Dr. Somervell Memorial CSI Medical College

Region: Kerala Country: India

Dr. Somervell Memorial CSI Medical College (SMC, Dr SM CSI MCH, SMCSI) established in 2002, attached to the Dr. Somervell Memorial Mission Hospital is at Karakonam, a village, in the southern border of the Thiruvananthapuram District of the State of Kerala.

The Hospital, the Medical College and all other institutions attached are run by the South Kerala Diocese of the Church of South India (SIUC) and managed by the South Kerala Medical Mission. The South Kerala Medical Mission is a Charitable Society registered under the Travancore Cochin Literary.

Vision:
Be a Mission Hospital Upholding the Christian values with total commitment to our patients and the community; helping them to help themselves, to lead a socially and economically productive life. We are committed to the achievement and maintenance of excellence in education, research and health care for the benefit of humanity.

Mission:
To participate in the creation of healthier lives within the community. To provide health care services in a fiscally responsible manner which will contribute to the physical, psychological, social and spiritual well being of the patients and community which it serves.

History:
GNM course was started in 1999.At about the same time; news from political circles gave an indication that the Kerala Government would be making changes in the policy regarding Medical Colleges in private sector .The Government of India wanted to develop more medical colleges in the country in order to reduce the doctor patient ratio; for which they had to make changes in the policy which would be more conducive for private stake holders. It was like a green signal from above; from that day Bishop Gladstone, Dr.Bennet Abraham, Dr.Devansean, Mr.D Lawrence and other office bearers of SKD started collecting guidelines for a new Medical College.

We hoped; that with a Medical college we would be able to provide doctors for our mission hospitals and in this way prevent the demise of our mission hospitals.To love is to risk not being loved in return. To hope is to risk pain. To try is to risk failure, but risk must be taken because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing With prayers and determination; they took steps in faith; step by step; trusting our Lord completely

In 1999 Medical Council of India decided to reduce the area required for starting a Medical College from 150 to 25 acres; andour campus was only 4 acres and 86 cents .But it was not an easy walk through; it was like God was testing us at every point; God was preparing us for bigger task. But we serve a greater God and Nothing is impossible for our God; Sri.D Lawrence the then secretary of South Medical Mission worked tirelessly and played a significant role in accumulating the land as per MCI requirements.

In the meantime the hospital was growing by leaps and bounds- in terms of Infrastructure, trained and qualified staff, bed strength and specialists in various fields so that we attained the minimum requirements to apply for a Medical college.

The next big barrier that stood before us was FINANCES, crores of rupees were required to make this dream come to reality. We were not ready to give in; we believed that our God would take us through this one too.

It was decided to obtain a loan from the scheduled banks. On 23rd August 2001 we received the Essentiality Certificate of Government of Kerala .Consent of affiliation of Kerala University was issued on 27.09.2001. With all these documents we submitted the application for Medical College on 28th August 2001 to the Government of India. The application was accepted by the MCI .There was rejoicing back in karakonam; we were one step closer to our dream, our mission.