Dear friends,
We did it! In early April, we launched the "Friends of QMed" program. And we are happy to share that three individuals have already signed up for this program. One premier institution in Chennai has already shown very keen interest in the institutional partnership. Something unique about the program is that indivdiuals donate for our cause and in turn will receive any help that we can provide. Do check out more details in the "Just for You" section.
We are keen to get the MCI's support for our Friends of QMed program. In their recent document - "Vision 2015", they have mentioned two things - i) A medical student should be able to search (including through electronic means), and critically evaluate the medical literature and apply the information in the care of the patient (Page 18) and ii) MCI also needs to develop an electronic resources library that can be made available to all physicians at a reasonable cost. (Page 35). Both these components are part of QMed's plan in the Friends of QMed program. We plan to offer our expertise so that they will have people they can rely on to achieve these two areas of their Vision 2015 document!
This month QMed is also offering support to Medicon 2011 (the Undergraduate Research Conference). Medicon is organized every year under the banner of INFORMER - a body of UG students keenly interested in Research. This year it is at the Grant Medical College, Mumbai. We at QMed, feel privileged to help the group of students which is striving hard to make the conference a success, with support form the college authorities. I hope that with the MCI's new announcement, and with bodies like INFORMER and QMed, and of course several academicians who always offer support to such bodies and activities, the goals of the Vision 2015 document are achieved.
The "Article of this month" is on the importance of systematic reviews - a short and very interesting editorial. I'd also like to thank Dr. Urmila Thatte of KEM Hospital for sharing a set of medical quotes that I can use in QMedCONNECT.
Vasumathi Sriganesh