Advance Course in Medical Education

The Advance Course in Medical Education aims to help the faculty develop the advanced knowledge and skills in principles and application of medical education and to attain a certain level of expertise in medical education for quality assurance of the basic courses. There is also a need for medical educators to network.

The purpose of the Advance Course in Medical Education is for the faculty:

1.     To improve their knowledge and skills in medical education and apply it for educational reforms.

2.     To be able to conduct sessions/ workshops in medical education

 Structure

Advance Course in Medical Education is of 1 year duration including the following:

a)    Contact session I for 5 days

b)    Intersession I: 6 months comprising of

i.       Implementation of an educational project

ii.      Participation in online learning and discussion

c)     Contact session II for 3 days

d)    Intersession II: 6 months comprising of

         One day observation of revised basic course workshop

         Participation in online learning and discussion.

Revised Basic Course Workshop

The Revised Basic Course workshop was envisaged by the MCI to emphasize on competencies in a move towards Competency Based Medical Education. Its foundations are based on adult learning principles in an interactive format to help participants develop knowledge and skills in competencies pertaining to the curriculum of undergraduate medical education, teaching, learning and student assessment in a milieu of competency based medical education. This is envisaged to equip the participants with the required skills to not only train in house faculty but also be able to transition into the implementation of competency based medical education in their respective institutions and departments. The course aims to help the faculty develop the knowledge and skills in principles and application of education technology to bring about the educational reforms. Thus this workshop is aimed at faculty who can take on leadership roles and be agents of change in their institutions.

 One day sensitization program on Attitude and Communication (AT-COM) Module

The One day sensitization program on Attitude and Communication (AT-COM) module for Deans/ MEU Coordinator/ Co coordinator/Resource Faculty/ Curriculum committee members of 20 affiliated colleges of MCI Nodal Centre for National Faculty Development at Christian Medical College (CMC), Vellore, was conceived by the Medical Council of India to sensitize Medical educators on the importance and emphasis of attitudinal and communication components in the teaching of curriculum. The purpose of this one day workshop as defined by the MCI was to sensitize the Deans/ MEU Coordinator/ Co coordinator/Resource Faculty/ Curriculum committee members of colleges affiliated to the MCI Nodal Center for National Faculty Development at CMC Vellore and capacitate them towards faculty development to conduct and implement Revised Basic Workshop and ATCOM module in their institutions.

MCI Observer to RBCW Workshops conducted in Medical Colleges Affiliated to the MCI Nodal Centre CMC Vellore

The MCI requires its nodal and regional centers for National faculty development to supervise the conduct of Revised Basic Course Workshops in their affiliated Medical Colleges. The Convener, Co- Conveners and senior faculty of the MCI Nodal/ regional center are deputed by the MCI as MCI observers to oversee the revised basic course in these colleges.

Post Graduate Diploma in Family Medicine for recent MBBS Graduates Course

The Christian Medical College, Vellore, seeks to be a witness to the healing ministry of Christ, through excellence in education, service and research. A distinguishing and unique feature of the Christian Medical College Vellore (CMC) is its linkage with the large and widespread network of mission hospitals located mainly in semi-urban and rural areas aiming to serve disadvantaged communities. With inpatient strengths of between 20 and 200 beds, these hospitals deliver broad based clinical services to their local communities. The majority of students in CMC are sponsored by these hospitals and have undertaken to serve in them for two years immediately after graduation. CMC recognizes that its medical graduates face arduous challenges and difficulties during this service period but also that this can be a unique learning experience for them. The Post Graduate Diploma in Family Medicine course is a diploma awarded by CMC after completion of the PGDFM course. This is CMC s response to the challenge of equipping the MBBS graduates, from CMC and other medical colleges for competent and satisfying engagement with secondary level health care while also availing of its educational opportunities. The graduates face a variety of other problems such as academic and social isolation, lack of opportunity for learning, difficulty in translating learning from a tertiary care level to secondary level, lack of procedural skill competence and administrative problems. The Course was started in 2007 as a one year Fellowship Program, the Fellowship in Secondary Hospital Medicine and then upgraded to the Post Graduate Diploma in Family Medicine in 2010 and the duration is increased to 18 months.

 1. Post Graduate Medical Education Technology Workshop

The postgraduate students in medical colleges in India form a large workforce for the medical college for teaching-learning and assessment of undergraduate medical and other health professional courses run by the medical college. Many of these postgraduate students join medical colleges as teaching faculty soon after graduation. Some of the postgraduate students also have pedagogy as part of their summative assessment for their postgraduate courses. Thus, there is a need for postgraduate students in medical colleges in India to be trained in the basic principles of medical education especially in teaching learning methods and basics of assessment and to develop competencies in these areas. Recognizing this need, the Medical Education Department conducts a two day workshop in teaching-learning and assessment for medical postgraduate students in CMC. 

2. Workshop on Developing Valid and Reliable Multiple Choice Questions

The purpose of this workshop is that the participants should be able to develop and validate Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) in their specialty based on sound educational principles which can be used for formative and summative assessments. The participants will be able to discuss the importance of aligning assessment with objectives, Review the types of MCQs and basic principles to develop MCQs, Develop MCQs related to their specialty and pre validate the developed MCQs

 3. Allied Health Sciences – Medical Education Technology Workshop

The Vice- Principal’s office for Allied Health science recognized a felt need that all the faculty involved in the teaching assessment of Allied Health students must have a sound scientific basis in educational technologies. Therefore the medical education department conducts a three day workshop once a year for various allied health course faculty on innovative and effective teaching methodologies , assessments tailored to course objectives and teaching methods in detail. As far as known in the whole of India, CMC Vellore is the only known college to have an educational technology workshop designed specifically for Allied Health faculty.

 4. Leadership and Management workshop for Medical Students

The mission of CMC Vellore is to train doctors who would be service oriented leaders of health teams. The MBBS graduates of CMC Vellore have a two-year service obligation in Mission Hospitals. Keeping in alignment with the Mission of CMC Vellore and requirements of the MBBS graduates it becomes mandatory that the MBBS graduates be trained in leadership and management skills, which they apply in their undergraduate years and in the field. The purpose of this one day workshop for Medical students is to

a)       Understand leadership and management as related but different skills

b)       Develop leadership skills in areas of:

o        Understanding yourself and others especially character strengths

o        Group dynamics

o        Team building

o        Change management

o        Conflict management

c)       Discuss the principles of organizational management

d)       Motivated to apply leadership and management skills to health services /projects/events/programs.

 5.       Resource Faculty to Regional FAIMER Institute

6.       Resource Faculty for Medical Education Programs in other Medical Colleges

7.       Integrated Learning Program for 1st year MBBS students

8.       Integrated Learning Program for 2nd year MBBS students

9.       Facilitators Training program for faculty involved in the Integrated Learning Program

10.     Workshop on Developing Valid and reliable Multiple Choice Questions for Nursing Faculty in College of Nursing CMC, Vellore.

11.     Faculty involvement in the curriculum renewal process at CMC, Vellore

12.     Thematic Workshops conducted on need basis within the institution