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 is
poor handling of medico-legal cases.
Aims & Objective: To evaluate the status of knowledge about common medico- legal terminologies/cases among fresh
Indian 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 or
faculty 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 of
IMG’s have poor knowledge of certification of death(60%), injury(87%) etc. and important medicolegal concepts like
vicarious liability(62%) and ethical aspects of artificial insemination(75%). 58 to 91% IMG’s have fair knowledge of
different acts. 53% and 44% IMG’s have fair knowledge of rights of patients and record keeping respectively . More than
90% participants didn’t have any experience with investigating authorities or court. 64% IMG’s would prefer to consult
forensic medicine expert in medicolegal complications. No participant had attended any workshop or training session on
medicolegal cases. More than 90% IMG’s believe that UG teaching for medicolegal concepts and exposure to medicolegal
cases is not sufficient.
Conclusion: Medicolegal awareness among IMG’s is poor leading to inability of IMG to handle medicolegal cases
independently.