Rohit Kumar
MD – South Asia, Health Science
Division, Reed Elsevier India Pvt Ltd

Rohit Kumar, MD – South Asia, Health Science Division, Reed Elsevier IndiaPvt. Ltd is previously the President of Association of Publishers of India (API)and Co-Chair of (FICCI) Committee on Publishing. In Conversation with EktaSrivastava, ENN

Please tell us something about Elsevier Science Olympiad?
Elsevier India, medical information solution provider to health professionals believes that the basic sciences subjects need special attention because they play a vital role in developing skills of future medicos. Medical students must be hence, encouraged to strengthen their subject expertise and skills in these areas. With precisely this thought, they had launched Elsevier Finale Sciences Olympiad in February. With top three winners from the country Pakistan, Nepal and India, more than 15,000 students taking the quiz and 180 medical colleges participating, this quiz provides a great platform for MBBS students to showcase their talent and test their academic merit.
Designed specifically for the Professional course undergraduate medical students across South Asia, it is one of the most ambitious and extensive quiz campaign by Elsevier, helping the students develop their skills and gain a hands-on learning experience . It doesnt only tests students knowledge in basic sciences subjects, but also provides them an opportunity to meet and interact with their fellow participants from across the south Asia. Moreover, each participant gets a fair chance to join the elite academic hall of fame. The top 3 winners of this quiz had win a total cash prize of INR 50,000/- and lots of laurels!

How you are planning to take the evnt forward next year?
Next year, we are going to take this contest apart from medicine to other departments like dental, nursing, pharmacy, so we become the true partners for the students for their quest for the Knowledge. Elsevier is basically in education and research, helping practicing doctors with e-reading and books but now we have developed some software as well, which some of the colleges has also started subscribing too. Then we have some of the leading journals in the world and almost every college in the country is having some sort of subscription from the organization.

What is your seslection procedure for the authors?
Though we too look for the authors from our end, there are some who come up with their own ideas. We look for their credentials, quality of the work they have done and most important the quality of their idea. If idea is good and the person is good we just go ahead. In addition, we are planning more books with the Indian authors.

Paper reading to ereading, How you think the technology has changed?
At the moment, everyone wants to read from the book. When they get the pdf downloaded they will go and get it print on papers because they are used too of this and they preferred to read in print. I think in the medical education in next ten or five years, we will not see a dramatic shift in that habit but something that complements will be coming as app. Like any app in mobile phones, though sitting in the mobile or laptop then in the library will take a little more time for the adaptation.

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