National Medical Commission Research Articles

Inequality in Forensic Medicine in India: The Current Scenario and Way Forward.

Background Forensic Medicine (FM) is one of the core specialties of medicine in India, which serves as a bridge between medical science and India's justice delivery systems. Although FM experts play a crucial role in handling medicolegal cases, there is an increasing deficit of FM experts in India. This may be due to the inadequate postgraduate (PG) seats across the states and the low uptake of PG seats in FM. This study was conducted to explore the current status of PG seats along with the Forensic Medicine Toxicology (FMT)/FM index across Indian states. Methodology In this cross-sectional study, data on the number of PGs in FMT/FM and the institutes offering PG courses in FMT/FM were searched on the official website of the National Medical Commission. The data available on the website until November 2023were incorporated. The FMT/FM index was calculated at the national and state levels, and the states were graded based on the national FMT/FM index. Results The national FMT/FM PG trainee index was 0.054. Considering this as the reference value, grading of the FMT/FM PG trainee index was done as the highest (1.159 to 0.308), higher than the nation (0.054 but less than 0.308), lower than the nation (0.054 but higher than 0.00), and zero. Among all the states and union territories, Andaman & Nicobar, Arunachal Pradesh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Jammu & Kashmir, Lakshadweep, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, and Ladakh had zero FMT/FM PG index due to non-availability of any PG seats for FMT/FM. In total, 20 states had an FMT/FM PG index higher than India's FMT/FM PG index headed by Pondicherry (1.159), followed by Chandigarh (0.429) and Goa (0.308). Conclusions PG seats were highly deficient in several states, which is more likely to affect justice delivery in the future across these states. This study has a few limitations, as we did not explore the actual intake of these PG seats across different states. We anticipate a lower intake of PG seats due to factors such as low demand, fewer job opportunities, and monetary gain. However, this needs further exploration in future studies.

Community as a classroom: Perception of an Indian medical graduate on family adoption program

BackgroundThe Family Adoption Program is recommended by the National Medical Commission (Undergraduate Medical Education Board) of India under Competency-Based Medical Education under the MBBS curriculum. It begins from their 1st Professional Year and continues till their 3rd Professional Year as a part of the curriculum of Community Medicine. The program aims to provide experimental learning opportunity to Indian Medical Graduate towards community-based health care and the program is expected to improve the communication skills of the students which helps in their professional growth, learning to be humane and empathize with the family they adopted. ObjectiveTo know the perception of an Indian Medical Graduate on the Family Adoption Program. MethodologyA Google form was shared among the students to fill upon consent. All the students who have adopted at least one family during their professional course were included. ResultsMore than 97 % of the students have explained the purpose of the visit to the family. Nearly 90 % of the families were co-operative. One of the students quoted the reason for noncooperation as “according to the locals, after collection of information by the students, no action was taken by the concerned authorities to curb the health issues of the families such as free medication or consultation” while other student said, “Language barrier and trust”. More than 25 % of the students stated that one of the primary reasons as an obstacle to collect complete data was families lack of interest. The majority feel empathetic towards the family.

Early evidence of implementation of District Residency Programme: experiences and challenges of residents in Rajasthan, India

BackgroundDistrict Residency Programme (DRP) was introduced by National Medical Commission as mandatory three-months training program for postgraduate residents. The program was for the first time implemented in April 2023 in Rajasthan. However, it ran into several teething problems, especially for residents. With a lack of any precedence, this study was planned to explore experiences and challenges of residents posted in DRP.MethodsCross-sectional study was conducted at 12 DRP sites attached to SMS Medical College, Jaipur between August-October 2023. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect information from residents who had completed DRP. Questions were scored on a five-point Likert scale. Mann-Whitney U test and Kruskal-Wallis H test was used to show association.ResultsOnly around 17% residents felt that the learning objectives of DRP were fulfilled and nearly 60% residents felt isolated from academic activities and parent department. Over half of the residents were never posted with their concerned specialty services. Around four-fifth residents felt concerned about safety at least sometimes and more than three-fourth residents were dissatisfied with basic amenities. Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests showed significant association of gender and specialisation strata with multiple outcome variables.ConclusionThe study finds high degree of dissatisfaction among residents towards learning objectives, academic learning, and basic amenities during DRP. There was also a clear lack of specialty-exposure and high concerns of safety, especially for female residents. The study findings should alarm and inform policymakers and administrators to improve DRP implementation so as to better achieve laid objectives.

