In the field of medicine, Pulmonary Medicine, which is also called as Pneumology is a specialty that deals with diseases of the respiratory organs and diseases in the respiratory tract. In some country, this specialty of medicine is called as respiratory or chest medicine. This specialty of medicine is closely related to the intensive care medicine or critical care medicine when offering treatment to patients with need for mechanical ventilation.

DM in Pulmonary Medicine & Critical Care Medicine is a three-year super-specialty course, which is offered by the following government college in India:

• Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh

Eligibility for seeking admission:

To seek admission to the DM in Pulmonary Medicine & Critical Care Medicine offered by Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, candidates must have completed their MD in pediatrics or medicine

Admission Procedure:

Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education & Research normally publishes advertisement inviting applications from eligible candidates to apply for the DM course. The advertisement is done through countrywide leading newspapers during the months of October/September and April/March for admission of students to the January and July sessions respectively. Selection of candidates is made based on suitably designed MCQ type theory papers, which will be conducted for one and half hour duration. There will be negative marking for wrong answers and this examination is normally held in the month of December for January admission and in the month of June for the July session.

What does DM in Pulmonary Medicine & Critical Care Medicine deal with?

Candidates, who have completed their DM in Pulmonary Medicine & Critical Care Medicine treat patients with different types of respiratory and pulmonary diseases, which includes occupational lung diseases, lung cancer, sleep-related breathing disorder, respiratory failure and restrictive lung diseases. These professionals when appointed to a hospital, offers the best care to patients, who underwent lung volume reduction surgery or lung transplantation and care to patients, who are going to get these surgeries done.

How to these specialists diagnose the diseases pertaining to lungs?

Candidates who have completed their DM in Pulmonary Medicine & Critical Care Medicine begin the process of diagnosis with a general review of the patient paying attention to:

• Exposure of the patients to infectious agents like malt processing, certain types of birds

• Exposure of patients to toxins like coal mining fumes, exhaust fumes, asbestos and tobacco smoke

• Hereditary diseases affecting the lungs like alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency, cystic fibrosis

There is always a need for these professionals to critical care hospitals and multi-specialty hospitals.