The Uniqueness of Homoeopathic Education: Ontological, Epistemological, Metaphysical, Pedagogical, and Other Dimensions

Homoeopathic education represents a distinct and holistic paradigm within the health sciences, differing profoundly from conventional medical education in its philosophy, methodology, and educational goals. It is grounded in a vitalistic conception of life, a phenomenological approach to knowledge, a dynamic understanding of causation, and a reflective, learner-centred pedagogy. In addition to its ontological, epistemological, metaphysical, and pedagogical foundations, homoeopathic education encompasses ethical–axiological, aesthetic, and humanistic–transpersonal dimensions that together form a transformative framework for the formation of the physician–healer.

1. Ontological Dimension: The Nature of Being and Health

Homoeopathy rests upon a vitalistic ontology, conceiving the human being as an indivisible, dynamic entity governed by a vital force or vital principle. This force maintains harmony between body, mind, and spirit; disease arises when this balance is disturbed. Thus, health is a dynamic equilibrium of life energy, and disease is a qualitative alteration of this equilibrium expressed through characteristic symptoms.

In homoeopathic ontology, the patient, not the disease entity, is the focus of understanding. The organism’s totality of symptoms is viewed as the external expression of an internal disorder of the vital force. Conversely, conventional medical ontology follows a mechanistic and reductionist worldview, interpreting the human body as a biological mechanism whose parts can malfunction independently, with disease being a result of structural or biochemical defects.

Homoeopathic education, therefore, trains learners to perceive health and disease as dynamic, individualised, and integrative phenomena—an ontological shift from the part-based to the whole-person understanding. Students are encouraged to perceive “who the patient is” rather than merely “what the disease is.”

2. Epistemological Dimension: The Nature and Sources of Knowledge

Epistemologically, homoeopathy relies on experiential, phenomenological, and deductive reasoning. Knowledge arises through provings—systematic experiments on healthy individuals to observe the dynamic effects of substances. The data thus generated are qualitative and experiential, integrated into materia medica and repertories.

Learning in homoeopathy emphasises subjective awareness, pattern recognition, and interpretive synthesis rather than factual recall. The practitioner’s ability to perceive the qualitative relationship between patient and remedy is a key epistemic skill.

In contrast, conventional medicine draws from a positivist epistemology, prioritizing objective, quantifiable, and reproducible data derived through controlled experiments and statistical validation. Subjectivity is treated as bias, and knowledge is confined to empirically measurable parameters.

Homoeopathic epistemology thus validates experiential knowledge and phenomenological observation as legitimate sources of understanding, integrating both empiricism and transcendental intuition. It teaches learners to interpret signs and symptoms as expressions of being, not merely as data points.

3. Metaphysical Dimension: The Nature of Causation, Healing, and Reality

Homoeopathy operates within a dynamic and non-material metaphysics, positing that disease originates from disturbance in the dynamic vital force, not from physical matter alone. Healing occurs when a potentized remedy—acting at the same dynamic level—restores harmony.

This metaphysical foundation implies that causation in health is non-linear and multi-layered, encompassing emotional, mental, social, and energetic domains. The therapeutic act is one of resonance, where the similimum stimulates the organism’s self-regulating capacity.

In contrast, conventional medicine’s materialistic metaphysics adheres to linear causality—disease as the result of identifiable physical agents such as microbes, toxins, or genetic defects. Treatment seeks to correct biochemical or anatomical abnormalities, thereby restoring function.

Homoeopathic metaphysics broadens the medical imagination to include invisible and dynamic forces as causally efficacious, fostering an understanding of healing as restoration of wholeness rather than merely removal of pathology.

4. Pedagogical Dimension: The Process of Learning and Formation

The pedagogy of homoeopathic education flows naturally from its philosophical foundations. It emphasises integration, reflection, and individualisation—mirroring the homoeopathic process itself. The learner is trained not merely to accumulate information but to develop perception and discernment.

a. Learning Approach

Homoeopathic pedagogy values experiential and reflective learning. Case-based discussions, clinical observation, and mentorship are central, allowing learners to internalise principles through lived experience. The education nurtures epistemic humility—acknowledging the limits of certainty and the value of intuition and empathy.

b. Teacher–Learner Relationship

The teacher is viewed not as an authority dispensing knowledge but as a guide facilitating insight. This corresponds to the concept of learner-centred pedagogy, where knowledge is co-constructed through dialogue and observation.

