Insights of dental postgraduate students and guides toward change in MDS examination pattern: A cross-sectional study

INTRODUCTION: According to the notification dated May 17, 2018, no. DE-14-MDS-2018/2131 published by the Dental Council of India, basic sciences theory examination (Paper-1) will be conducted before the commencement of II-year MDS academic year instead of III-year MDS end. Hence, this study was conducted to assess the opinions regarding this recent change in the curriculum among I MDS students, II MDS students, and their respective postgraduate (PG) guides. METHODOLOGY: The study was conducted on 120 participants from three dental colleges. All the participants were interviewed using a pretested, structured questionnaire. The initial part of questionnaire consisted of demographic information of the study participants followed by ten questions targeted to assess the perception toward change in MDS examination pattern. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software v20, and Chi-square test was used for comparison of responses among PG students and PG guides. RESULTS: Questions pertaining to the need of allowed to keep term (ATKT), assumption to improved concentration on specialization subjects, and increase in understanding of the subject have received maximum positive response. Negative responses were more for the questions such as hampering of PG curriculum, effect on dissertation selection process, and rendering quality treatment to the patient. Responses to necessity of ATKT and the assumption to better concentrate on specialization subject later differed significantly among the participants. CONCLUSION: The present study results revealed an overall positive perception toward the change in MDS curriculum pattern among the study participants.