Competency Based Medical Education (CBME) in India: Clinicians' Multifaceted Challenges.

In the recent past, in order to achieve our national goal of 'health for all', National Medical Commission and Government of India made competency based medical education (CBME) mandatory in all Indian medical colleges. By undergoing CBME, the Indian Medical Graduate is expected to achieve the five roles of Clinician, Communicator, Leader and Member of the health care, Professional and Lifelong learner. This article is an overview of CBME, its relevant terminologies and knowledge-gaps. The purpose is to share these changes in medical education with practicing Otolaryngologists of India. It also discusses the various challenges regarding this already- suggested implementation process for clinical academicians, which could be counterproductive to the expected national aim and goal.

Perspectives of medical faculty regarding implementation of Competency-Based Medical Education (CBME) in Uttarakhand, India

: Competency Based Medical Education (CBME) introduced in 2019, by the National Medical Commission Erstwhile Medical Council of India, involves restructuring the medical training and planning of curriculum and assessment with a focus on developing competent Indian Medical Graduates.: To assess the perception of medical faculties towards the implementation of new Competency-Based Medical Education.: A cross-sectional study was conducted for 1 Month (July 2023). 42 Faculty Members were enrolled in the study after obtaining their informed consent. A pretested semi-structured questionnaire using Google Forms was used to assess the perception of faculty regarding CBME implementation. Data was entered using MS Excel. Statistical analysis was performed using Stata software (version 11.0, Stata, College Station, Texas). Out of 42 Faculty members,16 were Professors and 26 were Associate Professor. The majority (97.6%) of faculty members were trained in medical education training through various workshops. The majority (69%) of faculty members agreed that CBME is essential as per changing time scenario. Although 81% of faculty members were not happy with frequent changes in regulations as released by NMC after the implementation of CBME. The majority (76%) of faculty members also shared that CBME changed their way of Teaching. Faculty members also unanimously shared that faculty and infrastructure recommended by NMC are less and there is a need to revise recommended requirements for effective implementation of CBME. Faculty members unanimously agreed that Competency-Based Medical Education is very much-needed in India as per evolving and challenging healthcare needs across the globe. However, there is a need to revise (increase) recommended manpower, and infrastructure by NMC for the effective implementation of CBME.

Perceptions on Medical Professionalism Among Future Healthcare Professionals: A Mixed Method Study.

Background Accreditation councils across the world constantly examine policies and practices in professionalism in their medical curriculum. The National Medical Commission (NMC) in India has recognized the pressing need to reform and include professionalism in its undergraduate curriculum. Objectives The objective of this study was to explore the perspectives of medical and nursing students on professional behavior, suitable teaching-learning methods, and assessment strategies for curriculum integration. Methodology The study utilized a concurrent triangulation mixed method design, collecting both qualitative and quantitative data simultaneously to gain a comprehensive understanding of medical and nursing students' perceptions of professionalism. It included 83 final-year undergraduate medical students and 42 final-year undergraduate nursing students. The approval of the Institutional Review Board of Meenakshi Medical College Hospital & Research Institute was obtained. A semi-structured questionnaire consisting of demographic characteristicsand opinions regarding academic professional behavior, teaching-learning, and evaluation of professionalism was used. Perceptions regarding the meaning of professionalism, behavior of professionalism to be emphasized in teaching, and pressing challenges of professionalism were explored. Students were also asked to rank the best behavior associated with professionalism. Frequency and percentages were used for descriptive statistics. Means and standard deviations were calculated for continuous variables. An unpaired t-test was used to determine a statistically significant difference between the means in the two groups. The quantitative data was analyzed with R programming and content analysis was performed for the qualitative data using ATLAS.ti qualitative data analysis software. Results Unexplained/unauthorized absence from academic activities (2.39 ± 1.553), not following the timeline (2.41 ± 1.560), making fun of patients and peers (2.16 ± 1.619), cheating in the exams (2.37 ± 1.651), and inebriation (2.39 ± 1.666) were unacceptable behaviors by undergraduate medical students compared with nursing students. Clinical experience (1.54 ± 0.857) and role models (1.74 ± 0.935) were the highly acceptable methods of teaching professionalism and interprofessional interactions (1.58 ± 0.650) and awards (1.98 ± 1.100) were the most common suggestions to improve the course curriculum by both groups. Community/field activity (1.78 ± 0.860) and clinical examination (1.89 ±1.123) were the most preferred methods of evaluation of professionalism. According to the students, dedication, honesty, respect, and self-improvement were identified as the best behaviors associated with professionalism. Conclusions The study revealed that students had a wide range of perspectives about professionalism. Different unprofessional acts were acceptable to students. The causes of these perspectives need to be explored and resolved to promote professionalism. Students identified the need for strong positive role models and frequent clinical experiences, along with improved interprofessional interactions and awards to improve teaching and learning professionalism. Community/field activity was the preferred assessment method proposed by the students. Medical institutions must promote these components in curriculum, faculty development, and clinical settings to foster the development of professionalism among students.

