The Thirumala Devaswom Medical College (TDMC), which is popularly known as the T D Medical College, is considered as one of the premier medical institutions in the state of Kerala. Located in the district of Alappuzha, the college started its journey in the year 1963 as a self financing institution, under the patronage of the T D Temple at Anantha Narayana Puram of Alappuzha. It was later taken over by the State Government of Kerala in 1972. This is the fourth Medical College in the state and is using the District Hospital Alappuzha as Medical College Hospital for the clinical training of its students. The college is also the first medical college in Kerala that started under private management.
In the initial periods of its journey, the T D Medical College (TDMC), Alappuzha was managed by the Kerala Cultural & Educational Society. Later, the college was brought under a trust called "T D Medical College Trust" and the T D Medical College Administrative Council was performing the day to day administration of the college. The first batch of 50 students got admitted in the MBBS Course of this college in August, 1963. After a few years of successful operation, the college became satisfied the State Government of Kerala to take it over. The Government took over the management of the college on 17th October 1967, initially for a period of five years, under an agreement executed between the T D Medical College Trust and the Government. The college was totally taken over by the State Government of Kerala from 17th October 1972. With this, it became the 4th Government Medical College in the state.
The T D Medical College (TDMC), Alappuzha offers several courses in different specialities of medical science to the students of Kerala at both the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. The main course offered by the college is the undergraduate course of MBBS, in which the college admits a total of 100 students every year. The Indian Medical Council (IMC) has recognised the college for the MBBS course. The college also offers the postgraduate courses like MD in General Gynaecology, Pathology, Dermatology, Venereology, Internal Medicine, Anaesthesiology, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Paediatrics, Dermatology & Venerology, and Pathology. The other postgraduate course offered by the TDMC, Alappuzha is MS in General Surgery, DCH, DA, and DGO. Apart from the MBBS and postgraduate degree courses, the college offers Diploma courses, as well. The Diploma courses include D.Pharm (Diploma in Pharmacy), DMLT (Diploma in Medical Laboratory Technology), DOA (Diploma Ophthalmic Assistant), DRT (Diploma in Radiological Techniques), and Diploma in Nursing and Midwifery.
The T D Medical College (TDMC), Alappuzha follows certain rules and regulations for admitting students in different courses. The college management selects students for the MBBS degree course by merit on the basis of the Entrance examination conducted by the Kerala State Board of Entrance examinations. 25% seats of the course are filled on the basis of All India Entrance Examination. However there are 50% of seats that remain under reserved quota and another 10% of seats are reserved for the Scheduled Castes and Tribes, as described in the Constitution of India. The remaining 40% of the seats are allotted to the Other Backward Class (OBC) on merit basis.
According to the rules and regulations of the T D Medical College (TDMC), Alappuzha, the students desirous to get admitted in the postgraduate courses in this college, are required to fulfill certain criterions. The college selects students for admission in the postgraduate courses on the basis of entrance examination as described for the graduate courses. There is reservation of some seats for the Lecturers working in concerned specialties and also for the Doctors working under the Directorate of Health Services. The students are admitted in the Para medical Diploma courses in this college through the Directorate of Medical Education based on merit.
Several departments of the T D Medical College (TDMC), Alappuzha are helping the management in a great way to provide quality medical education to the students. Some of the major departments of the college include the department of Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry, Pharmacology, Pathology, Microbiology, Forensic Medicine, Community Medicine, Pharmacy, and Physical Education. There is also an associated hospital situated adjacent to the medical college and the hospital has the departments like Internal Medicine, Cardiology, Neurology, TB & Chest Diseases, Gastroenterology, Nephrology, General Surgery, Urology, Neurosurgery, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Paediatrics, Paediatric Surgery, Neonatology, Orthopaedics, E.N.T., Ophthalmology, and Anaesthesiology.
