Medical Schools And Health For All

Abstract

Undergraduate medical education in this country still emulates the pattern that has been evolved in the West. Timely, fundamental reorientation in health services and health manpower education is now mandatory if improvement in health parameters are to be achieved by the end of this century. India with its rural located population has its task identified for itself. Primary Health Care provides an excellent edifice around which health manpower and service developments can be planned. Medical Education is no longer a departmental function and needs to be directed towards task oriented, competency based education using delivery of primary health care as the goal. This calls for a discipline of Primary Care within Medical Colleges. This approach can be introduced on experimental scale in the first instance. Preparation of Model training manuals should be undertaken.