– Dr Sudha Suresh, Associate Dean, Ramaiah International Medical School
The need for medical professionals and educational institutions in India is very high. A study by the World Health Organization states that the doctor-population ratio is much lower than recommended in India (one for every 1,511 persons as opposed to WHO-recommended one to 1,000)*. Our country requires more doctors, which calls for an expansion of existing educational courses and institutions. Advancement in infrastructure is particularly crucial to primary healthcare. The education curriculum to requires a structured overhaul so as to reflect advances in the 21st century and current and future developments.
This, however, is easier said than done. The medical education system is staggered by a number of drawbacks like unequal distribution of resources, lack of global exposure by educational institutions, and the educational syllabus.
Global exposure to cutting-edge technology and advancements in the medical field can enable students to stay abreast of current needs and solutions and to evolve accordingly.
International collaborations:
Among the medical aspirants, the competition for the top Indian medical colleges is intense, and only a small percentage of candidates make it through each year. For the rest, therefore, international colleges present an attractive option. Today, there are around 300,000 Indian students currently studying medicine in other countries, with approximately 10,000 students going abroad each year to study medicine at renowned and globally recognized universities**. Given the strong need for doctors in India, there is a clear case for Indian colleges to partner with international universities and offer both global exposure and training rooted in Indian needs and practices. St George’s University, Grenada, in association with Ramaiah Group of Institutions, for example, offers a 5-year Doctor of Medicine (MD) Pathway that begins in Bengaluru, India. During this critical first year studying in India, students learn the principles of basic sciences as applied to medical sciences, to prepare them for the subjects taught in the medical course in the coming years. They have access to the resources and faculty at Ramaiah International Medical School, which will prepare them for their further studies at the SGU True-Blue campus in Grenada, West Indies, or on SGU’s UK Pathway at Northumbria University in Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
Moreover, gaining a medical degree overseas enables graduates to work internationally in countries of their choice and gain valuable experience in their field of specialization. Learning how to serve the needs of diverse populations and the global experience is very attractive to medical aspirants. It is important for healthcare experts of tomorrow to be aware of the cutting-edge technologies available in such countries, to be able to build a successful international career.
Post-Covid future of medical education:
The pandemic has demonstrated that healthcare systems across the globe, in terms of handling a challenge like this, need to be upgraded. The medical curriculum is thus undergoing an overhaul at the structural as well as the execution level. Medical educators will need to design and implement innovative solutions that meet the technology needs as well as the hands-on needs of future classes.
At the same time, with mandatory safety precautions in place, there is a need to assess how online classes can be balanced with practical, in-person classes for an optimal experience. Simultaneously, however, we may see greater investment in terms of AI-based learning that includes the augmented and virtual reality that are invaluable assets for remote learning as well as a solution in case a pandemic strikes again.
*1 doctor for 1,511 people, 1 nurse for 670 — Covid exposes India’s healthcare ‘fault lines’
**How Ramaiah Group of Institutions & St. George’ University are giving wings to your dreams of becoming a doctor
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