AI, Digital healthcare to transform medical education standards: NMC Chairman
Andhra Pradesh: NMC Chairman Dr Abhijat Sheth recently mentioned that AI, digital health and advanced technology will strengthen medical education, streamline accreditation and reduce counselling delays.
He announced that medical colleges will now be allowed under the PPP model, including for-profit institutions, and that clinical research will be made a mandatory part of the curriculum, with AI supporting- not replacing- doctors.
Addressing the media on Wednesday, National Medical Commission (NMC) Chairman Dr Abhijat Chandrakant Sheth, along with NTR University of Health Sciences Vice-Chancellor Dr P Chandrasekhar, stated that artificial intelligence, digital healthcare, and cutting-edge technology will enhance the standards of medical education.
NMC's objective is to adapt to the changes taking place in the teaching system and make medical education accessible to ordinary families. The aim is also to simplify the process of granting accreditation to medical colleges and prevent delays in counseling for admissions to medical colleges.
One plan is to improve the quality of medical education by making clinical research mandatory and introducing new PhD specialty and subspecialty courses. Earlier, the Chairman had met with Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and discussed issues related to medical education.
According to a DeccanChronicle media news report, the Chairman said, "We are allowing medical education under the public-private partnership model, where private institutions can open such medical colleges with or without a profit motive." This was a departure from the previous practice, where only non-profit organizations were allowed to establish such institutions.
The PPP model was being successfully implemented in Gujarat.
Meanwhile, Medical Dialogues had recently reported that NMC Chairperson and NBEMS President Dr Abhijat Sheth recently pointed out that artificial intelligence will play an important role in healthcare but cautioned against over-dependence on it, stressing that AI must complement, not replace doctors and should never compromise ethical or clinical values.
He was referring to the free AI course launched by NBEMS, which aims to familiarise undergraduate and postgraduate trainees with AI applications while reinforcing responsible and ethical use.
NMC has reportedly approved, in principle, the integration of clinical research into the core medical curriculum. The move will make research training a mandatory part of medical education and assessment, supported by collaborations with ICMR, IISc and IITs, to strengthen evidence-based practice and build a strong culture of clinical research in India.
