Kerala: Medicos to discuss the New MBBS Curriculum

Kozhikode: The revised MBBS curriculum has drawn a lot of attention of the medical fraternity since, via this program, the MBBS students will not only be trained in medical subjects, but also in communication skills. This curriculum is specifically drafted to encourage the MBBS students' focus towards building the vital doctor-patient relationship.

Thus, to hold discussions on campuses to illuminate the updated MBBS curriculum's elements, the Kerala chapter of the United Resident Doctors Association (URDA), a national forum of resident doctors in medical colleges; is planning a workshop in Kottayam by this month's end.

The newly revised MBBS curriculum was recently approved by the Medical Council of India's (MCI) Board of Governors.

Read Also: MCI BOG approves new MBBS Syllabus

The new MBBS syllabus, which had been drafted by the erstwhile academic council is called the Competency Based Integrated Curriculum for UG Medical Education and aims to instil a practical based training approach to medical education, with students getting practical exposure from the very first year.

Via this New MBBS Curriculum, apart from their usual syllabus and training, the MBBS students will also be trained in communication skills. In addition, to familiarize medical students to the MBBS programme first, instead of them jumping into the medical subjects, a two-month foundation course proposed by the medical council has also been added in the New MBBS curriculum.

"Another new element is the introduction of elective subjects. Now students can pick up subjects of choice and dedicated time has been allotted for self-directed learning and co-curricular activities," Dr VK Paul, MCI BoG Chairman informed.

The new curriculum also encourages, in a first, the use of medical mannequins and models for clinical learning, even though the use of human cadavers for anatomy training will continue.

The move has been taken in order to set change to the old MBBS course which is considered to be deeply dependant on theory classes. Officials from the MCI said that didactic classes will be reduced to a minimum once this course initiates.

Read about the Foundation course: New MBBS Curriculum to have 2 Month Foundation Course for Medicos

"The new MBBS curriculum has a course called Attitude, Ethics and Communication (AETCOM) which will run across years. Students will be assessed for how they communicate with patients; how they counsel people for organ donations or other challenging procedures; how sensitively do they offer care and obtain consent. All these things will count along with competencies and skills," Dr VK Paul, MCI BoG Chairman added.

"The new UG curriculum regulations are more learner-centric, patient-centric, gender-sensitive, outcome-oriented and environment appropriate. The result is an outcome-driven curriculum which conforms to global trends."

Viewing the fresh additions to the MBBS curriculum, the Kerala chapter of the United Resident Doctors Association (URDA), has planned a workshop in Kottayam to illuminate the new curriculum's features.

According to a statement made by Dr Rahul U.R., General Secretary, URDA Kerala, to The Hindu, "Medical students in Western countries such as the U.S. are getting weightage for communication skills. The group discussions planned at the workshop would focus on how bringing in a similar system would help medical graduates here."

For the first time, the MBBS course will see the introduction of elective subjects. On this, the General Secretary added that these will help students pick subjects of their choice. Pointing out that though this move is expected to help students to specialize in a particular branch, there is apprehension it will lead to a shortage of general medical practitioners, he added that it provides clinical exposure to students in the very first year instead of the second.

The session planned at Kottayam is expected to be followed by similar events in other private and government medical colleges, adds the daily.