Core Procedural Skills to be Taught for III-Year Undergraduate Medical Students: A Modified Delphi Study.

While medical students are expected to learn procedural skills during their training, there is no consensus on their level of learning. Further, the most essential procedural skills across medical curricula which need to be taught during their III-year clinical posting are often not considered. The purpose of this study was to identify the core procedural skills needed to be taught during the III-year undergraduate medical students clinical posting. A three-round, online Modified Delphi method was used to identify consensus on selecting the most essential procedural skills prescribed in National Medical Commission (NMC) curriculum 2019. In Round 1, a list of 54 procedural skills from the National Medical Commission's (NMC) Graduate Medical Education Regulations (GMER) 2019 curriculum was distributed to 22 experts in pre-clinical medical education and multidisciplinary clinicians.They rated the skills in terms of importance. In Round 2, the skills that received consensus in Round 1 were presented, resulting in 13 skills for evaluation. Round 3 further narrowed down the skills to a final consensus of 6. An interclass correlation coefficient of 0.767 among experts indicates a substantial level of reliability. Consensus was achieved for six procedural skills, each demonstrating over 80% agreement among the experts. These skills include basic life support, intravenous cannulation, urinary catheterization for both male and female patients, nasogastric tube insertion, oxygen administration, and basic suturing. Notably, all these skills received the highest level of agreement, surpassing 90% consensus. The results of the modified Delphi study offer crucial insights into the procedural skills that should be included in the curriculum for third-year undergraduate medical students during their clinical rotations in a tertiary care teaching hospital. Faculty members at these institutions differ in their opinions regarding the importance of teaching specific procedural skills, influenced by their teaching background and the student cohorts they instruct. From a comprehensive list, six skills have been pinpointed as the most vital through the modified Delphi technique. Moreover, the Delphi technique is acknowledged as a valuable method for achieving a consensus on prioritizing the training of certifiable skills.

IJCM_400A: Perception towards family adoption programme among MBBS students of a medical college - A cross sectional study

Background: National Medical Commission (NMC) in their recent notification included the Family Adoption Program (FAP) in the undergraduate medical curriculum to provide a learning opportunity towards community- based health care to Indian Medical Graduates. Notification documented that around 65.5 % of population resides in rural settings (as per 2020 statistics) whereas availability of health care facilities and services are skewed towards urban set ups. The student is expected to establish a rapport, understand their health and related factors, and help improve the healthcare of the family, by extensions, the community. FAP brings its challenges and opportunities. It is a very challenging task to implement programme by allotting families to each student and sustaining the follow up throughout the undergraduate period. Objective: 1. To assess the perception of students towards FAP. 2. To assess attitude of students towards FAP Methodology: Medical students who have completed their first year MBBS in RIMS, After obtaining informed oral consent, predesigned semi-structured questionnaire will be distributed to students who have completed their first year of MBBS Raichur will be included in the study. Students who are willing to participate in the study will be included in the study. Results: Will be presented in the conference. Conclusion: As this study aims to find the Perception of FAP for medical students, results of the study can be utilized to analyse the factors and take appropriate actions in the coming days.

IJCM_247A: Perception of Medical Students on Family Adoption Programme; A Study conducted in a Medical College of Odisha.

