A foundation course for MBBS students conceived over the past two years will be rolled out on August 1 as nearly 70,000 aspiring doctors, including 6,000 in Maharashtra, join medical colleges across the country. The month-long orientation aims to help students coming from varied socio-economic, religious and cultural backgrounds mix well and adapt to their new journey.
“These students come from different environments. The course aims at equipping them to be at ease in the new environment,” said Dr. Avinash Supe, chairman of the expert group of the Medical Council of India’s academic cell that is working on the new elements of the MBBS curriculum. Besides outlining the history of medicine and the role of medical professionals, the course will delve into medical ethics, professionalism, communication skills, stress management, interpersonal relationships, gender sensitivity, self-care and awareness against ragging. Presentations, group activities, sports and hospital visits are part of the agenda.
“For years, MBBS courses have started with anatomy lectures on day one. This is the first time that the entry-level curriculum will be something different,” said Dr. Hemant Deshmukh, Dean of Seth G.S. Medical College attached to KEM Hospital in Mumbai.
“We cannot change students’ outlook as soon as they join MBBS. But through the introductory course, we can definitely aim to make the students feel at home to a certain extent,” he said.
Dr. Deshmukh also said new MBBS students are mostly 17-year-olds, who suddenly face the challenge of living in a hostel, coping with academic stress, and adjusting with fellow students, who have come from different cities and States.
At a time when harassment in medical colleges has become a point of debate due to the suicide of Dr. Payal Tadvi, doctors feel efforts have to be made to not only make medical students compassionate doctors but also compassionate peers and seniors.
“The sense of hierarchy, superiority complex and the notion that harassment by seniors is normal in medical colleges has to be done away with,” Abhijit More, co-convenor of Jan Arogya Abhiyan, said.
