With 140 of the 236 posts for lecturers lying vacant at the three tertiary care hospitals—King Edward Memorial Hospital, Lokmanya Tilak Municipal General Hospital and B Y L Nair Hospita— BMC is compelled to re-introduce the post of tutor which will act as a bridge between the resident doctors and lecturers.

The shortage of lecturers is solely not an outcome of doctors practicing in private hospitals or opting to teach in private medical colleges but also a result of reservation seats not being filled up. “For years, reserved seat for nomadic tribe is vacant. Also, public service commission interviews are not being held,” said Dr Sanjay Oak, director of medical education, BMC.

“In the month of November we advertised for 236 vacant posts of lecturers, however, we got only 96 applications. In order to balance out, we have introduced a new cadre called the tutor. Role of the tutor is very much like lecturer and is a part of the teaching staff,” said Dr Oak.