|
 
 |
| READERS VIEWPOINT/LETTERS |
|
| Year : 2014 | Volume
: 34
| Issue : 2 | Page : 119-120 |
|
Competency based education in Ayurveda: Need of the hour?
Shweta Telang-Chaudhari1, Gaurang D Baxi2, Supriya Bhalerao3
1 Department of AYUSH, Maharashtra University of Health Sciences, Nashik, India
2 Institute of Medical Education Technology and Teachers Training, MUHS Regional Centre, Pune, India
3 Interactive Research School of Health Affairs, Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed University, Pune, India
| Date of Web Publication | 18-Mar-2015 |
Correspondence Address:
Shweta Telang-Chaudhari
Department of AYUSH, Maharashtra University of Health Sciences, Vani- Dindori Road, Mahasrul, Nashik - 422004, Maharashtra
India
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/0257-7941.153484
How to cite this article:
Telang-Chaudhari S, Baxi GD, Bhalerao S. Competency based education in Ayurveda: Need of the hour?. Ancient Sci Life 2014;34:119-20 |
Sir,
We read with interest the Editorial by Dr. Manohar entitled "Ayurvedic education: Where to go from here?" In the latest issue of Ancient Science of Life. [1] It provides a precise and introspective outlook of the prevalent issues in Ayurveda education. The recurrent mention of the terms "competent teachers," "testing core competence and skills," "ancient education systems are being based on the idea of competence" throughout the article provokes further exploration into this topic.
The three tier approach of vyavahāra, śāstra and tattva suggested by the author for the Ayurveda curriculum seems promising. In this context, we recommend a competency-based approach toward the Ayurveda curriculum.
Competency is the habitual and judicious use of communication, knowledge, technical skills, clinical reasoning, emotions, values, and reflection in daily practice for the benefit of the individual and the community being served. [2] Competency-based education (CBE) is an approach to producing physicians "fit to practice" rather than students "fit to pass." The rationale of a CBE is fundamentally oriented to graduate outcome abilities and organized around competencies derived from an analysis of societal and patient needs to ensure greater accountability towards the society. [3]
While conventional education methods focus on the performance of the learner based on what has been taught, CBE concentrates on the performance that copes up with the expectations determined by the stakeholders outside of the educational program. The intended output of a competency-based program are health professionals who can practice medicine at a defined level of proficiency, in accordance with local conditions, to meet local needs.
The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education has defined six general competencies expected from every physician-medical knowledge, patient care, professionalism, interpersonal communication, practice based learning, and systems based practice. [4] Another example is the CanMEDS physician competency framework, which describes the knowledge, skills and abilities that specialist physicians need for better patient outcomes. The framework is based on the seven roles that all physicians need to have to be better doctors, viz., medical expert, communicator, collaborator, manager, health advocate, scholar, and professional. [5]
The Medical Council of India has also defined the competencies required of an "Indian Medical Graduate," [6] These include:
- A clinician who understands and provides preventive, promotive, curative, palliative and holistic care with compassion
- A leader and member of the health care team and system with capabilities to collect analyze, synthesize and communicate health data appropriately
- A communicator with patients, families, colleagues and community
- A lifelong learner committed to continuous improvement of skills and knowledge
- A professional, who is committed to excellence, is ethical, responsive and accountable to patients, community and profession.
In the wake of these developments in the global medical education scenario, education in Ayurveda needs to be redesigned on the competency framework, which will define attributes of an Ayurvedic Physician competent to serve the societal needs locally as well as globally.
The Maharashtra University of Health Sciences, Nashik (MUHS) through its Institute of Medical Education Technology and Teachers' Training (IMETTT) is taking efforts in the field of Medical Education Technology (MET). At present, the IMETTT is the only university department in India conducting faculty development workshops for teachers to impart training in MET and also promoting educational research in the field of health professions education wherein faculty members undertake projects that would bring about a change in their respective educational institute. Faculty from affiliating colleges, including Ayurvedic colleges are getting trained in basic and advanced educational methodology.
At the recently concluded 6 th World Ayurveda Congress 2014, the Department of AYUSH of MUHS and the IMETTT conducted a workshop on "shifting paradigms-competency-based curriculum in Ayurveda." During this workshop, Ayurveda teachers from various colleges across the country were sensitized about designing and implementing competency-based curriculum in their respective subjects. The workshop was welcomed as a new approach toward Ayurveda education and the participants were enthusiastic about Ayurveda curriculum based on specific educational outcomes aligned with expected competencies.
Faculty development along with educational research is very crucial for curricular reforms. The changes are happening slowly, with Ayurvedic faculty involving itself in educational research and publishing scholarly work as well. [7],[8] We hope that imparting the training of MET will help achieve CBE in Ayurveda.
| References | |  |
| 1. | Manohar PR. Ayurvedic education: Where to go from here? Anc Sci Life 2014;33:143-5.  |
| 2. | Epstein RM, Hundert EM. Defining and assessing professional competence. JAMA 2002;287:226-35. |
| 3. | |
| 4. | |
| 5. | |
| 6. | |
| 7. | Joshi MR. Needs assessment to identify the areas for the development of self learning modules in subject Ashtang Hridaya of first BAMS Course. Natl J Integr Res Med 2013;4:138-44. |
| 8. | Deshpande MS. Use of Mini-Cex as an effective tool of assessment in second B.A.M.S. students in Rognidan. Natl J Integr Res Med 2013;4:114-7. |
|
Search Pubmed for