The National Medical Commission (NMC) has recently issued guidelines on the professional responsibilities of the medical education fraternity. The guidelines aim to establish a code of conduct for teachers and students, emphasizing the relationship between the two and their collective responsibility to the community.

About the National Medical Commission

The National Medical Commission Act of 2019 established the NMC, which is responsible for creating and regulating all aspects of medical education, practice, and institutions. The NMC has four boards, namely the Under-Graduate Medical Education Board (UGMEB), Post-Graduate Medical Education Board (PGMEB), Medical Assessment and Rating Board, and Ethics and Medical Registration Board. The commission consists of 25 members, including the Chairperson, Presidents of Postgraduate Medical Education Boards and Undergraduate Medical Education Boards, Director General of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), and Director General of Health Services.

Challenges of Medical Education in India

There are several challenges facing medical education in India, including:

  • Demand-Supply Mismatch: The private colleges charge high fees, making it difficult for economically challenged students to pursue medical education.
  • Lack of Skills: There is a shortage of skilled faculty in clinical and non-clinical disciplines, and few faculty development programs to upskill the existing faculty.
  • Lack of Research and Innovation: The medical education system needs to focus more on increasing the quality of research and innovation. Industry-academia partnership is also essential in this regard.
  • Issues of Skilled Faculty: The government’s initiative to open new medical colleges has resulted in a faculty crunch, with new colleges poaching faculty from existing colleges.
  • Backdated Syllabus and Teaching Style: The medical studies syllabus in India is not updated regularly, and the teaching style needs an overhaul.
  • Lack of Social Accountability: Indian medical students do not receive training that instills social accountability as health practitioners.
Government Initiatives

The government has taken several initiatives to reform medical education in India, including:

  • The National Medical Commission Bill, 2019, which sets up the NMC as an umbrella regulatory body for the medical education system, providing for reforms in the medical education system.
  • Competency-based medical education (CBME), launched by the Medical Council of India (MCI) in 2019, seeks to align the curriculum with the country’s increasing health demands.
  • Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY), which has developed 22 new All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and commenced MBBS classes at 18 of them.
Way Forward

The aim of medical education should be to groom professionals to face medical challenges of the 21st century. To achieve this, the medical education system needs to focus on:

  • Increasing the quality of research and innovation
  • Regularly updating the syllabus and teaching style
  • Skilling the existing faculty
  • Fostering industry-academia partnership
  • Instilling social accountability in medical students
Why In News

The National Medical Commission has recently issued guidelines to regulate the professional conduct of teachers and students in the medical education fraternity. These guidelines aim to ensure that ethical and moral standards are maintained in the field of medical education and practice in India.

MCQs on Medical Education in India

  1. What is the name of the regulatory body that issued guidelines on professional responsibilities of the medical education fraternity?
    A. National Medical Commission
    B. Medical Council of India
    C. World Health Organization
    D. Indian Medical Association
    Correct Answer: A. National Medical Commission
    Explanation: The article states that the National Medical Commission issued the guidelines.
  2. What is the significance of the guidelines issued by the National Medical Commission?
    A. It helps in improving the quality of medical education
    B. It reduces the workload of medical professionals
    C. It promotes the use of alternative medicine
    D. It provides financial assistance to medical students
    Correct Answer: A. It helps in improving the quality of medical education
    Explanation: The article states that the guidelines were issued to define the professional responsibilities of the medical education fraternity, which will help in improving the quality of medical education.

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