Background: Community engagement in medical education gives the students an insight into the living conditions of the public and how they influence their health. Community Medicine department accomplish this through field practice and family health studies. The Family Adoption Programme (FAP), newly mandated for all medical undergraduate students, brings its own set of challenges and opportunities. Family Adoption Programme aims to provide an experiential learning opportunity to Indian medical graduates towards community-based health care and thereby equity in health Objectives: 1. To study the perceptions of Phase I MBBS Students on Family Adoption Program. 2. To determine the output of FAP implementation in MBBS curriculum. Methodology: A Cross-sectional study was conducted between August to November 2023 including 1st year MBBS students of MKCG Medical College, Berhampur, Odisha. A brief orientation was conducted by Dept. of Community Medicine on needs and competencies of FAP as recommended by the National Medical Commission(NMC). Students were sensitized to the FAP proforma prepared by the department. Periodic FAP visits for students in 4 groups was planned & conducted along with their assigned mentors at the selected nearby village. During these visits, students interacted with the families and details regarding health profile of the family were documented. Students perception & feedback was taken by Questionnaire using Google Form. A total 250 students were enrolled in FAP and 172 submitted their feedback. Data was analyzed using appropriate statistical tests and software. Results: The study included 172 1st year MBBS students with age range of 18-26 years & mean age of 20.58± 1.315 years. Among them, 66.9% were males & 33.1% were females.66.9% of students responded that FAP was a very good experience.55.2% of study participants were satisfied with their adopted family. Most of the students were interested to be a part of such activity throughout the professional years. Conclusion: Implementation of FAP requires meticulous planning, intersectoral co-ordination, good sensitization and training activities

Establishing pathology museum in a new medical college: Processes and challenges

A good pathology museum is intended to strengthen the intellectual material for the undergraduate students and visits to a pathology museum are an indispensable part of teaching pathology to medical students. The preservation of anatomy of pathological specimen is of utmost importance as the new successful current methods of therapy are changing the picture of diseases beyond recognition. We aim to elaborate the processes, difficulties and challenges faced in developing and setting up the pathology museum in a nascent medical college in a rural area. The new museum was set up in accordance with the guidelines provided by the National Medical Commission in addition to the guidelines of the state university. Literature search and discussions with other medical colleges all over the country also played an important role in the setting up of the museum. Our effort is to present our experience as hands on experience for setting up a pathology museum from a scratch for the pathologists, students and the technicians and also to increase the awareness to utilize the museum for innovative and interactive learning sessions for students by usage of QR coded specimens, museum catalogues, interactive E-kiosks and maintaining of log books.

An Evaluation of Medical Students' Perceptions, Knowledge, and Attitudes About People With Disability After Attending the Learning Session on Disability Competency: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background and objective The Medical Council of India [now replaced by the National Medical Commission (NMC)] has implemented a new competency-based curriculum for medical education. Eight competencies in the curriculum are related to the principles of disability-inclusive compassionate care. This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge, perceptions, and attitudesamong undergraduate medical students about people withdisability after attending learning sessions on disability competency. Materials and methods After they attended the learning session during the foundation course, participants were evaluated by using a questionnaire involving 26 questions, of which 17 were based on the Likert scale to assess general perceptions towards the person with a disability, while three questions aimed to assess attitudes, and six closed-ended questions tried to assess knowledge about disability. Results In the present study, 79.7% (n=157) of the students thought that people with disabilities faced problems getting involved in society, and 81.2% (n=160) felt that it was harder for them to make friends than others. The majority of the students disagreed with the idea that people with disabilities are a burden on society (n=149, 75.6%) or their families (n=119, 60.4%); 65% (n=128) of the students thought that people with disabilities are more determined than others to reach their goals and achieve more owing to their disability (n=104, 52.85%). A total of 161 (81.7%) students disagreed with the statement that people with disabilities should not be optimistic about their future. A comparison of the pre- and post-test data revealed that students' knowledge regarding disability increased and they gained a more positive attitude towards people with a disability after attending teaching and learning sessions (p<0.0001). Conclusion Our findings showed a significant improvement in the undergraduate medical students' understanding and empathy toward individuals with disabilities followingsessions on disability competency. Teaching and learning sessions on disability competencies for newly admitted students in medical school can sensitize, orient, increase knowledge, and develop positive attitudes toward people with disabilities. Further studies on the topic are needed involvingdifferent phases of clinical teaching.

Credit hours and continuing medical education (CME) programmes.

Continuing medical education (CME) credits has been mandated by the National Medical Commission for registered medical practitioners in India as a part of continuing professional development and a minimum of 30 credits in 5 years is required for the renewal of the medical license. Undoubtedly, credit hours for CME attendance is an essential yardstick for professional and career growth, the modus operandi adopted to grant these credit hours needs a serious look. Targeted learning with adequate feedback either with a post CME examination or questionnaire should become the norm and every publication in high impact indexed journal deserve a higher credit point than the rest of the publications.

