The medical sciences have progressed at a rapid pace. In the earlier days, there weren’t as many specialities as there are today. However, in today’s world, there are specialists and super-specialists in every field such as cardiology, ophthalmology, paediatrics, orthopaedics, neurology etc. Such specialists possess a great deal of knowledge and expertise in their respective fields.
The Indian Chest Society is one such association which comprises doctors who have a specialised field of pulmonology. The word ’pulmonology’ refers to anything pertaining to the chest. The specialists dealing in such pulmonary or lung disorders are known as pulmonologists. The ICS is an organisation of highly qualified and skilled physicians as well as physicians who are interested in the field of Respiratory medicine. It is a Pulmonary Association which is a registered not-for-profit society with the society of Registrars (Registration No. 192-1980, dated 18th July 1980). Their first General Body Meeting was held on 11th September 1981 at Hotel President, Mumbai, and the Constitution was adopted.
What Are The Objectives Of This Organisation?
- The organisation carries out various activities devoted to research, academic, educational and patient welfare activities in respiratory medicine.
- It serves as a common platform for doctors who hold expertise in the field of pulmonology dealing with various lung and respiratory disorders.
- It has various members who are PG (Post-Graduate) medical students, chest physicians, diploma holders in Respiratory medicine as well as MD and DM doctors who specialise in medicine and chest problems. With such a range of members, the Indian Chest Society is indeed a prestigious Pulmonologist Association. It is great learning as well as a networking platform for such medical stalwarts.
- It hosts various conferences, lectures, training workshops and symposiums for its members as well as doctors of the medical fraternity where the latest trends in the field of medicine such as new drugs, technology, equipment, surgical techniques etc. are discussed at a National, Zonal and International level.
- It has a major role to play in educating the masses regarding the various signs and symptoms of lung diseases such as asthma, bronchitis, tuberculosis, pneumonia etc.
- The world recently witnessed the Covid-19 pandemic which was primarily a lung disease. Institutes such as the ICS played a role of paramount importance in the diagnosis and treatment of affected patients. The doctors of this organisation have been a part of the vaccination teams as well.
- It carries out mass education programs through awareness campaigns and health check-ups which are conducted not only in cities but also at the rural level.
- Supporting the creation and nurture of appropriate technical manpower required to perform and assist in various Diagnostic and Therapeutic activities related to the field of Respiratory & Critical care medicine.
- Researching lung disorders and maintaining a disease registry.
- The general public is made aware of serious disorders such as Tuberculosis and its treatment such as DOTS therapy.
- With the rise in pollution levels, the incidence of lung disorders has been on the rise and organisations like these play a crucial role in the diagnosis and treatment of such myriad lung disorders.
- The veterans and eminent chest physicians are invited to speak about their experiences as well as case studies. This helps the younger and newly passed medical students learn from their knowledge and expertise.
- Collaborating with various national and international societies with the view of exchanging knowledge and gaining better insights on recent trends and techniques used in diagnosis and treatment.
Indian Chest Society Membership:
As stated previously, the membership provided by the ICS comes in two formats: Life membership and Associate membership. The eligibility criteria for each of these memberships have been listed below:
Life Membership:
- Life members can vote and stand for elections to the Governing Body
- A doctor who is an MD/DM in Respiratory Medicine, from any University.
- A doctor who is an MD in General Medicine, but is attached to any hospital as a Pulmonary Physician.
- Diploma holders in Respiratory Medicine or DNB in Respiratory Medicine.
- The membership fee is Rs 12,000 for a life membership.
Associate Membership:
- Associate members can neither vote nor stand for elections to the Governing Body.
- PG Students can become Associate members by submitting a certification from their Head of Department stating that they have been registered for an MD in Respiratory Medicine. Upon submission to the ICS, of their MD certificate, their membership will be converted to the Life Membership category.
- Any other physician holding an MD or diploma may also become an Associate Member of the Society.
- The membership fee for associate members is Rs 12000.
A prestigious Pulmonology organisation such as the Indian Chest Society plays a significant role in the field of medicine. It also tries to strike a balance between various governmental and non-governmental organisations with the view of betterment and upliftment of society. The main objective is to bring together doctors who are renowned in this field of pulmonology to facilitate education and research. It also aims at maintaining and regulating ethical medical practices in this field. To become a member of such an acclaimed Pulmonology Association is truly an honour.
