Vijay Garg
Changing healthcare needs holistic approach in education Even as India stands tall as a significant contributor to the global healthcare workforce, there is a growing demand for skilled, competent healthcare professionals in the country. However, the medical education system grapples with several challenges especially related to quality and efficiency, limiting its ability to produce a workforce equipped to meet the changing healthcare needs.
A parliamentary standing committee report on the quality of medical education highlights the urgent need for a comprehensive transformation. The report identifies critical areas that require immediate attention. These include the uneven distribution of medical colleges across the country which hinders access to many students, the shortage of UG and PG seats. However, transforming medical education requires an approach that goes beyond just increasing the number of medical colleges and seats. There is a need to focus on quality, which will ensure that healthcare professionals get critical thinking skills and practical competencies that are the foundation of modern healthcare sector.
Competency-based education
The formation of the National Medical Commission (NMC) and the introduction of common entrance and exit exams are steps towards standardising medical education. However, the need of the hour is overhauling and modernising medical education through competency-based medical education (CBME). It focuses on real-world healthcare scenarios and the course and training is designed to equip students with necessary skills and competencies to effectively manage these. There is an emphasis on practical application over rote learning. The NMC has suggested guidelines with the CBME Regulations, 2023. However, we must go beyond just formulating guidelines if we are to successfully implement CBME in India. We need to invest in creating a strong base to build on, which includes robust infrastructure and continuous evaluation to ensure effectiveness. We must also strengthen faculty development through providing a supportive environment to create a pool of educators trained in CBME pedagogy. A collaborative approach involving government, regulatory bodies, and medical institutions is crucial for navigating the challenges of implementing CBME.
Equitable access to education
The concentration of medical colleges in urban areas creates a significant healthcare gap in rural India. The government’s initiative to establish medical colleges attached to district hospitals is a positive step, but we must ensure these institutions receive adequate resources and have experienced faculty to deliver quality education, a formidable challenge.
A revolutionary step would be incentivising medical professionals to serve in rural areas.
While this could be in the form of financial support and career advancement opportunities, improvement in the living and working conditions is essential. The doctors must have the right infrastructure to make a difference to the lives of their patients.
Future requirements
India needs a forward-looking strategy for specialist training that aligns with the country’s disease burden and projected healthcare needs. Statistics indicate a shortfall of more than 80% of the required surgeons and paediatricians in the 6,064 community health centres across the country as of last year. Shortfall of super specialist doctors like surgeons, paediatricians, obstetricians-gynaecologists across government hospitals in various states.
However, instead of randomly increasing seats in specialisations, a data-driven approach must be followed to identify areas requiring more specialists along with projection of future demand.
This will require collaboration between hospitals (public and private sector), government agencies, and individual healthcare professionals to analyse epidemiological trends, population demographics, and technological advancements to predict future healthcare needs.
(The writer is Retired Principal and Educational columnist)
