QMed can definitely become redundant (at least in its current Avtaar), in the not too distant future. This – if every institution teaching health science courses has librarians and faculty who can teach the skills of literature searching and referencing. They will need to teach these in depth and mentor students for these activities. This simply must happen if we aim for the highest in education, research and practice.
First, a large number of health science students and professionals have to go through these courses. From these, will emerge future teachers who make them better and better with time.
To make it possible for every institution to have its students, and employees learn these skills, we have our courses available online. We have made them suitable for students, faculty and employees of all health sciences – medical, nursing, laboratory and all other courses.
- The courses are excellent. One year of a constant feedback score of 9/10 on four parameters endorses this
- They are low priced – so that there are no budgetary constraints for an institution. And we can raise the money needed to sustain them – when a large number of institutions in India subscribes
- They are easy to go through and finish. Short videos to learn in bytes on a daily basis, accessible on a mobile device or a computer; a whole year to finish them. We have ensured that time is not a challenge.
- Online quizzes encourage in-depth learning. So do discussion groups and mentoring methods built in.
How can various bodies and individuals help us become redundant?
- We urge the Commissions and Councils to ensure that learning these skills are part of the curriculum. To start with, they need not even be clubbed with the exam oriented subjects, but there should be a compulsion to finish the courses.
- We urge the Universities of Health Sciences to mandate that every institution subscribes to our courses. And that someone in every department ensures that every individual in the department makes the effort to finish the courses. Let every institution come up with innovative ways to encourage maximum number of learners to complete the learning. And thus create future teachers in this field. Especially librarians
- We urge individuals who are not attached to an institution, enroll and learn.
Marcus Tullius Cicero (Roman Philosopher) talked about The Six Mistakes of Man. In his list, Mistake #5 is “Neglecting development and refinement of the mind and not acquiring the habit of reading and study”
The author Wayne Dyer elaborates upon this further as: It seems that when we have finished our formal schooling, we have completed our development of the mind. We have adopted the cradle of reading and studying for the purpose of taking the examination and earning a merit badge in the form of a diploma or an advanced degree. Once the certificate is in hand, the need to study and refine the mind is terminated.
Health professionals certainly do not stop learning after their certification. For them it is life long learning. They keep updating themselves. How can they do this best? Through the skills we teach. By finding the best of literature through proper searching methods. By which they save precious time. They retrieve the most relevant articles. Importantly they get evidence and create evidence.
This, instead of searching using generic keywords and making do with what appears in the first 2-3 pages of the results, as is happening now with a majority.
Shall we move on towards this? QMed urges the following bodies to take our courses on a high priority.
- The National Medical Commission
- Dental Council of India
- Indian Nursing Council
- All related bodies in the health sciences that deal with any field of education in the health sciences
- The Universities of Health Sciences
Partner with us to develop national expertise. Let us together elevate Indian research and in turn pave the way for better healthcare! We at QMed have the courage to become redundant. Will you – whether you are an individual or an institution – help us and yourself?
References:
- Wayne Dyer. Wisdom of the Ages: 60 Days to Enlightenment. p21,23-24
- Stephen MR Covey. The Speed of Trust. p.51