c. Integration of Science and Art

Pedagogically, homoeopathic education integrates scientific inquiry with artistic interpretation. The curriculum encourages the development of the student’s powers of observation, synthesis, and moral sensibility. Learning is therefore a transformative process, not merely cognitive but also affective and ethical.

d. Contrast with Conventional Pedagogy

Conventional medical education, structured around biomedical reductionism, emphasises procedural competence, standardised testing, and evidence-based reasoning. While efficient in producing technical proficiency, it often marginalises the humanistic, interpretive, and spiritual dimensions of healing. Homoeopathic pedagogy, by contrast, aligns with constructivist educational theories, wherein learners actively construct meaning from phenomena, experiences, and patient encounters. It thus promotes critical reflection, pattern recognition, and whole-person understanding—skills essential for individualised care.

5. Ethical–Axiological Dimension: The Nature of Values and Conduct

The ethical–axiological dimension of homoeopathic education concerns the cultivation of moral integrity and compassion as intrinsic to healing. In homoeopathy, ethics is integral and intrinsic—healing is inseparable from compassion, humility, and moral responsibility. The physician’s inner state influences therapeutic efficacy.

Conventional medicine often frames ethics as external and codified, expressed through adherence to professional norms and bioethical principles such as autonomy, beneficence, and non-maleficence. Homoeopathic curricula, however, emphasise character formation, empathy, and value-based practice. The being of the physician is part of the healing process.

6. Aesthetic Dimension: The Nature of Perception and Harmony

The aesthetic dimension refers to the cultivation of sensitivity to patterns, harmony, and qualitative nuances in the patient’s expression of illness. Perception in homoeopathy is an artistic and intuitive act—recognising the “totality of symptoms” requires aesthetic sensitivity, an ability to perceive relationships beyond the visible.

In contrast, conventional medicine privileges analytic and diagnostic perception, focused on categorisation and measurement. Homoeopathic education trains students in pattern recognition, narrative interpretation, and empathic listening—skills akin to aesthetic literacy. This approach embodies the classical ideal that medicine is both an art and a science.

7. Humanistic–Transpersonal Dimension: The Nature of Consciousness and Relationship

The humanistic–transpersonal dimension of homoeopathic education acknowledges the healing encounter as a meeting of two consciousnesses—that of the physician and the patient. Healing is deeply relational and transpersonal, involving empathy, presence, and shared meaning.

In contrast, conventional medicine often treats the physician–patient relationship as objective and procedural. Homoeopathic training, however, involves cultivating self-awareness, mindful presence, and listening to the patient’s inner world. It develops therapeutic empathy as an epistemic tool—one that bridges subjective experience and clinical insight.

8. Philosophical Integration and Conclusion

These dimensions collectively form a meta-framework of homoeopathic education as a transformative paradigm. It views the learner not only as a future physician but as an evolving consciousness capable of perceiving life’s dynamic laws. It fuses science (logos), art (aesthesis), and ethics (ethos) into one integrated educational experience.

By contrast, conventional medical education—while indispensable in its scientific rigour—often fragments the learner’s development, prioritising knowledge and technical skill over wisdom and presence. Homoeopathic education, on the other hand, integrates cognitive, moral, aesthetic, and spiritual development. It thus contributes a restorative paradigm to modern health professions education, offering a holistic approach that honours both the art and the science of healing.

References

• Bleakley, A., Bligh, J., & Browne, J. (2011). Medical education for the future: Identity, power and location. Springer.
• Engel, G. L. (1977). The need for a new medical model: A challenge for biomedicine. Science, 196(4286), 129–136. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.847460
• Hahnemann, S. (1996). Organon of Medicine (6th ed., trans. W. Boericke). B. Jain Publishers. (Original work published 1842)
• Kent, J. T. (1990). Lectures on Homoeopathic Philosophy. B. Jain Publishers. (Original work published 1900)
• Sackett, D. L., Rosenberg, W. M. C., Gray, J. A. M., Haynes, R. B., & Richardson, W. S. (1996). Evidence-based medicine: What it is and what it isn’t. BMJ, 312(7023), 71–72. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.312.7023.71
• Vithoulkas, G. (1980). The science of homoeopathy. Grove Press.

