Maharashtra University of Health Sciences (MUHS) has made it compulsory for both government and private colleges teachers to take certain courses in medical education technology (MET). This training in teaching has also become necessary in order to comply with Medical Council of India (MCI) norms.
The decision to make this course mandatory for all teachers in health sciences was announced by MUHS vice chancellor Arun Jamkar during a meeting at Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) when he was here for a visit two days back. “Yes, now every teacher in a medical college would require taking training in medical education compulsorily for an overall improvement in education standards. But more so, such a requirement has also been laid down by the MCI and all university teachers now should follow all the regulations laid down by the council. Also this is linked to the promotions of teachers,” said Jamkar.
GMCH dean Dr Rajaram Powar said the training would consist of two courses of three and seven days each, along with certain valued added training for teachers in development of personality of medical students to help them handle doctor-patient relationships and resolve conflicts better.
Till now, this was a voluntary affair and teachers were being trained at Pune at the Medical Education Teaching Unit, a centralized facility for the state. Now, the regional centre of MUHS at GMCH would have a MET Cell to conduct these courses for teachers in entire Vidarbha.
Dr PG Dixit, professor and head of forensic medicine and chief coordinator of the regional centre of MUHS, said that two MET cells are being created at Nagpur and Aurangabad colleges. These centres will not just train teachers from medical colleges but all teachers from other branches of medicines too, like ayurveda, homeopathy, unani, physiotherapy etc.
All lecturers, new or old, are expected to take these courses in order to be recognized as ‘qualified’ teachers. If they don’t take this course they will not get further promotions. There are two courses, a three-day basic course and a seven-day advanced course. Besides these two courses, the cell will also run a research methodology course.
MUHS has appointed Dr Anshu, professor and head of pathology department of Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (MGIMS), and Dr Suresh Chari, director MET cell at NKP Salve Institute of Medical Sciences, as coordinators for this programme at GMCH.
Dr Chari, who is already experienced in the subject, said all lecturers in medical colleges will be regularized in service only if they have taken the course. “The cell would also be running a course in communication skills and relationships, and moral and ethics of medical profession for medical students in phase wise manner in first, second and final year of MBBS.”
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