IIT Madras to launch School of Medical Sciences for MBBS and MD degrees

IIT Madras plans to expand its academic scope by establishing a School of Medical Sciences to offer professional medical degrees. According to Director Professor V. Kamakoti, the institution intends to provide a full range of qualifications, including undergraduate MBBS and BDS programs, postgraduate MD degrees, and PhDs.

The move follows the 2023 launch of the Department of Medical Sciences and Technology, which currently offers a four-year undergraduate program in Medical Sciences and Engineering. That existing program focuses on the intersection of medicine and technology, covering fields such as AI in healthcare, medical imaging, and drug design.

Professor Kamakoti noted that the initiative aims to train doctors capable of practicing medicine, rather than just medical technologists. He suggested that technology institutions must engage with medical education to ensure national resilience in the medical market, citing the COVID-19 pandemic as an example of how modern medicine relies heavily on technological integration.