Introduction
India faces a critical shortage of psychiatrists, with only 0.4 psychiatrists compared to 14/100000 population in Western countries, leading to underdiagnosis of mental health disorders. This underdiagnosis results in significant increases in morbidity, mortality, and economic burden. To address this pressing issue, the British Indian Psychiatric Association (BIPA) initiated the Educational Link Project in partnership with Seth GS Medical College (GSMC) in Mumbai and Mysore Medical College.
The Problem: A Gap in Psychiatric Care
The prevalence of major psychiatric disorders in India is comparable to global rates, yet a significant proportion of patients with mental illness remain undiagnosed. This is largely attributed to the lack of mental health history taken by general practitioners. Moreover, India faces a substantial deficit of psychiatrists, hindering access to specialized care. The variable quality of undergraduate psychiatric education further exacerbates the issue.
The BIPA Educational Link Project
To bridge this gap, the BIPA Educational Link Project was established. The project aimed to enhance psychiatric education among medical students by:
Improving psychiatric knowledge, skills, and attitudes.
Developing a standardized psychiatric curriculum.
Enhancing teaching methodologies through training and resource sharing.
The increasing involvement of senior clinicians in psychiatric education.
Project Implementation
A cornerstone of the project was a "train-the-trainer" workshop conducted at GSMC and Mysore Medical College. This equipped faculty members with the tools and knowledge to deliver effective psychiatric education. Building on this foundation, faculty collaborated to develop a psychiatric curriculum incorporating interactive teaching methods such as problem-based and self-directed learning. Assessment strategies were implemented to evaluate student learning, including extended matching items and observed structured clinical examinations. Ongoing support and mentorship were provided to faculty to sustain improvements in teaching and learning.
Â
Impact and Challenges
The project successfully enhanced psychiatric education, improving student knowledge, skills, and attitudes. It also strengthened collaboration between medical schools in Mumbai and Mysore. However, challenges such as resource constraints and competing priorities led to a temporary pause in the project.
Â
Key Achievements
Improved psychiatric knowledge and skills among participating medical students.
Enhanced collaboration between medical schools in Mumbai and Mysore.
Photos of Workshop in Mumbai, India
Photos of Workshop in Mysore, India
Development of a foundational framework for a standardized psychiatric curriculum.
Â
Future Directions
Leveraging technological advancements and building upon the project's foundation, we aim to relaunch the initiative with a renewed focus on creating comprehensive lesson plans for key areas of undergraduate psychiatric education. We can expand the project's reach and impact by establishing formal partnerships with medical colleges across India.
Â
Call to Action
Are you a psychiatric trainee, established psychiatrist, or educator passionate about improving undergraduate medical education in India, particularly in psychiatry?
The BIPA Educational Link Project seeks your expertise and collaboration to develop high-quality curriculum materials and significantly improve psychiatric education in India. By joining our team, you can make a significant impact on the mental health of future generations.
To express your interest or learn more, please contact:
Dr Sridevi Sira Mahalingappa
Email: bipateamuk@gmail.com
Â
Acknowledgements
We want to express our sincere gratitude to the BIPA members who contributed to this project:
BIPA team faculty involved in educational link project in Mumbai
Project Lead: Prof Subodh Dave
Team members
Dr Mary Wheatcroft
Dr Ramanathan Ganapathy
Dr Vijender Balain
Dr Kavita Das
Dr Sridevi Sira Mahalingappa
Â
BIPA team faculty involved in educational link project in Mysore
Project Lead: Prof Subodh Dave
Team members
Dr Somashekara Shivashankar,
Dr Mary Wheatcroft,
Dr Rehan Siddiquee.
Dr Sridevi Sira Mahalingappa
BIPA wishes to thank
Prof. Parkar, Head of Dept. of Psychiatry, Seth GSMC;
Prof. Ajita Nayak, A/Prof. Jahanvi Kedare and other staff and residents of GSMC,
Dr Raveesh B N, Professor & Head, Dept. of Psychiatry, for hosting the workshop.
BIPA also wishes to thank Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust for their unstinting
support to the project.