basic and clinical research in the institute. This year eight research projects were approved by DHR for funding.

VMMC has also initiated PhD under the aegis of ICMR after signing two Memorandum of Agreements with them.

VMMC received approval from the competent authority to set up a Skill Lab as mandated by the National Medical Commission. The construction for the skill lab has started and procurement of equipment is ongoing. VMMC & Safdarjung Hospital has also became a member of the prestigious National Cancer Grid.

VMMC was able to largely bridge the faculty deficit and fill vacant teaching posts by conducting interviews for 98 posts of Contractual Assistant Professors. A consolidated proposal was also simultaneously submitted for creation of posts of Assistant Professors in several departments and is under consideration in the MOH & FW.

One of the key contributors and assets in the success of Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital are our faculty members whose consistent hard work and forbearance have improve patient care, and enhanced the quality output in teaching and research. Apart from these, more than 100 academic events of international, national, and regional level were organized by the institution’s faculty. Other key events held in the year in review include Induction Programmes for Undergraduates, Postgraduates and Interns which included workshops on Communication Skills, Basic Life Support, Good Clinical Practices, Good Laboratory Practices and BMW management. Besides these, the Institutional Medical Education Unit conducted Revised Basic Workshops for training in Medical Education, Multidisciplinary Meets, MEU Guest Lectures, Induction Training Programmes for Postgraduates, and two Protocol Writing Workshops.

The Additional Infrastructure project of VMMC is making progress. The tree cutting permission for the lecture theatre complex and the auditorium has come through and the tendering process is on.

Mentorship programme for all new MBBS admissions is running successfully and was very helpful in identifying students with mental health issues and providing them timely help and support. Several institutional committees including the Student Grievance Redressal, Postgraduate Committee and Anti Ragging Committees have been reconstituted for addressing any problems faced by the students and the committees have been playing their role brilliantly by solving urgent issues with compassion and care. A Suicide Prevention Program is being conducted for the students and Faculty by the Department of Psychiatry. Many interactive workshops have been conducted in VMMC to address the mental health related issues of the undergraduates and postgraduates.

A large number of students availed various scholarship schemes including the Top- Class Fellowship for Higher Education of ST Students, National Scholarship for Higher Education of ST Students, Post Matriculation Scheme for Minorities, National Talent Search Examination, various other departmental scholarships, EWS scholarship offered by Govt of NCR through GGSIP University.

Numerous e-resources were procured for the College Library including clinical key, up to date, Access Medicine series, Grammarly and E-Granthalya.

MEDSICON, a students' led conference with guest lectures, skill development workshops and practical demonstrations was successfully organized and saw an extremely enthusiastic participation by students from across the country and abroad.

In the next academic year the focus of VMMC shall be to expedite the completion of the new infrastructure and fully utilise the facilities for the benefit of the students. Improving the quality of medical education will be the key driving element and the thrust will be on incorporating progressive changes in the curriculum and adopting the latest technology in Medical Education.

Let us all at VMMC & Safdarjung hospital resolve to break free from our shackles and think innovatively and originally to make our lives meaningful. My own message resonates in this quote by one of the most famous physicians in history:
“The practice of medicine is an art, not a trade; a calling, not a business; a calling in which your heart will be exercised equally with your head.” – William Osler