Chengalpattu Medical College in Chengalpattu, Tamil Nadu, India, has existed since before 1965 when it served as a District headquarters hospital. Following the upgrade of this hospital in 1965 into an institution for clinical training by the Government of Tamil Nadu, this hospital was furnished with 250 beds. But this did not come but as the institution is named Chengalpattu and it was built on properties gifted by Vedachalam Mudaliar, the then chair of Chengalpattu municipality. So this hospital has existed for over 50 years and Madhya Nadu as one of six similar institutions of that time and it started off quite simple, offering a single operator on MBBS Basic course. Women were first admitted in 1970, and the first group of MBBS batches saw students graduating successfully in 1972. At this point it has developed into a full-fledged medical education and health-care institution.

Facilities and Infrastructure

Chengalpattu Medical College sits on a large area of 240 acres at Highgrounds in Chengalpattu. The construction of the campus consists of neatly built structures, boys and girls’ hostels, and a substantial medical library stocked with books, journals, and other medical reference resources. The college has a 750 spectator capacity auditorium, the examination hall has adequate facilities including the latest CCTV system, and even the lecture rooms were updated including the install impressive audiovisual features.

Affiliated with the college is a hospital that has been developed into a level three teaching hospital with departments of neurology, cardiology, nephrology, pediatric surgery, plastic surgery, urology and neurosurgery. Attending average of 3000-3500 patients each day and an average bed strength of 600-700 with average bed occupancy of 90-110 percent per month.

Programs Offered

Chengalpattu Medical College has the authority to provide educational programs at the diploma, degree and post graduate level. Among them, for undergraduate programs mentorship has been provided to 100 students each year in the MBBS course. In the postgraduate continues students throughout the year in general medicine, general surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, anaesthesia, dermatology, pathology, physiology, pharmacology, microbiology, plastic surgery or psychiatry specialties and sub-specialties postgraduate programs are in nearly 100 students.

Further, this college provides some of the paramedical courses that include B.Sc. in Nursing, Diploma in Nursing, B.Sc. in Radiology, DMLT (Diploma in Medical Laboratory Technology), along with other certificate courses.

Research and Achievements

The college has in place a very active and fully functional multidisciplinary research center that works with such bodies like Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and World Health Organization (WHO). This center undertakes many research activities by both the faculty and their students. The library includes e-resources of e-journals and infrastructure and other online material which improves the research performance of the students and the staff.

Notable Departments and Services

The Anatomy Block of the institution contains Departments of Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry and Pharmacology; the Examination Block contains the Departments of Pathology, Microbiology, Forensic Medicine and Community Medicine. On the clinical facilities side, there is an old and a new OP blocks and a new conceptualized construct that has surgical and medicine Wards for patients. Others include more focus on Orthopaedics, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, ophthalmology, Cardiology, psychiatry, trauma, pediatrics, thoracic medicine and a two-storey newly built Neonatology block specifically for neonatal care.

#### Community and Outreach

The college is the only governmental tertiary health care center in the Chengalpattu District thus acts as a referral unit for a couple of secondary care centers and the Primary Health Centers (PHCs) in the region. The college bonafides targeting several aspects include enhancing healthcare services in the rural area, education for emergency and immediate medical care professionals, and equitable distribution of medical services.

#### Conclusion

Chengalpattu Medical College is well known in Tamil Nadu as the institution possesses all the essential features, various degrees programs, and a focus on practical trainings and medical science combined with the outreach. The institution has shown marked improvements in the field of medical education and healthcare and has continued to live by its guiding principle of Discipline, Service and Sacrifice."