Exploring the correlation between attendance and academic performance in physiology among phase 1st MBBS students: A comprehensive study

: Regular attendance is a fundamental component of professionalism, especially in the context of medical schools. It involves consistently being present at a designated location and plays a crucial role in fostering the exploration of diverse skills deemed essential in the contemporary scientific landscape. Recent medical literature underscores a clear and mutually beneficial link between medical student attendance and academic achievement, particularly within the framework of the Competency-based curriculum introduced by the National Medical Commission (NMC). This curriculum prioritizes the development of necessary competence through mandatory clinical contact and skills. Despite the mandate imposed by medical universities, absenteeism remains a significant challenge in medical schools. University policies outline specific expectations, including reporting times, allowed break durations, and daily expected working hours, approved by the College Committee across all campuses. Emphasizing the importance of learning activities, the NMC requires attendance for all assessments, ranging from exams and Readiness Assurance Tests (RATs) to quizzes and Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs). The study was conducted in the Department of Physiology at GMC Baramulla and its associated hospitals. A total of 198 students from the 2019–20 batches of the first year MBBS, who participated in all internal assessments for both theory and practicals, were included in this study.: The retrospective observational study involved retrieving attendance and theory plus practical marks from all internal assessments conducted on 198 students of 2019–20 batches of first-year MBBS. Two groups were established on attendance: Group A &amp;#60; 75% theory and &amp;#60; 80% in practicals, and Group B &amp;#62; 75% in theory and &amp;#62; 80% in practicals, The mean marks were compared with their attendance. Karl Pearson correlation coefficient was utilized to assess the strength of the association between the two. Correlation studies were conducted based on gender and residence (hosteller vs. non-hosteller), revealing that female students and non-hostellers exhibited higher attendance and scores in both internal assessments and university examinations. Significantly higher marks in internal assessment and University examination were observed in students with high attendance percentage both in theory and practical’s.: There was a significant positive association between attendance and the performance of students in both theory and practical aspects of physiology among Phase 1st MBBS students.

Reflective writing by medical students on the newly implemented foundation course in MBBS curriculum: An in-depth analysis

Abstract Objective: An analysis of reflective writing by medical students on the newly implemented foundation course under the Competency-based Medical Education (CBME). Materials and Methods: A month-long foundation course was conducted for the newly enrolled Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery students by the National Medical Commission (NMC) guidelines. After the program, 150 anonymous reflections were collected from the students. These reflections were evaluated, and common themes were identified using the thematic analysis method. Results: Students were highly appreciative of sessions such as communication and ethics, basic life skills and first aid, vaccination, hand hygiene, biomedical waste disposal, skills labs, yoga and sports, and appreciated how this course helped them seamlessly transition from school to college life and helped ease their anxieties about this significant change in their lives. Campus tours and sessions facilitated by experienced and valued faculty members gave students great insight into the profession and helped familiarize them with the hospital setup. It also made the students more comfortable with the faculty members and better acquainted with each other. Introduction to topics new to them, such as community and family medicine, was greeted with great appreciation. Students also appreciated the free form of reflective writing and how it helped them express their experience in their own words, without restrictions. Students suggested that the duration of the course be shortened or perhaps it occurs simultaneous to their syllabus but also noted that this is a beautiful addition to the curriculum set by NMC. Language sessions are region-specific and need to be validated by other studies. Change is the only constant in our lives, and this change in the curriculum seems to be a positive step toward educating empathetic and wholesome medical professionals of the future generation. Conclusion: Introducing the foundation course under CBME is a revolutionary step toward enhancing our country’s medical education system. Student reflections on the course and its sessions serve as a mirror for us to enhance and refine our curriculum. The reflections analyzed showed a significantly positive response towards the course by the students. Future studies analyzing the impact of foundation courses on their medical school journey would yield exciting insights.