Admissions to the BHMS Course in India: Problems, Drivers of Decline, and Evidence-Based Solutions

Introduction

In India, BHMS remains a recognised undergraduate medical degree under the AYUSH umbrella that supplies homoeopathic practitioners in a wide range of primary and complementary health services. However, recent admission cycles have revealed persistent and geographically variable vacancies and declining applicant interest in some institutions and states. Evidence from state admission committees and national AYUSH counselling rounds shows significant numbers of unfilled BAMS/BHMS seats, raising concerns about sustainability and quality of homoeopathic medical education in parts of the country.

The problem is not uniform: certain prestigious institutions continue to attract students, while smaller or newer colleges struggle. This divergence suggests systemic issues intersect with institutional-level challenges, influencing student choice and enrolment.

This paper assesses the major drivers of the admissions problem, draws on regulatory documents and investigative reporting, and offers a set of policy and institutional remedies grounded in evidence and practicable in the Indian context. To strengthen recommendations, it also draws lessons from other sectors — branding, marketing, and networking — that have successfully repositioned themselves to attract talent and sustain growth.

Methods

This is a policy and evidence synthesis combining three strands:

1. Regulatory documents: AYUSH and NCH circulars, directives, and counselling notices (2023–24).
2. Secondary sources: Press reporting of vacant seats, institutional closures, and inspection outcomes.
3. Peer commentary: Scholarly analyses of the state of homoeopathic education and professional development.

Sources included NCH directives, counselling reports, and education-related journalism. While quantitative data are patchy, triangulation across sources allows a reasonably robust understanding of causes and remedies.

Key Issues and Principal Contributors

One of the most pressing issues affecting BHMS admissions is regulatory tightening and the filtering effect of entrance examinations. From the academic year 2024–25 onward, AYUSH seats, including those for BHMS, have been explicitly tied to NEET (UG) eligibility and percentile requirements mandated by central directives. The introduction of a minimum percentile cutoff, such as the 50th percentile for eligibility in some cycles, has excluded a segment of candidates who might previously have been admitted. Although this measure helps to improve baseline competency, it has simultaneously reduced the effective candidate pool for AYUSH courses, particularly for institutions that historically admitted students with lower NEET ranks.

Another significant contributor is institutional deficiency. Regulatory inspections and media reports have highlighted that several homoeopathy colleges failed to meet the mandated minimum essential standards (MES) for infrastructure and hospital attachments. Institutions unable to provide the required number of qualified teaching staff or sufficient patient case-loads have either been denied admissions altogether or have suffered a loss of credibility, deterring prospective students. These quality deficits not only lower admissions but also justify regulatory non-renewal, making them an immediate though painful cause of seat losses.

Equally concerning is the lack of clear career pathways and the resulting aspirational mismatch. High-scoring NEET candidates increasingly gravitate towards MBBS or allied health programmes, which offer more predictable public-sector absorption and specialist training opportunities. The limited availability of postgraduate seats in homoeopathy, coupled with uncertain hospital appointments and fewer avenues for research or fellowships, reduces the attractiveness of BHMS for top-performing aspirants.

Finally, perception and public trust play a decisive role. Public attitudes toward scientific validity, standards of evidence, and graduate employability influence student decision-making. Negative media coverage, coupled with institutional controversies, has eroded confidence in the quality of training in some colleges, further discouraging enrolment.

Evidence-Based Solutions

Addressing the decline in BHMS admissions requires a multifaceted approach that goes beyond regulatory adjustments. Effective solutions must simultaneously strengthen institutional quality, expand career pathways, and rebuild public trust, while also incorporating proven strategies from branding, marketing, and networking in other professional and educational sectors.

A key step is calibrated regulatory reform. Regulators should revisit the percentile rule and adopt a more flexible approach. Instead of rigid national thresholds, a combination of NEET qualification with contextualised state-level seat mapping could prevent the exclusion of motivated candidates. Moreover, counselling data should be analysed annually to allow dynamic adjustment of cutoffs and ensure a balance between access and quality.

Strengthening institutional quality is equally critical. The NCISM could establish an “institutional improvement window” for colleges that fall short of MES requirements. Through conditional, time-bound accreditation, mentorship from stronger institutions, and arrangements for shared hospital rotations, struggling colleges could be allowed to improve. Past inspection outcomes clearly demonstrate that many deficiencies, particularly in infrastructure, are fixable and can be addressed with focused interventions.

