| EDUCATION FORUM |
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| Year : 2014 | Volume
: 46
| Issue : 6 | Page : 584-589 |
Postgraduate pharmacology curriculum in medical institutions in India: Time for need-based appraisal and modifications
Dinesh K Badyal1, Chetna Desai2, Santanu K Tripathi3, SP Dhaneria4, Sujith J Chandy5, BK Bezbaruah6
1 Department of Pharmacology, Christian Medical College, Ludhiana, Punjab, India
2 Department of Pharmacology, B.J. Medical College, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India
3 Department of Pharmacology, Calcutta School of Tropical Medicine, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
4 Department of Pharmacology, AIIMS, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India
5 Department of Pharmacology, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
6 Department of Pharmacology, Gauhati Medical College, Guwahati, Assam, India
Correspondence Address:
Chetna Desai
Department of Pharmacology, B.J. Medical College, Ahmedabad, Gujarat
India
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/0253-7613.144903
The need to revise the curriculum for the postgraduate course (M.D.) in Pharmacology has been perceived by the academicians in India since quite some time. The changing professional requirements of the graduating students, the current scenario vis a vis animal experimentation and the emphasis of the Medical Council of India on a competency based curriculum has triggered this felt need. In spite of the fact that most medical institutions and universities in India offer postgraduate courses in pharmacology, the curriculum lacks uniformity with extreme variations observed at some places. This article attempts to analyze the existing curricula in pharmacology in India and suggest modifications that could be recommended to the suitable regulatory bodies for implementation. A revision of objectives in the three domains of learning, development of skills that help develop suitable competencies, adoption of teaching learning methods in addition to the conventional methods, and a rethink on the assessment methods have been recommended. Development and validation of alternatives skill-based modules in lieu of animal experiments are recommended. Additional skills like medical writing and communication skills, professionalism and ethics, multi and inter-disciplinary integration and collaboration and a wider exposure of students to the pharmaceutical, academic, regulatory and research institutions for onsite learning were also recommended to fulfill their future career requirements.
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