Medical Education and Research in India: A Teacher’s Perspective

Medical education is a systematic process wherein interested and eligible individuals are trained to become physicians/surgeons. It is assumed that a person who completes the Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Medicine (MBBS) degree will be competent enough to perform the duties of a physician of first contact. However, it is not the case with graduates from India. Most MBBS graduates prefer to pursue a postgraduate degree and become unavailable to people or governments. The doctor-to-patient ratio in India (1:1,655) does not currently satisfy the World Health Organization’s prescribed ratio (1:1,000). The Government of India, therefore, has been taking initiatives to increase the number of MBBS graduates. Moreover, there are several doubts over the quality of medical education and the competency of medical students. In addition, the National Medical Commission, the epic body that regulates the medical education and practice in India, has recently been conducting medical education technology workshops to improve teachers and has devised a new curriculum to elevate the standards of medical education in India. This editorial attempts to provide readers with the current status of medical education and research in India.