Expanding and publicising career pathways is another priority. The AYUSH ministries and state governments should create additional postgraduate tracks, ensure steady government-sector absorption in AYUSH clinics, and establish formal research fellowships. By signalling that BHMS is not a terminal qualification but rather a stepping-stone toward higher education, research, and specialised practice, such initiatives can make the programme more appealing to ambitious candidates.

Curriculum modernization also deserves urgent attention. Curricula should incorporate evidence-informed practice, interprofessional education, and objective clinical competence assessments. Public health rotations and training in emergency care would help demonstrate the programme’s relevance to India’s broader health system while equipping graduates with essential skills.

Targeted outreach and scholarships are important tools to widen access and attract capable students from diverse backgrounds. Need-based financial aid and merit scholarships, coupled with mentorship and public campaigns, can help reduce economic barriers and inspire rural students to pursue BHMS as a viable career.

Finally, data-driven admissions management must be embraced. Real-time analytics should be used to track vacancies and enable timely reallocation of seats between states or even across allied health streams. The existing AYUSH counselling portals already generate useful vacancy data, but these resources need to be leveraged more effectively for strategic decision-making.

Learning from Branding, Marketing, and Networking in Other Sectors

Beyond structural reforms, BHMS colleges must adopt strategies proven effective in other fields. Approaches drawn from branding, marketing, and networking offer valuable lessons for repositioning institutions and attracting motivated students.

Institutions such as AIIMS and IIMs demonstrate how strong branding sustains demand despite tough entry requirements. Their reputation is built on quality, career security, and prestige. Similarly, Apollo Hospitals has cultivated a brand through transparent outcomes and NABH accreditation. BHMS institutions can follow suit by publicising alumni success stories, showcasing regulatory compliance as a marker of quality, and highlighting community service missions, much like Christian Medical College (CMC) Vellore.

Private universities like Ashoka and OP Jindal have created aspirational brands by emphasising global partnerships and world-class faculty. In the healthcare sector, brands such as Himalaya have repositioned Ayurveda as modern yet traditional through clever marketing. BHMS colleges can emulate these strategies by creating digital campaigns on “doctors of the future,” collaborating with NEET coaching centres to reach potential students, and using visuals of modern infrastructure and real-world patient care.

Networking sustains talent pipelines across many sectors. Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), for example, nurtures engineering recruitment by maintaining campus networks, while WHO Collaborating Centres enhance credibility through international partnerships. For BHMS, similar efforts could involve affiliating with district hospitals for richer clinical training, partnering with homoeopathic pharmaceutical companies for internships, and building global ties with European and Latin American universities where homoeopathy enjoys recognition.

Management institutes thrive in part because they guarantee placements. ISB Hyderabad’s reputation rests as much on recruiter networks as on academic content. BHMS colleges can adopt similar practices by creating placement cells that link graduates to AYUSH clinics, wellness centres, and NGOs, while also training students for entrepreneurship in wellness clinics and teleconsultation platforms.

Corporate initiatives provide useful models for expanding access. Infosys and other firms have strengthened their brands by offering scholarships and skill development under CSR, while the Prime Minister’s Research Fellowship (PMRF) has made doctoral study more attractive. BHMS colleges could mirror these approaches by offering merit-cum-means scholarships, simplifying educational loans through bank tie-ups, and seeking CSR sponsorships for rural students.

Technology has transformed education marketing. Byju’s revolutionised outreach through storytelling and relatable content, while universities worldwide now attract applicants with YouTube vlogs of student life. BHMS institutions should adopt these tools by running YouTube channels that feature interactive teaching and community health camps, organising alumni webinars to highlight global opportunities, and developing Instagram stories that portray the “journey to becoming a healer.”

Finally, embedding a strong social mission can create enduring appeal. The Tata group and CMC Vellore illustrate how service-oriented branding strengthens identity and trust. BHMS colleges can draw on this lesson by positioning the degree as “medicine with compassion,” resonating with young people who aspire to a socially meaningful career.

Implementation Roadmap

The roadmap for addressing the current admissions crisis in BHMS education must be both phased and pragmatic, allowing regulators, universities, and institutions to respond to urgent challenges while laying the foundation for sustained reforms. In the short term, spanning the next 6 to 12 months, three key measures deserve priority attention. First, an annual admissions audit should be published by NCISM or the Ministry of AYUSH. This would not only document the number of vacant seats and their distribution across states and institutions but also provide transparency for policymakers, colleges, and the public. 

