With the approval for this integration, NMC has now cleared a key proposal aimed at strengthening students' aptitude for clinical research and boosting a robust research-oriented medical education framework in communicable, non-communicable diseases, blindness, diabetes, andother metabolic and haematological disorders; mental health research and drug research.
Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that aiming to promote indigenous innovations in medical devices and medicines, the National Medical Commission (NMC) had announced introducing a PhD programme and bolstering clinical research, in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). The Chairman of the Apex Medical Commission, Dr. Abhijat Sheth recently made this announcement at the 3rd convocation of Bhaikaka University in Karamsad, Anand.
Also Read: NMC, ICMR to soon launch PhD programme, boost clinical research: Dr Abhijat Sheth
As per the latest media report by Education Times, the NMC BoG has now approved the integration of ICMR principles into the MBBS, MD, MS, and PhD medical programmes. With this step, the Commission aims to elevate the scope of clinical and biomedical research among UG medical students and enable India to strengthen its medical research ecosystem and drive innovation-led healthcare solutions, NMC Chairperson, Dr. Sheth told the Daily.
"The NMC was waiting for a nod from the Board to embed ICMR principles into the medical curriculum for a long time. With the approval finally being granted, the integration of ICMR principles into the curricula marks only the first step. Going forward, the NMC will constitute a dedicated committee to deliberate and draft a framework outlining how clinical research components can be systematically introduced across various medical courses," he added.
The committee, set up for this purpose, will conprise of prominent doctors and a NITI Aayog member and it will integrate the research component into the curriculum, which will involve developing a strong research ecosystem and labs governed by ICMR.
Apart from this, the students will also develop a research orientation- not only theoritical but also having a practical component in real-world research settings. Dr. Sheth said, "Once the curricula are finalised and updated, all medical colleges will be required to implement them. The objective is to expand the scope of clinical and biomedical research across institutions by equipping students with the skills and aptitude to think critically and innovate, thereby shaping and strengthening modern medicine through field-driven innovations."
Currently, under the existing Competency-Based Medical Education (CBME) framework, NMC prioritises key outcomes such as scientific reasoning, analytical thinking, and research literacy.
Commenting on this, Dr. Sheth added, "Although research components are already part of the curriculum, efforts are underway to reinforce them by incorporating ICMR principles."
Previously, the Commission had made it mandatory for postgraduate resident doctors and faculty members to complete a basic course in Biomedical Research, developed in collaboration with institutions such as the ICMR-National Institute of Epidemiology.
The said online course is delivered via SWAYAM and it covers conceptualising research, planning and conducting studies, and analytical/statistical methods, thereby giving a structured foundation in clinical research.
Also Read: NMC tells medical colleges to disseminate, utilise ICMR's Standard Treatment Workflows for doctor training
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