Christian Medical College, Vellore ( CMC)

The Christian Medical College is an unaided, non capitation, Christian minority, educational institution admitting students on merit on an all India basis. The Christian Medical College (CMC), Vellore, was established and is maintained by the Christian Medical College Vellore Association, a registered society, formed by over 50 different Indian Christian churches and Christian organisations which run over 225 hospitals, health centres and dispensaries throughout the length and breadth of this country, many of which are situated in remote rural areas. The purpose of the Christian Medical College therefore is to train dedicated persons to manage, run and provide health care in the spirit of Christ through the mission hospitals. Its objective is the establishment, maintenance and development of a Christian Medical College and hospital in India, where men and women shall receive an education of the highest grade in the art and science of medicine, nursing or one or other of the related professions, to equip them in the spirit of Christ, for service in the relief of suffering and in the promotion of health. The primary concern of the Christian Medical College, Vellore, is to develop through education and training, compassionate, professionally excellent, ethically sound individuals who will go out as servant-leaders of health teams and healing communities. Their service may be in promotive, preventive, curative, rehabilitative or palliative aspects of health care, in education or in research.The Christian Medical College, Vellore, occupies a unique place among medical institutions in India (and in the world) as a vital, diverse and inter-denominational community. The College has demonstrated that it is possible to be committed to quality primary care while encouraging the development of excellent tertiary health care services. This approach is possible in the context of a holistic understanding of health and healing. In the delivery of health care, CMC provides a culture of caring while pursuing its commitment to professional excellence. CMC is committed to innovation and the adoption of new, appropriate, cost-effective, caring technology.In the area of research, CMC strives to understand God’s purposes and designs, fostering a spirit of enquiry, commitment to truth and high ethical standards. Research may be aimed at gaining knowledge of the fundamental basis of health and disease, at improving interventions or in optimizing the use of resources. Along with the development of nursing and medical education, the institution has also recognised the need to train skilled personnel in the various Allied Health Sciences. These were initially started as inservice training programmes, and gradually upgraded to certificate, diploma and university degree courses. The first such programme was the compounder training programme initiated in 1903, which was subsequently upgraded as the Diploma in Pharmacy. The diploma courses in Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Medical Laboratory Technology and Bachelor of Medical Record Science (BMRSc) have also been upgraded to degree programmes. Currently, the institution runs about 18 degree and 24 diploma programmes and 2 fellowship courses in the Allied Health Sciences.