Medical education conference: Over 60 principals share experiences

Teachers need to focus on self-directed learning, peer mentoring and work-based learning.

KARACHI:

More than 60 principals and deans of medical colleges across Pakistan have arrived to exchange ideas and experiences on the learning continuum at a two-day conference organised by the Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS).

The chief guest was the dean of the Aga Khan University, Dr Farhat Abbas, who stressed the teaching and training of students to help them cope with the demands of healthcare in the future. This has to be done by improving the curriculum of undergraduate medical education. Teachers must move beyond formal, structured activities by using self-directed learning, peer mentoring and work-based learning. DUHS Vice Chancellor Prof. Masood Hameed Khan spoke of how many colleges across Pakistan are implementing curricular reforms. Medical educators should try to situate faculty development in a more global context and collaborate with international colleagues in the transformation of medical education and health care delivery.

Dow Medical College Principal Prof. Junaid Ashraf said that as a part of a capacity-building component of the conference, time will be dedicated to hands-on workshops where faculty will get the chance to practice educationally relevant and important topics.

In the plenary session held earlier, several reputed local and international doctors and professors spoke on the accountability of academic institutions of health sciences, evidence for admission criteria and capacity-building for health education.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 31^st, 2011.