Medical Colleges told to strictly comply with Faculty Development Programme Guidelines

New Delhi: Referring to the composition of the Medical Education Unit (MEU) and Curriculum Committee in terms of faculty, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has directed all medical colleges to strictly comply with its guidelines on the Faculty Development Programme.

This comes after the apex medical regulator observed that many medical colleges have resorted to keeping the same faculty in their Medical Education Unit (MEU) and the Curriculum Committee (CC).

To this, the NMC pointed out that this practice defies the guidelines on the matter and the purpose of faculty development programs.

Shambhu Sharan Kumar, the Director of the Undergraduate Medical Education Board of the NMC, hence, issued a notice recently to all the medical colleges, institutes, Nodal Centres and Regional Centres specifying the aim of the NMC norms on the Faculty Development Programme. The NMC has further warned the institutes to rectify the concerned errors failure to which permissions for Basic Course in Medical Education (BCME) and Curriculum Implementation Support Programme (CISP) will not be given.

The NMC notification mentions:

(i) The Curriculum Committee (CC) is to ensure implementation and monitoring of curriculum at their colleges, Conduct of CISP, Time table scheduling etc. whereas the Medical Education Unit (MEU) is to focus on training support, Conduct of BCME and other in-house training of faculty.

(ii) The only common member/ appointment permitted in both MEU and CC are Dean/Principal and Convener / MEU Coordinator.

(iii) AII Medical colleges are instructed to strictly follow guidelines on the constitution of MEU and CC issued vide Circular No. D 11011/343/2023/Academic cell dated 22nd Mar 2023. Conveners of Nodal centres and Regional centres are requested to ensure this amongst their allocated colleges.

“Till the above is rectified, no permissions for BCME/ CISP III shall be issued by Academic cell, UGMEB,” the NMC warned while issuing a rider for medical colleges that came into operation in the year 2019 or later. These medical colleges have been directed to set up their medical education units and curriculum committee at the earliest.

“However an exemption to the above, for a period of 1 year (till 31st Jul 2024), is granted to those medical colleges that are established in 2019 or later. Such colleges are also advised to make up their MEU and CC as per guidelines at the earliest.”

Moreover, the NMC has also clarified on the number of faculty that can undergo training sessions of the Basic Course in Medical Education (BCME) and Curriculum Implementation Support Programme (CISP). As an interim measure, the NMC has allowed 25 per cent of the BCME and CISP training sessions to be taken mutually by the faculty from Medical Education Units and Curriculum Committees.

“Keeping in view the large number of faculty in medical colleges that has to undergo FDP, it is clarified that up to 25% of training sessions of BCME and CISP III may be taken by faculty from MEU and CC mutually. This is only an interim measure till 31st Jan 2024.”

On 22nd March this year, the NMC released the general guidelines for Faculty Development Program. The norms laid down the Financial Aspects/ Budget Provisions for Faculty Development Programs, Guidelines for the composition of MEU and Curriculum committee of Medical Colleges, Guidelines for the conduct of Basic Course of Medical Education (BCME), MEU information format for FDP proposal, Curriculum Committee information format for FDP proposal, List of participants for FDP, Guidelines for NMC appointed Coordinator of FDP, Convener's/ Coordinator report format for BCME, CISP III Guidelines, CISP III Program, Convener's report format for CISP III, Coordinator report format for CISP III, and Feedback form for CISP III participants.

On the composition of Medical Education Units and Curriculum Committees at medical colleges, the NMC guidelines specified the following:

GUIDELINES ON COMPOSITION OF MEU AND CURRICULUM COMMITTEE OF MEDICAL COLLEGES -

The Curriculum Committee (CC) shall ensure implementation and monitoring of curriculum at their colleges e.g. conduct of CISP, timetable scheduling etc. The Medical Education Unit (MEU) shall of a medical college focused on training support e.g. conduct of BCME and other in-house training of faculty.

Constitution of Curriculum Committee in a Medical College:

The Curriculum Committee of a medical college shall consist of -

1. Dean/Principal cum Professor (Department). — Chairman of the Committee.

2. MEU coordinator

3. 01 x Professor/ Associate Professor - Pre-clinical branch.

4. 01 x Professor/ Associate Professor - Para-clinical branch.

5. 01 x Professor/ Associate Professor - Medicine and allied branch.

6. 01 x Assistant Professor with a minimum of 5 years teaching experience in Medicine and allied branch.