Such an audit, if widely circulated, can also help identify persistent vacancy hotspots and direct corrective interventions. Second, there is an urgent need to launch a Minimum Essential Standards (MES) remediation programme. Many institutions have failed inspections due to correctable deficiencies in faculty strength, hospital linkages, or infrastructure. A structured remediation programme, supported by conditional accreditation and mentorship from better-performing colleges, would help raise standards without abruptly denying admissions. Third, pilot projects for postgraduate (PG) seat expansions should be introduced in selected universities. By offering additional PG opportunities in homoeopathy, the system can immediately signal to prospective students that a BHMS degree is not the end of their academic journey but the beginning of multiple higher learning and career pathways.

In the medium term, within a horizon of 1 to 3 years, broader systemic reforms can be implemented. One such measure is dynamic seat reallocation, which would involve the use of real-time counselling analytics to shift unfilled seats across institutions, states, or even allied AYUSH streams. This mechanism, already practiced in some engineering and management admissions, would significantly reduce wastage of seats.

Alongside this, the establishment of national scholarship schemes for BHMS students could widen access and encourage capable students from disadvantaged backgrounds to consider homoeopathy as a viable professional pathway. Scholarships funded by government or CSR partnerships would not only improve affordability but also enhance the social legitimacy of the programme. Finally, curriculum reforms with interprofessional modules should be embedded in the training structure. By integrating exposure to public health systems, basic emergency medicine, and interprofessional collaboration with MBBS, BAMS, and allied health students, BHMS graduates would be better prepared for real-world healthcare settings, thereby strengthening both competence and employability.

To ensure accountability and track progress, a clear set of metrics must guide these interventions. Success should be measured through vacancy reduction rates across admission cycles, providing a direct indicator of demand recovery. The proportion of colleges achieving MES compliance would reflect improvements in institutional quality. Postgraduate enrolment growth would show whether expanded academic opportunities are successfully attracting aspirants. Public-sector placement rates could serve as a proxy for employability and societal integration of BHMS graduates. Finally, ongoing student satisfaction surveys and alumni tracking mechanisms would provide feedback loops, highlighting areas of strength and identifying challenges that require further policy attention.

Together, these phased actions—short-term interventions, medium-term systemic reforms, and clearly defined metrics—offer a comprehensive roadmap to revitalise BHMS admissions in India. They balance immediate corrective steps with long-term structural improvements, ensuring that reforms are not only reactive but also sustainable.

Limitations and Future Research

This synthesis relies on public data and press reports, which may underreport or regionalise issues. A comprehensive national study of enrolment patterns, student motivations, and graduate career trajectories is needed. Future research should integrate quantitative trends with qualitative interviews of students and employers.

Conclusion

Declining admissions to BHMS programmes in India is a multifactorial challenge rooted in regulatory changes, institutional gaps, and aspirational shifts among students. Evidence suggests that without intervention, vacancy rates will persist and the sector’s credibility will weaken.

Solutions must combine policy reforms (balanced NEET thresholds, institutional quality upgrades, expanded PG seats with institutional strategies such as branding, marketing, networking, and career support. By learning from successful models in education, healthcare, and industry, homoeopathic colleges can reposition themselves as credible, aspirational, and socially relevant institutions. With coordinated action, India can ensure that BHMS continues to attract motivated young people who wish to serve as compassionate, competent healers.

References

* AACCC. (2024). AYUSH Admissions Central Counselling Committee guidelines for UG counselling 2024–25. Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India.

* National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM). (2024, September 2). Directives for undergraduate counselling 2024–25. Government of India.

 

 

Blending Online Tools for Teaching Innovations

The emergence of COVID 19 pandemic has ushered in, a disruptive influence on our teaching practices, by compelling us to look beyond the conventional approaches to teaching - learning. Though a welcome development, there is a lurking risk of trivialisation of the potentially liberating option. The migration to digital platforms must be tempered with a thorough understanding of the digital approach to education management, and this includes both an incremental, and exponential shift in our mindset.

Online teaching can never be practiced by transporting the conventional practices on to the digital environment. It has to pass through the phases of adaptation by the teachers, students, and also the educational administrators.  It is not just the matter of infrastructure and financial investment, but also and more importantly the investment of passion, commitment, and smart work to create a sustainable blend of online and conventional educational practices.

