Kerala’s GMC Kozhikode Becomes First Govt Medical College in India to Offer PG in Nuclear Medicine

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Published on Oct 20, 2025, 11:53 AM | 2 min read

Thiruvananthapuram: The Government Medical College (GMC), Kozhikode, has become the first state-run medical institution in the country to be granted postgraduate (PG) seats in Nuclear Medicine. The approval, granted by the National Medical Commission (NMC), marks a significant advancement in the State’s efforts to expand specialist medical training and strengthen its cancer care capabilities.

Health Minister Veena George, while announcing the development, said, “The inclusion of advanced specialities such as Nuclear Medicine and Radiation Oncology in the postgraduate curriculum of our government medical institutions will significantly strengthen Kerala’s capacity to diagnose and treat cancer using modern, evidence-based methods. These initiatives will also reduce our dependence on private sector facilities for high-end diagnostics and therapy.”

The introduction of PG training in Nuclear Medicine and Radiation Oncology at government institutions is expected to have a transformative impact. Nuclear Medicine, which combines diagnostic imaging and targeted radionuclide therapy, plays a central role in cancer detection, staging, and treatment planning. Until now, PG courses in this speciality were available only at a limited number of centrally funded or private institutions. With the new approval, Kerala becomes the first State in India to offer this training through a public sector medical college, thereby improving both accessibility and affordability for aspiring specialists.

The Malabar Cancer Centre (MCC), Thalassery, has also received approval to commence PG training in Radiation Oncology for the first time. Altogether, the NMC has sanctioned 81 new PG seats across government medical colleges in the State this year. These newly approved seats are part of a broader plan by the Kerala government to increase access to specialised medical education and address the growing demand for trained professionals in public health institutions. The sanctioned seats are distributed across various institutions, including Alappuzha, Ernakulam, Kannur, Kollam, Kozhikode, and Thalassery.

To support the academic and clinical needs of the expanded PG programmes, the government has created 270 new faculty posts in government medical colleges. These posts span multiple disciplines. The State has also initiated processes to begin PG programmes in Infectious Diseases and Critical Care at the Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram—fields that have gained increasing prominence in the wake of recurring public health challenges, including COVID-19 and Nipah virus outbreaks.