Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research

Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) is a premier medical and research institution in Chandigarh, India, consistently ranked in the top among the institutes for medical education in India and is an 'Institute of National Importance'. It has educational, medical research, and training facilities for its students. It is the leading tertiary care hospital of the region and caters to patients from all over Punjab, J&K, Himachal Pradesh and Haryana. It has all the latest facilities including all specialties, super specialties and sub specialties. Apart from the clinical services, PGI boasts of training in almost all disciplines of Medicine including post graduate and post doctoral degrees, diploma and fellowships. There are more than 50 such training courses in the institute. Since it is a post graduate institute, it does not have facilities for undergraduate MBBS courses.
History.
The founders of the institute are Tulsi Das, Santokh Singh Anand, P N Chuttani, B N Aikat, Sant Ram Dhall and Bala Krishna.
PGIMER was conceived and planned in 1960 to provide a physical and intellectual milieu for young scientists working in multiple disciplines of medicine, to advance the frontiers of knowledge to render humane service to sick and suffering, and to train medical and paramedical manpower in Chandigarh. The institute was established in 1962 under the erstwhile state of Punjab. It was declared as an Institute of National Importance by an Act of Parliament (Sr. No. 51 of 1966) w.e.f. 1 April 1967.
Teaching and training.
PGIMER is involved in research for the rural and community related environment and health problems. The focus of research has been on tackling diseases like diarrhea, tuberculosis, malaria, amoebiasis, systemic vasculitis, relapsing polychondritis, HIV, leprosy, hepatitis, anaemia, leukaemia, hypertension, atherosclerosis, thalassemia, dental caries, Oral cancer, stone disease, cancer, and sexually transmitted diseases.
Techniques are available to conduct studies like flow cytometry, chromatography (HPLC, FPLC), molecular biology, positron emission tomography (PET) and genetic studies. A BSL-III laboratory for mycobacteria is under construction. Recently, some highly advanced bio techniques like Ultracentrifugation , LC-MS ,Scanning electron microscopy and Whole genome sequencer have been installed in the CSIC , research block B.
Admission process.
Admission to post doctoral and postgraduate courses conducted at PGIMER is made twice a year. The sessions commence from first January and first July. The admission to the courses is made on merit on all-India basis by holding an entrance examination by the institute, after issuing a countrywide admission notice. Each year more than 20,000 medical graduates across the country compete for the positions. Approximately 1% to 2% of the candidates are selected, making it one of the most competitive tests across all fields in India.
Rankings.
Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research is ranked 2nd among medical colleges in India in 2020 by the National Institutional Ranking Framework medical ranking for 2020.
Academics.
PGIMER was established with manifold objectives. Since Chandigarh was being newly developed as a city and capital of the then unified state of Punjab, a tertiary care hospital was required and thus planned. The other two objectives attached to the project were providing training to the doctors and help them to get trained for becoming future specialists doctors in the region. Thus academics was a very strong focus right from the beginning. The third objective was to establish a very strong research facility in the region. Half a century later, all the goals have been well achieved. It has become one of the major teaching medical institutes of the country with a caveat - it does not provide undergraduate level of training i.e. MBBS and BDS. What it provides is all kind of post graduate degrees in various subjects. These include:
Elective training.
The institute accepts medical students from other countries for elective training in any of its departments. Clearance from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India and Medical Council of India, New Delhi is required before the students are accepted. The process takes about 3–4 months.
Dr. Tulsi Das Library.
Dr. Tulsi Das Library, PGIMER, was established in 1962. It has 45696 books, 57610 bound journals and current journals (print/online) include 414 international and 96 national journals. At present the library has 4851 theses of MD, MS, DM, M.Ch and Ph.D from different disciplines. The library subscribes to online databases like Science Direct, MD consult, Wiley- Blackwell and Oxford Journals and 494 online full text journals.
Satellite center.
Initially announced in 2013, the PGIMER now has an operational satellite center at Sangrur in Punjab. In August 2017, the INR 495 crore budget for setting up a similar second satellite center at Una, Himachal Pradesh was approved. Third satellite center was approved at Firozpur, Punjab.