The teachers must therefore be sufficiently trained in the understanding of the Strengths, Challenges, Opportunities, and Threats of the imminent normalisation of Blended Learning, and provided with the 'handholding' to cross the bridge. Universities have the responsibility for moderating this paradigm shift in the educational landscape. In this background, the RGUHS Academic & Administrative Training Institute (RAATI), a Capacity-Building Initiative of the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Karnataka has reinvented the Faculty Development Programs (FDPs) to include a Foundation Course in Educational Methodology Online (FCEM Online) as a new training vertical.

The training rolled out for the teachers of affiliated homeopathic colleges must emerge as a rallying point to bring about substantial academic investment. This must lead us to generation of learning resources with active contribution from every teacher. In this regard, I invite your opinions on this blog. We can use this as launchpad to explore the further horizons of possibilities.

Short course for AYUSH Teachers in Educational Methodology

Program objectives

The overall objective of the Short Course in Educational Methodology is to provide the healthcare system with qualified educators. The program focuses on the acquisition of knowledge and skills that are relevant to professional performance and career development in AYUSH education.

Who should attend this course?

Teachers in AYUSH Colleges affiliated to RGUHS, who wish to understand the principles of Educational Methodology and apply them in their teaching and evaluation practices.

Aim

To enable the teachers of AYUSH Colleges so as to apply the principles of Educational Methodology in their teaching and evaluation practices

At the end of the course, the participants will –

·         identify the learning needs of their students

·         demonstrate evidence of teaching skills

·         plan and design appropriate teaching – learning aids

·         design, plan and implement appropriate student assessment strategy

·         demonstrate evidence of the ability to provide evidence based advice to teachers, University committees or management of an AYUSH educational institution, the regulations of respective apex bodies

• act with integrity, fairness, and in an ethical manner.

Nature of Course Delivery

The three month course is envisaged on the Open and Distance Learning Mode. This model is increasingly preferred as strategy for Continuing Professional Development by various professional communities.

The course will be delivered on multiple platforms –

• distance learning through self-learning text
• embedded self assessment activities which will be tutor marked
• induction program to introduce the course and its implementation
• mentoring through e-mail from the academic hub
• contact programs to practice the relevant skills.

The course will be of three months duration with one Induction Program at the beginning of the course and tow Contact Programs, one at the end of six weeks each at the Academic Hub. The course will be delivered in a modular design.

Assessment

Assessment of the learners is done in three phases –

• Portfolio comprising of Self Assessment Activity, which is embedded as Assignments into the Self Learning Material,
• Individual and Group Tasks at the Contact Programs
• Microteaching presentation and Peer Review during the second Contact Program

On successful completion of the course, a Certificate will be awarded.

Course Details

Modules

Module 1: Basics of education

This module prepares you to understand the underlying principles that influence learning, thereby improving the teaching performance.

Specific objectives

At the end of this module, you will be able to –

o   Summarise adult learning principles

o   Describe stages of learning

o   Acknowledge differences in learning styles and their implication on educational practice

o   Discuss the  basic teaching model

o   Explain Miller’s Spiral of Education

o   Distinguish the characteristics of a ‘good teacher’

o   Justify the need for a formal course in educational methodology for better teacher performance

Contents

• Educational psychology with special reference to adult learning theories
• Stages and phases of learning
• Education as a system
• Basic teaching model
• Miller’s Educational Spiral
• Overview of teacher competencies
• Importance of training teachers in health professions

Module 2: Curriculum Management

Specific objectives

At the end of this module, you will be able to –

o   Describe the domains of educational taxonomy

o   Design course plan for Unit, Term and Year

o   Prepare a lesson plan

o   Present a micro teaching session

o   Peer review a micro teaching session

Contents

• n

• Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives
• Hierarchy of objectives
• Levels of objectives

• Course planning at annual, term and unit levels
• Lesson Planning
• Microteaching – principles of presentation and review

Module 3: Learning environment

Specific objectives

At the end of this module, you will be able to –

o   Demonstrate the effectively use, advantages and disadvantages of various TL methods

o   Relate TL Methods to various domains

o   Validate the importance of communication in TL context

o   Match TL Media to TL Methods

o   Identify domain specific TL Media

Contents

• Teaching – Learning Methods
• Educational Communication
• Teaching – Learning Media
• Preparing handouts, charts, PPT
• Advanced Teaching - Learning Resources

