Instead of treating patients in clinics or hospitals, currently, majority of the MBBS doctors in the country are choosing to dedicate most or all of their time pursuing higher education. However, this is all set to change with a new undergraduate competency-based MBBS curriculum to be launched from the next academic session. The new curriculum will also aim to make them more ‘patient-friendly, competitive, ethical and skilled’.

A senior official in the Union Health Ministry said that the Medical Council of India (MCI) has prepared the new revised syllabus and it is now before the Oversight Committee for final approval.

“The new course lays emphasis on skills and will have competency-based tests. The students will be provided with early clinical exposure right from the first year of the 4.5 years course plus internship. The aim is to provide problem based learning and develop skill based competencies of medical students," he said adding the new curriculum will also lay emphasis on ethics.

The official said that the need for revisiting the curriculum had been regularly felt given that a significant number of qualified MBBS doctors are not practising until they have achieved higher qualifications.

“This will be a competency-based curriculum. We find that a lot of students focus more on their postgraduate studies rather than their internships, leaving them unable to perform practically,” he said.

This is not only making them incompetent but also creating shortage in the healthcare sector, the official said, adding that presently the MBBS course is that of segmented curriculum.

The new syllabus “Competency based integrated curriculum for UG Medical Education”  will make it mandatory on the students to pass “must know" tests at every semester. This is aimed to enhance their basic skills and the students will be given clinical exposure within the first year of the course.

So far, the first year students learn only subject-oriented topics, and there was a need to modify the course according to practicability. The change is being made after a gap of 17 years and will be implemented by all the 343 medical colleges in the country in private and Government sector.

New modules like mental health and sexual health issues, radiology, surgery, handling of medico-legal cases  and ethics and communication to help them better interaction with the patients are part of the new MBBS syllabus.