What is behind dispute between MATS grads and medical students?
Their conflict has sparked nationwide protests, disrupting the health sector
Highlights:
- MATS graduates want to be called "diploma doctors"
- They claim the title should be allowed due to medical responsibilities
- Medical college students say only MBBS/BDS graduates should use "Doctor" title
- They claim MATS students' doctor title will complicate healthcare
- MATS students have been on an academic shutdown since yesterday morning
- A court verdict on 12 March will decide who qualifies for the title
A dispute has erupted between Medical Assistant Training School (MATS) and medical college students over the right to use the "Doctor" title, leading to nationwide disruptions in the health sector.
MATS students argue that their four-year curriculum, which includes basic medical textbooks, their degrees from the Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council (BMDC), and their authorisation to prescribe around 73 over-the-counter (OTC) drugs qualify them as "diploma doctors."
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Conversely, medical students insist that allowing MATS students to use the "Doctor" title will complicate an already fragile healthcare system, potentially exacerbating misdiagnosis and mistreatment.
This row has triggered nationwide protests, with work stoppages, academic shutdowns, and road blockades, causing distress for patients and disrupting the health sector.
However, the controversy is set to be addressed in a court ruling on 12 March, which will decide whether only the degree holders of a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) or Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) can use the title.
Protests by medical students
Since 23 February, intern doctors and medical students have been observing a week-long work stoppage and academic shutdown, demanding five points, including that no one except MBBS/BDS graduates should be allowed to use the "Doctor" title, BMDC registration should only be granted to MBBS/BDS graduates, and registration for MATS students should be halted.
Although they have temporarily withdrawn their work stoppage until 12 March, they continue their movement through public awareness campaigns.
Dr Syeda Nazia Ali, publicity secretary of the Doctors Movement for Justice, told The Business Standard, "MATS students are admitted with a minimum GPA of 2.5 in SSC. While they study basic medical subjects for four years, their instructors are not professors like ours, nor do they undergo the same level of practical training.
"They can prescribe OTC drugs, but we demand an updated list to ensure that only MBBS/BDS doctors can prescribe beyond OTC medications. The misuse of antibiotics by unqualified individuals is increasing antibiotic resistance in the country.
"Nowhere in the world are MATS graduates allowed to use the 'Doctor' title. The general public associates the title with MBBS doctors, and allowing MATS students to use it will mislead patients and increase the risk of incorrect treatment," she added.
Legal background
According to the Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council Act, 2010, only MBBS and BDS graduates can use the "Doctor" title.
In 2013, Shamsul Huda, the then convener of the Bangladesh Diploma Medical Association, along with others, filed a petition challenging the discriminatory application of this law against Diploma in Medical Faculty (DMF) degree holders.
Another petition was filed last year questioning the legality of Section-29 of the BMDC Act. After hearing both petitions together, the High Court scheduled the final verdict for 12 March.
Currently, 16 government MATS institutions and nearly 200 private MATS institutions operate under this curriculum.
In professional settings, DMF degree holders are appointed as Sub-Assistant Community Medical Officers under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
Bangladesh has approximately 60,000 diploma medical students, with nearly 30,000 DMF graduates registered under BMDC. Around 5,500 diploma doctors (DMFs) work in Upazila Health Complexes, Union Sub-Health Centres, and district hospitals.
Protests by MATS grads
Since yesterday morning, MATS students have been observing an academic shutdown, demanding recruitment into vacant 10th-grade positions and the fulfillment of their four-point demand.
They claim that the protests by medical students are an attack on judicial independence and are causing suffering to the general public.
Ahsan Habib, senior coordinator of the General and MATS Student Unity Council Central Committee, told The Business Standard, "Just like diploma engineers are recognised, we want to be recognised as diploma doctors. We study for four years and six months, and BMDC grants us the DMF degree. As per BMDC guidelines, we can prescribe 73 types of medications, perform normal deliveries, and conduct minor surgeries, including tumor removals. Since we provide medical services, we want to use the 'Doctor' title."
He added, "Even if we use the term 'Diploma Doctor,' our DMF degree will still be mentioned after our names. So, there should be no conflict with MBBS doctors. We hope that on 12 March, the government will allow us to use the appropriate title."
Speaking to TBS, public health expert and Chairman of the Bangladesh Health Rights Movement Dr Rashid-e-Mahbub, stated, "The only solution to this conflict is the rule of law – everyone should get what they are entitled to. Nowhere in the world are MATS graduates allowed to use the 'Doctor' title, so how can they do so in Bangladesh? Unless this turns into a case of mob justice, the law should prevail. However, the March 12 verdict alone won't resolve everything – the government must decide its course of action."
The Ministry of Health is also awaiting the High Court's ruling.
Prof Md Sayedur Rahman, special assistant at the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, said, "In remote areas, MATS graduates often work as doctors, even running their own establishments, causing conflicts with qualified doctors. The issue isn't just the 'Doctor' title – they are exceeding their limits by practicing medicine and performing surgeries. A clear boundary must be set."
He added, "The High Court case on the 'Doctor' title has been postponed 92 times, and MATS students demand the title 'Diploma Doctors,' but no such designation exists globally; being a doctor requires the highest qualifications."
