Article type :

Original article

Author :

Jugal Kishore

Volume :

3

Issue :

2

Abstract :

Background: Role of medical education at the undergraduate level hasbeenconsidered of utmost importance as it sows the seeds on which the foundations of a budding doctor are built. Need of the public health competencies among medical graduates is important because these will enable them to provide primary healthcare to the community. Aims and Objectives: To identify various competenciesthat are needed in community medicine and to assess the competencies developed among undergraduate medical students after field posting in community medicine. Methodology: 30 faculty members across the country were sent an open-ended questionnaire to list out core competencies needed for undergraduate medical studentsin communitymedicine. On the basis of competencieslistsuggestedby faculty members, a self-appraisal questionnaire was designed and distributed to students studying in 4/5 semester and 6/7 semester and also to one batch of students after completion of field posting in community medicine in a medical college in New Delhi. During the study period, a total of three batches were covered where 118 students from 4/5 semesters and 109 students from 6/7 semesters completed their questionnaires. Allstudents who had completed their questionnaires were included in the study and for analysis. Fromone batch consisting of 38 students of 7 semester,preand post-field posting competencies were assessed. Findings: Communitymedicine teachers expressed thatfollowing competenciesshould be present in a doctor when he orshe completes undergraduate course: management (100%), health assessment of the population and determinants of health and disease (93.3%), communication and counselling (83.3%), concept andapplicationofprevention of diseases (83.3%), etc. There was no significant difference in 4/5 and 6/7 semester students in skills acquired in community medicine except smear preparation and categorization of TB patients. Some of the competencies like smear preparation, TB patient categorization, plotting growth chart, water chlorination and diet planning of a malnourished child improved during the postings. Conclusions: The skills suggested by experts in the field need to be integrated in the curriculumplanning forschedulesforteaching. The postingsshould focus on providing essential skills to students in the field so that the students learn actively about the primary healthcare services. Efforts should be made for improve all skills among students.