Training of medical teachers in India: Need for change (original) (raw)
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Faculty development in medical education in India: the need of the day
Journal of the Medical Sciences, 2009
Medical education in India is challenged with the shortage of teachers. The teachers are not adequately prepared to handle tasks in response to the emergent needs. This paper highlights the need for strengthening faculty development as a vehicle for capacity building in medical education. The initiatives taken by several institutions and agencies during the last four decades have been briefly described. Recommendations have been made to overcome the deficiencies. Our recommendations include: the need for formulating a national policy on health professional education; change in the emphasis from inspection by regulatory bodies to quality assurance and accreditation; providing support for Medical Education Units / Centres in terms of finance and staffing; incentives and recognition for contribution to faculty development; incorporation of teaching skills in postgraduate training; and enlarging the scope of faculty development to health professional education. What is faculty developme...
Development of medical teacher: A prospective for challenges in India
In India, medical education is challenged with the shortage of teachers. The teachers are not adequately prepared to handle tasks in response to the emergent needs. In spite of more than five decades of research on the educational process and the accumulation of significant understanding of the nature of learning, curriculum design, and evaluation, there has been surprisingly little opportunity for interested faculty members in medical college to obtain teaching experience other than by self-education, often by trial-and-error technique.[1] Studies addressing medical education have rarely used qualitative educational methods to contribute knowledge about the phenomenon under investigation. There are two possible reasons for this. First, in the past, the qualitative works were rejected due to the lack of objective evidence, considered to be “unscientific” and “anecdotal”[1] Second, medical educators have failed to communicate the methods, canons, and utilization of qualitative inquiry approaches to professional colleagues or undergraduate medical students.[1-3] It seems that the latter point is most pertinent here. In India, there are few studies which are grounded in qualitative methods, and doctors tend to scrutinize quantitative research designs in order to glean empirical data, which is rooted in objective reality.[2,3] We wished to acquire knowledge about several aspects of education in general and their specific application to medical education.
Faculty development programs for medical teachers in India
Journal of advances in medical education & professionalism, 2016
India has the highest number of medical colleges in the world and subsequently the higher number of medical teachers. There is a dire need of adopting a systematic approach to faculty development to enhance quality education to meet health challenges for 21st Century. This manuscript provides a landscape of faculty development programs in India, identifying gaps and opportunities for reforms in faculty development. Conventionally, FDPs are organized by medical colleges and universities through Basic Courses and Advanced Courses focusing on pedagogy. Medical Council of India is facilitating FDPs through 18 selected regional centers to enable medical teachers to avail modern education technology for teaching from July 2009. Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education and Research has three Regional Institutes in India. Recommendations include the need for formulating a national strategy for faculty development to not only enhance the quantity of medical teachers but ...
Faculty development and medical education units in India: a survey
The National medical journal of India
Faculty development in medical education is gaining momentum in India. While planning a National Conference on Medical Education (NCME 2007), we did a survey of principals and faculty of medical colleges to understand the status of faculty development programmes and medical education units in medical colleges in India. Questionnaires were sent to principals of medical colleges by surface mail and to faculty through a web-based programme to elicit information on various aspects of faculty development programmes and medical education units. The responses of both groups were analysed. The number of medical education units has increased rapidly after regulations have been revised in 1997 by the Medical Council of India. The main activities of medical education units were to conduct workshops targeted at medical teachers. The frequently covered topics were teaching-learning, media and student assessment. Lectures dominated the methodology of imparting information. Evaluation was done mai...
From reorientation of medical education to development of medical educators
2009
Re-orientation of medical education in India has not been fully successful because the development of medical teacher, a critical component has not been adequately addressed. Faculty development is a key factor. We have identified six shifting trends in faculty development that can contribute to the development of a medical educator in India. These include a shift from: One time training to continuing professional development; information based approach to project based approach; training to scholarship; lack of accountability to accountability and recognition; individual efforts to networking; and role of treatment providers to health promoters. We have discussed how these shifts are in tune with the global trends. We recommend that the initiatives taken in India in the recent past, viz., constitution of a Task Force by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, establishment of several medical education centers should be harnessed by forming a national working group. Such a group ...
Problems and Challenges in Medical Education in India
European Journal of Contemporary Education, 2015
As India marches towards an exciting new future of growth and progress, medical education will play pivotal role in crafting a sustained development agenda. The idea of creating a healthy society is no longer a debatable luxury; its significance has been grasped by policy shapers worldwide. In a developing nation like India, medical services play a very important role in the well-being of their citizens and indirectly play a very important part in the economic and overall development of the nation. The medical education system is suffering from misdistribution, traditional curriculum, poor assessment, neglected research and lack of faculty development programmes. „Vision 2015‟ has potential for creating substantial change in Indian medical education. A stronger strategic approach will ensure a solid foundation for the improvement in the health status of India. Conventional-theoretical and experimental teaching blended with a system of teaching which is innovative, aiming to develop ...
Acute shortage of teachers in medical colleges: existing problems and possible solutions
The National medical journal of India
In 1965, there were 86 medical colleges in India. This number increased to 112 by 1980 (a rate of growth of 30%), to 143 in the next decade (a rate of growth of 28%), and since 1990 over the past 17 years to 260, an increase of 82% compared with the figure in 1990. Of the 260 medical colleges recognized or permitted by the Medical Council of India (MCI), as listed on the MCI website in December 2006, just over half (53%) were in the private sector and the rest in the public sector. With near doubling in the number of medical colleges over the past 15 years, it would be interesting to see whether the human resource in the form of medical college teachers has kept pace to fulfil the criteria of adequate staffing norms of the MCI. Gross shortage of teachers promotes unhealthy practices during inspections. The MCI is aware of these facts and has taken important measures to minimize, if not eliminate, these unhealthy practices. It has, however, not always been successful. Of the 260 medical colleges in existence, 181 are recognized by the MCI and 79 are MCI permitted; 26 of these 260 colleges admit 50 students per year, 146 admit 50-100 students per year and 88 admit >150 students per year. The total intake of medical students in these colleges is 29 072 (20 842 in MCI recognized institutions and 8230 in MCI permitted institutions). The annual student intake is a critical factor in assessing the requirement for teachers for various subjects.
Medical education in India: moments of pensive introspection
Tropical gastroenterology : official journal of the Digestive Diseases Foundation
India has 262 medical colleges, producing over 29,000 doctors a year. Nearly half of these medical colleges have recently risen in the private sector. As a result, there is an acute shortage of medical teachers. Teaching in medical colleges was once considered immensely important. It is, however, no longer an attractive career option for a young doctor now. With private practice permitted in most colleges, teaching remains low on the priority scale for most doctors. There is quite naturally a visible effect on the quality of doctors being produced if you may, and on the young doctor's approach to this profession. It is perhaps time for us to decide then if we are indeed moving towards the light.
International Journal Of Community Medicine And Public Health
India has rolled out competency based medical education which means a thorough overhaul of pedagogical and assessment methods. Several new components are introduced which require focussed faculty training and handholding at times. The erstwhile medical council of India had prepared a meticulous roadmap for this and dedicated faculty development programs were initiated for the smooth and effective transition into CBME. The possible challenges and gaps in faculty development are discussed with available options in this paper. To discharge their duties efficiently, the competencies for the faculty also need to be defined and they should progress from ‘knows’ level to ‘does’ level through longitudinal faculty development programs. The fidelity testing is the key for transfer of learning during FDP for the benefit of the students.