Module 4: Evaluation

Specific objectives

At the end of this module, you will be able to –

o   Discuss principles of evaluation

o   Choose assessment methods based on domains

o   Construct a Question Paper blueprint

o   Prepare questions for three categories of theory test – long essay, short essay and short answer

o   Recall principles of OSCE / OSPE

o   Conduct ‘good’ viva

Contents

• Principles of evaluation
• Forms of evaluation
• Characteristics of a test
• Matrix of evaluation and domains of learning
• Blue print for a question paper
• Improving Essay Type Questions
• Introduction to OSCE / OSPE
• Objective Structured Viva Voce / Viva Cards
• Question Banking and Answer Key

 

Reflections on Teachers' Day

It is an often heard comment that teaching is a noble profession. Noble could mean aristocratic, dignified, righteous, self-sacrificing among other things. On the whole, it gives a splash of elitism to the expression. Are we to assume that teachers are a distinct breed and all of them carry a homogenous trait of nobility?

Well if we reflect on to earlier times, teacher indeed was a rare entity in case we assume this type to include only those who teach how to read and write and the offshoots thereon. In this process have we not overlooked a huge swathe of professionals who guide their apprentices to learn the skill that they practice, e.g. a carpenter or potter? Are we open to accept that these professionals are carrying the halo of nobility around them?

This precisely is the crux of the issue. Elitism got attached to teachers of the ‘knowledge peddling’ variety and this genre was indeed a rarity in olden times as there was a class barrier to those who could openly acquire knowledge. To preserve this privileged status, many dimensions were added and the aura of nobility was fixed to it.

In this age of liberal and democratic polity, what is the relevance of ‘noble profession’? If we look deep into the characteristics of each profession – teacher, carpenter, doctor, driver, lawyer, brick layer, you name any; every profession has an exclusive body of knowledge and skill. The knowledge could be codified and explicit with the so-called ‘white collar’ professions and uncodified and implicit with the so-called ‘blue collar’ professions.

The white collared professionals command a special privilege in the social hierarchy for various reasons that include a power to negotiate favourable returns. Perhaps because of this, the tag of nobility hovers around them. The blue collared, who form a proletarian group have obvious disadvantageous of being in larger numbers and thus easy to pick and chose, which prevents them from developing a bargaining power except in rare occasions.

This again brings us back to the original question – is teaching a noble profession. I would prefer to add a tagline – should we think of a different model for teaching profession. If we have to break from the conventional and medieval brands and march ahead into the future, we also have to rethink on a variety of social constructs.

In this context, developing a skill based and value added model of teaching / training can hold key to many of the ills that plague education system. Education has to move out of the confines of elitist academies and get entrenched into the environs of practice. Experience has to feed ideas and innovations must generate from freedom to think and do. There are many anti-establishmentarian movements in education – a notable example being the concept that Ivan Illich popularised. In fact the concept of home schooling that is catching up as an alternative educational method and flipped classroom which is a reformative development within the conventional education system are examples of how the forces of change can impact our lives.

Do we teachers of the white collared variety have the openness to admit that winds of change are wafting across our ivory towers and we will one day or the other come under its spell.

Alternatives in homeopathy education

The purpose of sectoral education is to create avenues for the continuity of that sector. Homeopathy education is no different in this respect. The current system of homeopathy education was modelled after the Medical Council of India’s undergraduate education. This system has maintained status quo for the past many years. However, there is no record of any serious study to assess the impact of this course over the years.

An anecdotal review would reveal the current status of homeopathic practitioners for practicing homeopathic system of medicine. It is accepted fact that a sizeable number of homeopathy graduates gravitate away from homeopathic practice; something that is more notable in certain geographic locations in India. there are many lamentations in the professional circles, but little concrete measures to tackle this trend.

One of the factors that emerges from discussions with newly qualifying graduates is that there is sufficient knowledge of homeopathy and allied medical disciplines, appreciable level of clinical skills, but a rather low confidence to practice homeopathy among the young professionals from the geographic areas referred to earlier.

It is a serious identity crisis for any sector that finds its brand suffering low self esteem among its stakeholders. The solution to this crisis is preparing and implementing a major rebranding strategy. In this exercise, the strengths of the product / service has to be highlighted in the light of its relevance to society and the awareness of its simplicity in application should be created among its practitioners. Further, newer methods of presenting the product / service to its beneficiaries should be evolved.

