Inquiry-driven strategies for innovation in medical education: experiences in India

Four medical institutes, viz, AIIMS, New Delhi; CMC, Vellore; JIPMER, Pondicherry and IMS-BHU, Varanasi formed a consortium to introduce reforms in undergraduate medical education. A detailed inquiry was conducted by administering questionnaires to the faculty, recent graduates and patients to identify the deficiencies in the present system. Morbidity patterns prevalent in the community at primary, secondary and tertiary care levels were determined. These were matched with the actual curricula being followed and the assessment patterns. The main findings were: inadequate emphasis on practical skills (including communication), insufficient coverage of common diseases; and neglect of behavioral, social and ethical aspects in the curriculum. Based on these findings certain corrective programmes are being introduced. The content areas in the curriculum have been classified in to 'must know', 'good to know' and 'need not know'. A list of essential skills have been identified. Steps are on to ensure that these skills are acquired by the graduates. A modular approach to the teaching was suggested and modules on some of these topics are under preparation.