Proposal for Psychiatry course at MBBS level in the offing

Visakhapatnam: The subject of Psychiatry awaits Medical Council of India's (MCI) clearance, to be introduced as a compulsory subject at the MBBS-level. The information about the same was revealed by Dr T. Ravi Raju, Vice-Chancellor, Dr NTR University of Health Sciences on Saturday, who stated that there was a huge disproportion between the growing number of psychiatric problems and the availability of psychiatrists in India.He mentioned of efforts being made to bring about changes in the curriculum to introduce a course on psychiatry at the UG level.

He expressed the need to equip undergraduate medical students to deal with the problem which was gradually growing in size.

Dr Raju was speaking as Chief Guest, at a two-day mid term inaugural of Continuous Medical Education, of the Indian Psychiatric Society. Calling it unfortunate that many medical colleges in the country did not even have a psychiatry ward, he spoke of the falling standards of medical education. This he said was due to the mushrooming medical colleges in the private sector, which lacked qualified teachers and were found to have a poor infra structural base.

The university has taken up the training of medical teachers to overcome the problem, added the Vice Chancellor.

“This year 100 faculty will be trained by teachers from the Harvard Medical School through live interactive sessions and video conference facilities. Flip classroom methods would be introduced to divide the students into small groups and teach them to improve concentration and span of attention,” he informed, reports the Hindu.

Dr Ravi Raju spoke of the university encouraging CME (Continuous Medical Education) programs. Dr Raju said Credit points were being given for attendance at CMEs. According to him, these credit points would be made mandatory for re registration of doctoral degrees, in the coming times.

Brig M.S.V.K. Raju, President, Indian Psychiatric Society felicitated Surgeon, Vice Admiral A.A. Pawar, Director-General of Medical Services (Navy) on the occasion.

Secretary General of the World Psychiatric Association, Roy Abraham Kallivayalil who was also present on the occasion expressed hope in Psychiatry being introduced as a compulsory subject at the MBBS-level, however, currently awaiting Council(MCI), approval.