7. 01 x Professor/ Associate Professor - General Surgery and allied branch.

8. 01 x Assistant Professor with a minimum of 5 years of teaching experience

9. General Surgery and allied branch.

10. Student representative from Phase III.

All Curriculum Committee members including the Principal / Dean should have undergone the MCl / NMC revised Basic Course Workshop in MET or Basic Course in Medical Education (BCME) at their allocated Nodal Centre (NC)/ Regional Centre (RC).*

Note: If they are not already trained at NC/RC, they must get trained within 06 months on a priority basis.

Curriculum Committee Members should also possess the additional qualification of ACME/ FAIMER/ MHPE/ Dip Med Ed.etc as specified.

"There should be a quarterly meeting of CC in the colleges every year and the report shall be submitted to the respective NC/RC within a month of the meeting. Conveners of NC/RC shall forward a consolidated report to Academic cell, UGMEB every quarter and highlight any issues of concern in the allocated colleges," read the circular.

Constitution of Medical Education Unit (MEU) in a Medical College –

NMC mentioned that the Officer-in-charge of the Medical Education Unit will be the Dean/Principal of the Medical College or /Vice-chancellor of the University. MEU Coordinator should be of the rank of Professor/ Associate Professor. The Coordinator should continue for a minimum of 03 (Three) years. For any change in Coordinator, if required thereafter, prior approval of NMC shall be taken.

MEU Coordinator must have undergone MCI/NMC rBCW or BCME at the allocated NC/RC and MCI/NMC Advance Course in Medical Education (ACME), or any other additional qualification like M. Med, MHPE, Diploma in Medical Education, FAIMER Fellowship, or IFME, clarified the Commission.

(Note: A waiver of additional qualification of A1ME/FAIMER etc is granted till 31st January 2024)

MEU shall consist of a Minimum of 08 faculty and a Maximum of 14 faculty, including all cadres of full-time faculty (out of which the number of Assistant Professors shall not exceed 50% of the total) with the following qualifications –

a. Have undergone rBCW or BCME at the allocated Nodal / Regional Centre

b. It shall also be ensured that MEU faculty so appointed must continue for a minimum of 03 (Three) years. Any change prior to this shall only be permitted if the MEU faculty have retired/left the college. For any change in MEU faculty, prior approval of the Convener of allocated NC/ RC shall be taken. A record shall be maintained at NC/RC and can be asked by the Academic Cell, UGMEB at any time for verification.

c. At least 50% of faculty (minimum 04) should have received additional educational qualifications or training: i.e. MCI/NMC Advance Course in ME (ACME) at Nodal Centre, or any other additional qualification like M. Med, MHPE, Diploma in Medical Education, FAIMER Fellowship or IFME.

('Note: A waiver of additional qualification of ACME/FAIMER etc. is granted till 31st January 2024. However, it should be the responsibility of the Principal/Dean and MEU) coordinator to enrol members into required courses on priority).

Support Staff shall be as per requirement. However, the college shall ensure that a minimum of 02 Support Staff (01 x Clerk, 01 X helper/ peon) are available with MEU at all times.

The circular also stated that the MEU library should have books on medical education (minimum 10 titles as hard copies, not older than previous 02 editions/10 years) and books should be relevant to MEU activities. The MEU should have access (print or web) to at least two of the following journals –

a. Medical Teacher

b. Medical education

c. Academic Medicine

d. The Clinical Teacher

e. BMC medical education

f. The National Medical Journal of India

As per the circular, the Medical Education Unit is to be housed in a designated area. The area measurements should be as per regulations. The main area/hall should accommodate around 40 persons in a workshop format with proper seating facilities and should have the following minimum number of equipment –

a. Multimedia PCs, internet-enabled, with colour Monitors: 02

b. Multimedia projector: 02

c. Screen for projection: 01

d. Scanner + printer + copier : 01

e. Laptop: 01

f. Flip chart / White-boards: 06

g. PA system with cordless mikes and Collar mikes: 02 + O2

ln addition, there should be availability of –

a. High-speed broadband with 3Oombps speed with two high-resolution cameras - one facing faculty and another facing the entire participants to enable linking of live sessions of the workshop or webinars with colleges under RC/NC.

b. Facility for recording and storing all MEU workshops in online LMS as well as with storage in their own MEU.

c. Digital photography.

d. Video-editing facility in a soundproof room.

MEU can be assessed/inspected at any time by NC/RC/NMC.

To view the NMC notification, Click here

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