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Maharashtra State Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) is an association of resident doctors from all of the government, corporation medical colleges, and hospitals of Maharashtra, India. It was formed to address the problems faced by the resident doctors in all the government and municipal corporation run hospitals across the states. MARD strives to maintain unity among the resident doctors of Maharashtra by standing for each and every problem the resident doctors encounter.
Resident doctors are the ones who have completed their MBBS – Junior residents and who have completed their postgraduation – Senior Residents. The major workload and burden of any government run medical college and hospital is shared by resident doctors. Resident doctors work day in and out, sacrificing countless hours of sleep for the treatment, cure and help of common people and patients visiting at the hospital. Along with routine outpatient care (OPD), admitted patient care (IPD), academic activities, resident doctors have to study the subject thoroughly in order to provide quality care to the patients.
As a whole, the life of a resident doctor is pretty busy and lack of proper hostel and food facilities adds up to the physical and mental stress. Despite all these hurdles and obstacles, a resident doctor is cheerful and is ready to cater to patient care 24 7 at any point of time. But when the basic rights of a resident doctor are denied and facilities are not provided, a tired resident doctor seeks the help of MARD. Maharashtra State Association of Resident Doctors is an assembly and representation of resident doctors to represent their fraternity and provide timely and speeded solutions to their problems . All the MARD of each Govt medical college and hospital work in accordance with an elected representative body called as CENTRAL MARD. The current president of CENTRAL MARD is Dr Abhijit Rajesh Helge, [1] he is pursuing his MD Dermatology from Grant Govt Medical College and JJ Hospital, Mumbai . He has done his MBBS from All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bhopal.
CENTRAL MARD fights for the rights and problems of resident doctors in the state of Maharashtra. There were many instances in the state where MARD firmly stood with the resident doctors against departmental toxicity and dictatorial rules.
Recently, the resident doctors of Maharashtra had a reason to celebrate as the state government approved a stipend hike following an indefinite strike called by CENTRAL MARD. The stipend increase, effective from March 1, 2024, is a significant victory for the resident doctors, reflecting the government's acknowledgment of their invaluable services. The hike of ten thousand rupees in the stipend of Junior Residents and senior Residents throughout the state is the largest ever hike in history, kudos to the unity of resident doctors and the leadership at the state level. CENTRAL MARD Advocates for Mental Health and Organizes Historic Resident Doctors’ Conference
The Central Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (CENTRAL MARD) has been proactive in addressing the pressing issue of mental health and wellbeing among resident doctors, raising the topic at multiple institutional and governmental levels. Recognizing the increasing mental strain faced by resident doctors due to long working hours, emotional burnout, and workplace pressures, CENTRAL MARD has initiated structured discussions and programs to address these concerns.
A significant milestone in this direction was the organization of the 3M Program—MARD, MENTAL HEALTH, and MUHS—for the very first time at the Maharashtra University of Health Sciences (MUHS), Nashik. This program aimed to promote dialogue, raise awareness, and offer sustainable solutions to improve the psychological welfare of resident doctors across Maharashtra.
Adding to this momentum, CENTRAL MARD also successfully hosted the first-ever and largest state-level conference of Resident Doctors in Maharashtra—MUHS MARDCON. This landmark event brought together stakeholders from across the medical and academic community and was held under the visionary leadership of Dr. Abhijit Helge and Dr. Sarbik De.
The conference saw participation from distinguished speakers and experts from all over India. It was inaugurated by top dignitaries, including the Hon'ble Chairman of the National Medical Commission (NMC), the Vice President of the Diplomate of National Board (DNB), the Vice Chancellor of MUHS, the Controller of Examinations (COE) of MUHS, the Registrar of MUHS, and the Dean of JJ Hospital, among others. The event served as a vibrant platform for discussing medical education reforms, resident doctor rights, wellbeing strategies, and interdisciplinary collaborations.
This pioneering conference not only highlighted CENTRAL MARD’s growing influence but also underscored the importance of mental health in medical training—a long-overdue conversation finally gaining the attention it deserves.