Radical changes needed in medical education: Harsh Vardhan

New Delhi, Aug 20 (PTI) Union minister Harsh Vardhantoday said that there is "degeneration" in medical educationin the country and stressed on the need for its "radicaloverhauling" with due emphasis on ethics. "Radical changes are needed in medical education today aswere needed 15-20 years ago. Students need to be shown theright path, taught the right ethics, while they are stillin college. "Unfortunately, it is not happening, including in thecollege that I went to. Instead of revolution, what I find isthere is degeneration (in medical education)," he claimed. Speaking at the 35th Founder’s Day of the National HeartInstitute (NHI) here, the Union Science and TechnologyMinister also suggested a short term programme, in whichmedical students can visit IITs and engineering students canvisit medical institutions to exchange knowledge. "Having worked in science and technology field as aminister, I believe joint application of minds of a doctor andan engineer should find solution for problems of the society,"he said. The former Union health minister rued the "extremeshortage" of doctors in the country, and said, "Even when Ivisit AIIMS, I feel it does not have the same quality ofteachers that we used to have in our student days." Addressing the audience earlier, NHI CEO and ChiefCardiac Surgeon O P Yadava said, "It has been a tumultuousjourney over the last 35 years. We have seen the ups, but wealso had our fair share of travails and rejections." The NHI has recently signed an MoU with the Uttarakhandgovernment to set up a tertiary care centre for angiographyand angioplasty in Almora, he added. Professor Emeritus, Neurosurgery at AIIMS, P N Tandon,delivered the ‘National Heart Oration’ on the occasion andalso lamented "the fall in the quality of medical education"in the country, saying a radical change is needed. PTI KND ENMNSD