Study of anxiety among medical teachers about the recent change in “publication-based faculty promotions” as per the National Medical Commission Guidelines 2022

Abstract

Background: Primarily collegiate promotions, placement retention, professional progress, and career mobility of any medical fraternity are determined by the growth in their research productivity. Universities and medical institutes also recruit and promote those academicians who have voluminous resume with ample number of publications. However, the mandatory criteria for article publication and the frequent changes made in them, challenge the medical professionals and create a sense of anxiety and insecurity in them about their future prospects. This study aims at screening these medical academicians, for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) in response to the recent change in "Minimum Teachers Eligibility Qualifications in Medical Institutions Regulations" as per the National Medical Commission (NMC) guidelines 2022. Materials and Methods: It was a cross-sectional pilot study conducted in two medical institutes including 76 medical teachers due for their promotions. Knowledge and anxiety towards the recent change in "Minimum Teachers Eligibility Qualifications in Medical Institutions Regulations" as per the NMC guidelines 2022 was assessed by the GAD-7 scoring system with help of a questionnaire. The medical professionals were grouped into minimal, mild, moderate, and severe anxiety depending on their GAD-7 score. Results: Hundred percent of medical teachers were aware of the recent changes in the promotion criteria laid down by the NMC in February 2022. 31.57% and 34.78% of medical professionals were found to have mild and moderate anxiety respectively about the promotion criteria. Although less, but 15% of them were screened to be severely anxious about the same matter. Conclusion: All the study participants were updated about the recent changes in the promotion criteria put forward by NMC in February 2022 but this revision has created a sense of apprehension and uncertainty among the medical professionals regarding their due promotions.