Programmatic Assessment of Foundation Course for Undergraduate Medical Student’s Immediately following the Course and One-year thereafter: A Post-test Quasiexperimental Study

Introduction: The National Medical Commission (NMC) introduced a one-month “Foundation Course (FC)” at the commencement of medical school to promote better adaptation to the new competence-based medical education curriculum starting from the academic year 2019. The effectiveness of the program was studied in previous researches conducted over one month, and it was found to be effective. However, the effectiveness with which students could implement the acquired basic knowledge and skills in subsequent years of study has not been reported. Aim: To explore the effectiveness of various modules and their competencies in the FC immediately at the end of the program and to assess the usefulness of the acquired competencies in subsequent academic years. Materials and Methods: A post-test quasi-experimental study was conducted at SRM Medical College Hospital and Research Institute, Kattangulathur, South India, within the education department over a period of three academic years. A total of 450 student participants from the academic years 2019 to 2022 were involved in two stages. A total of 36 competencies were evaluated across the six prescribed modules by the NMC. A five-point Likert scale was used for the evaluation. Feedback questionnaires were administered immediately at the end of the program and again at the completion of the academic year. Analysis was conducted using the non parametric “Wilcoxon signed-rank test” to determine the usefulness of the program in subsequent years by comparing immediate feedback with responses after one year. Results: The mean scores for various competencies ranged between 3.5 and 4.5 out of 5, indicating that the overall competencies in the FC were very effective. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test showed a p-value of &lt;0.0001, indicating high significance regarding the effectiveness of usage in subsequent years. Out of the 36 competencies, 16 were most frequently used by the students in the following year, 12 were moderately used, and 8 were least used. Conclusion: The evaluation of the NMC-mandated FC program, in terms of overall immediate performance and its effectiveness in subsequent years, yielded very promising results.

Evaluation of Effectiveness of an Online Selfdirected Learning Programme in Biochemistry for First Year Medical Undergraduate Students: A Quasi-experimental Study

Introduction: Self-directed Learning (SDL) has been suggested as a principle of adult learning to promote lifelong learning abilities among students. Though SDL is not a new concept, there is a lack of uniform implementation across the institutions in India. The Competency-based Medical Education (CBME) proposed by the National Medical Commission in 2019 has emphasised SDL for medical students. Aim: To evaluate the effectiveness of an online, case-based SDL activity in Biochemistry for the first-year MBBS students. Materials and Methods: This was a quasi-experimental study conducted at Father Muller Medical College, Mangaluru, Karnataka, India from May to July 2021. A purposive sampling technique was used, and 138 first-year MBBS students were enrolled for the research. The topic of lipid metabolism was chosen for SDL. Parallel to the online didactic lectures, a casebased, team-based, online SDL was implemented. Students were provided with case scenarios and were instructed to discuss the case scenarios and find answers to the accompanying questions in allotted groups for 15 days. A three-hour session was held for the presentation of the SDL, followed by a posttest and reflections of students. The data were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25.0. The significance of the difference in pretest and post-test scores was assessed by paired t-test, and the level of significance was set at a p-value &lt;0.05. Qualitative data were subjected to descriptive statistics, and thematic analysis of reflections was conducted. Results: The average post-test score of the participants was significantly higher by 99.3% compared to the pretest score (p-value &lt;0.001). On average, 108 out of 138 (78.2%) agreed (agree/strongly agree) that SDL helped them to achieve the learning objectives,115 (83.3%) agreed that SDL helped them to develop as lifelong learners, 115 (83.3%) agreed that SDL helped them to develop as a health professional, and 83 (60.1%) agreed that enjoyed learning in online mode. The inclination of 110 (79.7%) students to have more SDL sessions in the future shows a behavioural change in favour of SDL. Time constraints and internet connectivity were the main challenges. Conclusion: SDL was effective and was received positively by the majority of the students. It is the need of the hour to develop lifelong learning and critical thinking among medical students and to make learning interesting with the use of case scenarios. Future research should assess the intermediate and long-term outcomes of case-based SDL on learning, behavioural changes, and its impact on patient care and the health of society

A Cross-sectional Study on the Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Postgraduate Medical Training and Mental Health

Abstract Background: The regulations for Postgraduate Medical Education in 2021, established by the National Medical Commission, aim to produce skilled and efficient medical professionals. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has had detrimental effects on the academic aspects, clinical training, and mental health of postgraduates. Most of the studies have primarily focused on the impact of COVID-19 on clinical departments, while pre- and para-clinical departments have been largely ignored. Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the specific impact of COVID-19 on academics, clinical skills, and mental health among postgraduates. Methods: Between mid-August and mid-October 2022, face-to-face interviews were conducted with postgraduates from all three batches using a semi-structured questionnaire. The questionnaire included inquiries regarding the impact of COVID-19 on academic and clinical aspects. The mental health of postgraduates was assessed using the Fear of COVID-19 Scale. A total of 230 responses were collected, entered into MS Excel, and analyzed using SPSS software. Results: Out of approximately 1200 eligible postgraduates, only 230 (19%) participated in the study. Among the findings, 52.9% of postgraduates did not have any physical classes, while 59.6% expressed satisfaction with virtual classes. Virtual examinations had a negative impact on 61.3% of the postgraduates. Furthermore, a significant majority (88.8%) of postgraduates reported being unable to learn clinical procedures due to the absence of ward rounds. The mental health of the postgraduates, except for 96 individuals, was adversely affected. Conclusion: By this study, it can be concluded that COVID-19 has had a severe impact on the academics, clinical skills, and mental health of postgraduates.

