Eyeworld

EW INTERNATIONAL 76 June 2015 by Matt Young EyeWorld Contributing Writer cal knowledge that is associated with treating the patients, and it only comes from complete practice." From 'nothing less than strict' to rural dispatchment Srinivas Talari, MS, Nayana Eye Hospital, Hyderabad, India, de- scribed test after test to make his way through medical education. Even with international school types, degrees and standards being different, Dr. Talari's exact words give a hint of the intensity of Indian medical education. "After entrance into the MS Ophthalmology, which is a 3-year course, every 6 months there is an internal examination, and after 3 years, there is a final examination— both theoretical and practical," he said. "In both theory and practical, there is a 50% cutoff to pass the examination, which is not easy to obtain. After MBBS, I followed the criteria for the Post Gradua- tion Common Entrance Test. The competition is very high in that test with very limited clinical seats. Once the test is cleared and counseling conducted by the government, we can go for an MS or MD. It may be variable in different countries, but I consider that certification criteria in India is nothing less than strict." While in ophthalmology school, "we have to work in rural areas," journal published a scholarly article about it in 2013 titled "Attendance and achievement in medicine: investigating the impact of atten- dance policies on academic perfor- mance of medical students." The study, which took place at Melaka Manipal Medical College, Manipal, India, compared students with 75% and 90% attendance, and found that attendance policy was directly related to the students who passed the university exam. "Reducing absenteeism probably contributed to the improved aca- demic performance of the students," the study found. "But the link between attendance and best and worst performances could not be predicted because of small numbers in every batch." Medical schools there also go to great lengths to provide unbiased examinations, Dr. Harish said. "The practical examinations are conducted in the supervision of pro- fessors from different parts of India," he said. "They don't take the same staff from the university or college. They assess our complete knowledge in the field without any partiality." Dr. Harish applauded the rigor. "It's not right to have inade- quate training in order to become an ophthalmologist," Dr. Harish said. "A physician should be aware of ev- ery aspect of practical and theoreti- Three junior residents from India and an official from the Philippines share their thoughts on education and other topics O phthalmologists around the world experience dif- ferent methods of medical education and procedures in obtaining certification. Three ophthalmologists, all junior residents, discussed the topic in an interview with EyeWorld at the All India Ophthalmological Conference in New Delhi in February. Their thoughts, along with those of a board secretary in the Philippines, follow. Bolstering attendance and eliminating bias Bhukya Harish, MS, Vasavi Mul- tispeciality Hospital, Hyderabad, India, noted that medical school attendance is strictly monitored in India. "The professors are very strict and we need to have 80% atten- dance throughout the session," he said. "Only with 80% attendance will they allow us to appear for the examination." Medical school attendance in India is such a hot topic that one G raduation from medical school is one of the proudest moments in the life of any physician. No matter where the medical training takes place, the basics of becoming a physician are the same. Hard work, dedication, and challenging examina- tions to demonstrate mastery of the field are common to all training programs. In this article we get a perspective from residents in India on the rigor their programs demand. John A. Vukich, MD, international editor Residents discuss medical education internationally International outlook

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