Postgraduate medical education in South Asia: time to move on from the postcolonial era.(Editorials)

Undergraduate and postgraduate education increased rapidly in the post-independence era in South Asia--except for Bhutan and the Maldives, which do not have medical schools. Now in India alone, 136 medical schools admit more than 6000 trainees into postgraduate programmes. (1)

Satisfaction over the numbers who have completed postgraduate education conceals the challenges facing the region. Specialist training is in the traditional apprenticeship style rather than an appraisal based approach. Selection of assessment tools is not governed by modern educational theory. Some postgraduate examinations rely on outmoded assessments, such as essays and long cases. Training in research, ethical issues, concepts of team work, and management is variable. Standards for accreditation …