Media Release
Bengaluru, Jul 14: The annual convocation 2023 of the Institute of Allied Health Sciences, St John’s Medical College, Bengaluru was held on July 14. The event was conducted keeping in mind all Covid protocols.
Dr Pratima Murthy, renowned psychiatrist and director of NIMHANS, Bengaluru was the chief guest. A total of 185 allied health professionals were awarded their degrees. This included 85 BSc medical technology graduates, 39 bachelor of physiotherapy graduates, 34 MSc medical technology and masters in physiotherapy postgraduates and 27 master in hospital administration postgraduates.
St John’s was started in 1963 with the mission to train health care personnel to serve in rural and underserved areas of our country. The college has been consistently ranked amongst the top ten medical colleges in the country by various surveys. The Institute of Allied Health Sciences at St John’s Medical College was established in the year 1975, and has gradually grown to train over 250 students in various allied health sciences specialties each year. Today the institution has an intake of allied health sciences greater than the intake in medicine reflecting the importance of the allied health specialists who form the backbone of any hospital. From its inception, the focus of these courses has been on the acquisition of skills and targeted towards enhancing the skilled healthcare manpower in the country. The medical college is supported by a state-of-the-art 1800 bedded hospital, with nearly 2500 daily outpatients and over 200 daily in patients with over 550 doctors serving in the Institution.
The college has consistently had very good academic results and this year was no exception. The pass rate in BSc med lab technology in the final year was 100%, and in MSc lab tech was 94%. In the clinical technical subjects i.e. radiotherapy tech, anesthesia and OT tech it was 100%, It was 93% in renal dialysis technology and 92% in medical imaging technology. In bachelors in physiotherapy the pass rate was 100% and in masters in physiotherapy it was 80%, In masters in hospital administration it was 100%. As many as 17 of the bachelor’s students obtained university ranks in their final year, with S Shambava Shree coming first in anesthesia technology and Vaishali coming first in medical imaging technology. The 1st to 8th rank in medical imaging technology were all obtained by the students. In renal dialysis technology, 5 university ranks were taken by the students. Eleven of the bachelors’ students got overall university ranks with Shambava Shree coming overall second. Five of the bachelor of physiotherapy students got ranks in the final year with Vanshika Bansal coming overall 4th at the university. Seven of the MSc medical lab technology got ranks with Lisa Elizabeth Varghese coming 1st in clinical biochemistry. Three of the MHA students Jenifer, Sharon and Sheja obtained the 6th, 7th and 8th rank respectively.
Dr Charles Davis, associate director of St John’s Medical College welcomed the gathering, and emphasized on the importance of AHS students in the functioning of the institution. The dean of St John’s Medical College, Dr George D’Souza highlighted on the various achievements of the students and staff and of the institution and the various new teaching and research programs that have been introduced at the institution. He also encouraged the graduates to keep the patient at the center of all they do, with compassion, empathy and humaneness.
The graduates and post graduates were presented their certificates, as well as the various awards won over the years of study. They were then administered a solemn oath to undertake their professional responsibilities with honesty and integrity. As many as 42 staff members of the institution were also felicitated on the occasion of completion of sliver jubilee of their service at St John’s.
Dr Paul Parathazham, director of St John’s National Academy of Health Sciences in his presidential address asked the graduates to be proactive in their actions. He assured the graduates that this would stand by them in all times, and help bring a change in the lives of all around them.
The chief guest Dr Pratima Murthy in her address to the graduates and postgraduates asked the graduates to remember 5 Cs - competent, care, compassion, courage, communication in their dealing with patients and colleagues. She complimented the institution and its faculty in ensuring academic and professional excellence. Adding quality to years of life lived is vital given that longevity is increasing. A holistic approach to health care incorporating preventive, promotive and curative aspects is necessary to ensure better patient care. She also stressed on the increasing range of opportunities for allied healthcare professionals in various streams of Medicine, and this generation of graduates being beneficiaries of technological innovation. She however cautioned them to be updated with these innovations and encouraged them to be life long learners.
The programme ended with the vote of thanks.