Considering the above strategy, we need to look at homeopathy in its original form, devoid of the expectations that were heaped on over the centuries. An objective SWOT (Strength, Weakness, Opportunities and Threat) analysis of homeopathic practice would bring out the areas that we need to be focussing on, without being apologetic about anything. The frontier areas of healthcare services where homeopathy has strong and decisive role to play should for the core of training in homeopathic discipline.

We have a firmly established education system at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. To shake it up drastically might prove disastrous for the continuity of education system. Instead, it is better to experiment with an alternative in controlled environs and mainstream it gradually. I propose two suggestions for the experiment. These can be debated for further refinement.

1.      To start ‘Finishing Schools’, that would cater to honing the skills and attitude of newly qualified homeopathic graduates to provide the much needed confidence to practice homeopathy. The curriculum can build upon the strengths that are already acquired during their BHMS course. The content of this course could include communication skills, marketing skills, improving analytical skills for clinical decision making, etc. This course could be in the duration of three to six months. The participants in this course will have some didactic learning in new areas like business development, social leadership, etc. There could be clinical case discussions – both in the clinic / ward / community and in the discussion room. This can improve the clinical decision making skills. It is also a good idea to run it along with the internship, without affecting the requirements of CCH / University for completion of the internship program.

 2.      This is an elaborate system, which can provide an alternative to the existing PG programs. We can model it after the DNB program in modern medicine. The Centres of Excellence identified by Government of India, Regional Research Institutes of the CCRH, reputed homeopathic hospitals, recognised homeopathic colleges that have superfluous capacity (beyond the minimum required by the statutory bodies) can be the nodes for conducting this program. There need not be a fixed syllabus for teaching, rather a set of clearly defined learning objectives in cognitive, psychomotor and affective domains of educational taxonomy. There could be courses of study in the core homeopathic areas and also in the frontier areas of clinical disciplines (as trandisciplinary stuies)

 Entrance for this course may be through a national entrance test. During the two or three years of rigorous training there shall be continuous monitoring by way of portfolio comprising of case records, group discussions, seminars, symposia, journal clubs, articles in peer reviewed journals, etc. At the end of the course, the participant is evaluated for the attainment of the learning objectives that are listed for the course. There shall be a 360⁰ evaluation – theoretical, clinical, attitudinal – by internal faculty, external board comprising of homeopathic professionals (and other professionals too in case of a transdisciplinary course of study), self evaluation, peer evaluation and evaluation by the stakeholders (i.e., patients).

 Certification for the course may be given in collaboration with the Indira Gandhi National Open University, which is pioneering innovative education. There need not be any stand off with regulatory authorities as these courses in their experimental form are not tipped to vest registration to practice (in fact there is no scope for confrontation, as those enrolling for the course already have their registration).

There is a scope for ushering in innovation in homeopathic education. But there has to be guarded optimism while planning this. The success of this program will depend on framing of the courses, selection of hubs for training, selection of the internal and external faculty. If guidelines are framed for transparency of actions and if they are implemented impartially and rigorously, there is likelihood of this program succeeding. 

Outline of Workshop to review the newly gazetted curriculum for Homeopathy Postgraduaion

Purpose

• To design a curriculum for the MD (Hom) courses as per the revised ordnance dated 5^th March 2012

Objectives

Organise a workshop, so as to –

• Discuss the amendments that are gazetted
• Brainstorm on the strengths and weaknesses of the proposed syllabus
• Identify areas that need to be clarified for a realistic implementation of the syllabus in the affiliated homeopathic institutions
• Indicate objectives for the teaching – learning of the major and subsidiary subjects
• Develop interdisciplinary objects of learning for the subsidiary subjects under each of the major subject
• Provide parameters for formative evaluation of learners during the course of study
• Suggest scheme of summative evaluation
• Design the curriculum for implementation in the affiliated homeopathic institutions

Program

• Inauguration of the workshop
• Introduction to the purpose of workshop
• Participants getting to know each other
• The NASA Exercise: Lost on the Moon
• Introduction to curriculum designing
• Group work on Curriculum Designing
• Plenary presentation by each group followed by discussion
• Documentation of the Curriculum
• Vote of thanks