Call to set up medical education commission

Updated on: Thursday, August 19, 2010

M.S. Valiathan, medical educationist, has urged the Union government to take steps to constitute a National Medical Education Commission, empowered to address all issues relating to medical education in the country, in the wake of the dissolution of the Medical Council of India (MCI).

Taking part in the Erudite Lecture series at Mahatma Gandhi University here on Wednesday, Prof. Valiathan called for a total revamp of the present medical education system, which has not undergone any major changes since the inception of the MCI in 1934. He said students who enter the undergraduate level in medical education lack not only a liberal intellectual base, but fail to appreciate the social and human values and even compassion towards patients. The system tends to make them uncomfortable with society and confine themselves to the company of medical professionals.

To be a successful and effective medical professional, one needs a proper blending of qualities, including the right attitude, social skills and general awareness, which the regulatory bodies had not instilled.

Taking a critical view of the postgraduate medical education programme in the country, Prof Valiathan pointed out Indian PG degrees were not accepted abroad, and students who successfully complete the programme have abysmally low skill sets and expertise in their areas of specialization. This was a direct fallout of the poor quality of training, facilities and opportunities, he said.

Though the medical colleges bring out a large number of research papers, the country has not been able to come up with any significant

contribution to modern medicine, in spite of the fact that we have been practising it for the past two centuries. The existing system of medical education does not promote innovation and original thinking, he said.

Prof. Valiathan called for introduction of integrated MS or MD programme leading to Ph.D, with at least 20 per cent of the curriculum left at the discretion of the universities concerned, to address their locally specific needs. He called for an initiative that would motivate the faculty members of the medical colleges to undergo Ph.D. programme in a phased manner, so that in a span of a decade, India's presence was felt in the global modern medical education sector.

Vice-chancellor of Mahatma Gandhi University Rajan Gurukkal presided.

Call to set up medical education commission

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