NMC issues new guidelines for CBME curriculum, aims to create medical graduates who are globally relevant

The new CBME guidelines aims to transform medical education to address the needs of the healthcare sector in the national as well as international landscape.

The National Medical Commission, NMC, has published a set of new guidelines for the Competency-Based Medical Education (CBME) curriculum for students pursuing MBBS which will be implemented from the 2024-25 academic session.

The goal of the CBME curriculum is to create an "Indian Medical Graduate" (IMG) who possesses the requisite knowledge, skills, attitudes, values, and responsiveness to function appropriately and effectively as a physician. (Photo Credit: Unsplash)

An official notice dated August 31 stated that “Under Graduate Medical Education Board after due deliberations with the Expert Groups and in the exercise of powers conferred by the National Medical Commission Act, 2019, particularly by sections 10, 24, 25 and 57 of the NMC Act, publishes the Competency-Based Medical Education Guidelines, 2024 along with CBME Competencies Volume-I, II, and III.”

The objective of the new CBME guidelines is to transform medical education to address the needs of the healthcare sector in both the national as well as international landscape.

The CBME Curriculum 2024 explained:

As per NMC, the thrust of the new guidelines is put on the continuation and evolution of medical education based on feedback and experience of CBME in the last 5 years since its inception in 2019. It intends to make medical education more learner-centric, patient-centric, gender-sensitive, outcome-oriented, and environment-appropriate, thereby conforming to global trends.

Through the CBME curriculum, the goal is to create an "Indian Medical Graduate" (IMG) who possesses the requisite knowledge, skills, attitudes, values, and responsiveness to function appropriately and effectively as a physician of first contact with the community while being globally relevant.

The CBME curriculum, in its official notice, has also charted out National and Institutional goals that IMGs are expected to adhere to. These are as follows:

NATIONAL GOALS:

• The Indian Medical Graduate should be able to recognize "health for all" as a national goal and the health right of all citizens.
• He/she should learn the key aspects of National policies on health and devote himself to its practical implementation.
• The IMG must achieve competence in the practice of holistic medicine, encompassing promotive, preventive, curative, and rehabilitative aspects of common diseases.
• The IMG must develop a scientific temper, acquire educational experience for proficiency in the profession, and promote healthy living.
• He/she should become an exemplary citizen by observance of medical ethics and fulfilling social and professional obligations, so as to respond to national aspirations.

INSTITUTIONAL GOALS:

• The IMG should be competent for working in the health care team from Phase 1 MBBS to Compulsory rotatory medical internship (CRMI) in a gradual manner with increasing complexity in an integrated multi-department involvement.
• Be competent to practice preventive, promotive, curative, palliative, and rehabilitative· medicine with respect to the commonly encountered health problems.
• Appreciate the rationale for different therapeutic modalities and be familiar with the administration of the "essential medicines" and their common adverse effects.
• Appreciate the socio-psychological, cultural, economic, and environmental factors affecting health and develop a humane attitude towards the patients in discharging one's professional responsibilities.
• Has the attitude for continued self-learning and to seek further expertise or to pursue research in any chosen area of medicine, action research, and documentation skills.
• Be familiar with the basic factors which are essential for the implementation of the National Health Programs including practical aspects of Family Welfare and Maternal and Child Health (MCH), Sanitation and water supply, Prevention and control of communicable and non-communicable diseases, Immunization, Health Education and advocacy, Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS) at various level of service delivery, Bio-medical waste disposal, Organizational and institutional arrangements.
• Acquire basic management skills in human resources, materials, and resource management related to health care delivery, general and hospital management, principal inventory skills, and counseling.
• Can identify community health problems and learn to work to resolve these by designing, instituting corrective steps, and evaluating the outcome of such measures with maximum community participation.
• Be able to work as a leading partner in health care teams and acquire proficiency in communication skills.
• Be competent in working in a variety of healthcare settings.
• Have personal characteristics and attitudes required for professional life including personal integrity, sense of responsibility and dependability, and ability to relate to or show concern for other individuals.

For more information, click on this direct link to read the official notice.