Integration of simulation-based teaching in anaesthesiology curriculum.

Simulation refers to the replication of various elements of a real-world situation to achieve pre-specified objectives by enabling experiential learning. As the global burden of preventable medical errors remains high, simulation-based teaching may be used to standardise medical training and improve patient safety. With the same intent, the National Medical Commission has adopted simulation as part of the Competency Based Medical Education approach. Simulation-based training creates immersive and experiential learning, which keeps the new generation of learners actively involved in the learning process. Simulation is widely used to impart technical and non-technical skills for postgraduate trainees in anaesthesiology, but it is still not integrated as a structured part of the curriculum. This article aims to identify technical and non-technical skills that can be taught using simulation and suggests opportunities for using the existing infrastructure and resources to integrate simulation as part of the anaesthesiology training curriculum.

Family Adoption Program (FAP) by the National Medical Commission (NMC): A Strategic Initiative

Family Adoption Program (FAP) by the National Medical Commission (NMC): A Strategic Initiative

OSPE as an Assessment Tool for Medical Students

Background: Recently, in the year 2019, the National Medical Commission (NMC) made it mandatory to implement objectively structured practical examination (OSPE) for pre- and para-clinical subjects. The OSPE is an assessment tool used during practical examinations for undergraduate medical students studying in phase I and phase II. Objectives: To compare the performance of the students by using OPSE and conventional practical examination methods using the scores obtained and to explore the student’s perceptions and faculty perceptions of objectively structured practical examination as an assessment tool to be used during regular practical examinations. Materials and Methods: The present study included phase I MBBS students in batch 2023-24 ofthe National Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Jaipur. A total of 212 phase I MBBS students participated in the study after providing informed consent. Students were assessed using both conventional practical examination and objectively structured practical examination. Conventional practical examination was performed for abnormal urine analysis. In OSPE, we had kept five stations, two of which were observer type and three of which were responsive type time allotted was three minutes at each station. At the observer station psychomotor skills were assessed and in responsive station the cognitive skills were assessed. Each student had to attend 4 stations one observer station and 3 responsive stations. Both assessments were performed using a standardized checklist and the scores were subsequently marked. The scores were recorded out of 20 points. The mean scores obtained by the students were compared using Student’s t test and a p value &lt;0.05 was considered to indicate statistical significance. The student’s perceptions and faculty perceptions about both conventional practical examinations and OSPE were assessed using a validated questionnaire in the Google Form link sent to the students in the Watts app group. Results: The frequency of distribution of students as per the scores obtained out of twenty marks revealed that out of 212 students in CPE 67 (31.6%) students had scores less than 50% and 145 (68.39%) students had scores greater than 50%. In OSPE method 29 (13.67%) Students had scored less than 50% and 183 (86.3%) students had scores greater than 50%. The mean scores for CPE were10.655 ± 3.477 and those for OSPE were 12.091 ± 2.55, the mean scores obtained by students were significantly greater for OSPE than for CPE (p&lt;0.001). The vast majority of the students enjoyed OSPE because of the lack of teacher bias, nonpartiality, uniformity, decreased time consumption and student-centred and student friendly nature. The majority of the faculty felt that OSPE was not time consuming, eliminated observer bias, and should be implemented on a regular basis during all types of assessments and that they should better assess practical skills; moreover, the majority of the faculty agreed that OPSE is a good learning method for students. Conclusion: The present study showed that, compared with those on the CPE, the majority of the students on the OPSE had a greater than 50%, and there were significant differences in the mean scores obtained on the OSPE compared with those obtained on the conventional practical examination. The OSPE is a better tool for assessing students during practical examinations; it should be used regularly in all types of assessments. and it can also be used for learning purposes. Student and faculty perceptions of OSPE as a better assessment tool and learning tool were highly positive.