NMC releases Curriculum guidelines for 77 PG, SS courses, Complete Details here

Thus, the guidelines, which have been course-wise uploaded on the NMC's official website, will be mandatory teaching-learning material for all medical colleges and students.

"The National Medical Commission, through Subject Expert Groups, has prepared GUIDELINES FOR COMPETENCY-BASED POSTGRADUATE TRAINING PROGRAMME for various broad and super speciality subjects. These Guidelines have been scrutinized by the Reconciliation Board cum Expert Group of NMC and are uploaded on NMC Website. These guidelines will be mandatory teaching-learning material for all institutions/colleges under NMC," the NMC notification stated.

Competency-based Medical Education provides an effective outcome-based strategy where various domains of teaching including teaching-learning methods and assessment form the framework of competencies.

Keeping this objective as the core ingredient covering all three domains of learning (Cognitive, Affective & Psychomotor), the NMC has uploaded Guidelines for Competency-based PG training programme for 30 MD, 6 MS, 19 PG Diploma, 15 DM and 7 MCh specializations.

"The purpose of PG education is to create specialists who would provide high-quality health care and advance the cause of science through research & training, " the NMC stated in the guidelines adding that the guidelines have been framed to "provide teachers and learners illustrative guidelines to achieve defined outcomes through learning and assessment. This document was prepared by various subject content specialists. The Reconciliation Board of the Academic Committee has attempted to render uniformity without compromise to purpose and content of the document. Compromise in purity of syntax has been made in order to preserve the purpose and content. This has necessitated retention of "domains of learning" under the heading "competencies"."

The norms laid down for each specialisation define learning objectives, subject-specific competencies in cognitive, affective and psychomotor domains, and understanding of various spectrums of patient care.

The guidelines further prescribe a suggested time frame for training the PG Students, syllabus, teaching and learning methods, and assessment process.

Skill Labs:

During the training programme, patient safety is of paramount importance; therefore, skills are to be learnt initially on the models, later to be performed under supervision followed by performing independently; for this purpose, the provision of skills laboratories in medical colleges has been made mandatory.

Assessment and Monitoring:

The various domains of competence are assessed in an integrated, coherent, and longitudinal fashion with the use of multiple methods and the provision of frequent and constructive feedback. The habit of mind and behaviour, acquisition and application of knowledge and skills, communication, professionalism, clinical reasoning and judgment in uncertain situations, teamwork, practice-based learning and improvement and systems-based practice are assessed.

During the training, Formative assessment will be continual and should assess medical knowledge, patient care, procedural & academic skills, interpersonal skills, professionalism, self-directed learning and ability to practice in the system.

General Principles specify that Internal Assessment will be frequent, cover all domains of learning and used to provide feedback to improve learning; it should also cover professionalism and communication skills. The Internal Assessment will be conducted in theory and practical/clinical examination.

Quarterly assessment during the training should be based on:

1. Journal-based / recent advances in learning

2. Patient-based/Laboratory or Skill-based learning

3. Self-directed learning and teaching

4. Departmental and interdepartmental learning activity

5. External and Outreach Activities / CMEs

The student is to be assessed periodically as per categories listed in the postgraduate student appraisal form.

At the end of the course, the summative examination would be carried out as per the Rules given in Postgraduate Medical Education Regulations, PGMER 2000.

The following table consists of the course-wise competency-based PG training guidelines for MD, MS, PG Diploma, DM and MCh subjects. The students and various stakeholders can check out the same by clicking on the respective links of the particular PG and SS courses.

To view the official NMC notification, Click here