Study skills course in medical education for postgraduate residents

The learners have to take active parts in the teaching learning activities. To make them aware and to help them develop the skills required, the need of the study skills course in medical education early in the part of their training has been realized for the postgraduate residents. The important areas of the study skills course focusing in the requirement of clinical components of the postgraduate residents are 1) Interpersonal and communications skills, 2) Teaching, learning and presentation skills, 3) Language, reading and computer use, 4) Evidence based medicine and diagnosis and management, 5) Assessment principles and strategies, 6) Time management strategies to get the best out of the training, 7) Reflection, portfolio and self-directed lifelong learning, and 8) Follow-up presentation. The methodologies that could be used in such study skills course are interactive lectures, brainstorming, presentations by the trainees, demonstration to and by the trainees, small group discussion, group work and presentation, group and individual feedback, practice sessions, role play, short relevant video movies, video recording of the trainees and viewing with feedback. With their already tight training schedule and posting and other similar other mandatory courses required for the postgraduate residents, much time cannot be allocated for the study skills course in medical education alone. Similar study skills course in medical education may need to be arranged for the undergraduate medical students as well.