WARENESS Of MEDICO LEGAL KNOWLEDGE AND HANDLING MLCs AMONG INTERNS AND POSTGRADUATES : A CROSS SECTIONAL STUDY.

Background: Medical Legal Cases (MLCs) are critical in medical practice, requiring healthcare professionals to have a solid understanding of legal responsibilities and protocols. Despite the importance of MLC knowledge, the level of awareness among medical interns and postgraduates remains unclear. Objective: This study aims to assess the awareness and understanding of MLC-related knowledge among medical interns and postgraduate students. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 140 young medical practitioners Methods: (117 Interns and 23 postgraduates) from Konaseema Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Foundation, Amalapuram, Andhra Pradesh using a structured questionnaire. The questionnaire covered key areas such as the legal denition of MLCs, Legal implications of medical practice, Informed Consent, Documentation procedures, MLC topics covered in their Curriculum and awareness of medico-legal responsibilities such as Condentiality etc. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and results were presented through pie charts to depict the distribution of responses. The ndings revea Results: l that large proportion of interns and PGs exhibited signicant knowledge in specic areas such as Informed Consent, documentation and legal responsibilities. Yet many of the interns and pgs were not condent enough while dealing Medico-legal cases. Majority of them suggested to increase the MLC knowledge in their curriculum. The study underscores the need for Conclusion: enhanced education and training on MLCs within medical curriculam. Incorporating structured medico-legal modules and regular workshops can bridge knowledge gaps, ensuring that future healthcare professionals are well-equipped to manage MLCs effectively.