Innovative programmes of medical education: II. Commentary and lessons for India.

Major areas in which innovative approaches in medical education have been tried include student selection, learning strategies, and community orientation. It is relatively easier to implement innovations in a new institution. In established medical schools, running two simultaneous curricula tracks, the traditional and the innovative has emerged as a popular strategy for introducing new systems of education. Institutional commitment to the objectives and matching implementation effort determine the success of an innovative programme. Stronger links between the medical education and health service systems not only enhance the community orientation of the graduates, but also help improve the quality of health care provided to the community. There is a need to experiment with innovative approaches to education of physicians in our country. Establishment of medical education units in medical schools will be a practical beginning in the right direction.