By Aditya Wadhawan
According to research conducted at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi the future of medical education will be focused on hybrid mode. The study found that the structured virtual group discussion (SVGD) format will be a more effective and interactive approach than conventional virtual learning. SVGD format was introduced for the postgraduate Physiology students from AIIMS.
While experimenting with the SVGD approach, researchers followed both, supervised and unsupervised interactions in a structured way which led to active engagement with the students. The results of the study were published in a reputed international journal of medical education and were awarded the best research paper for the development of newer techniques (Dev Raj Bajaj Award) by the Association of Physiologists and Pharmacologists.
The study was conducted by a group of four doctors; Dr Simran Kaur, Dr Dinu S Chandran, Dr Megha Bir, and Professor KK Deepak at the Department of Physiology, AIIMS, New Delhi, and endorsed by professor KP Kochhar who is the current head of the department.
Dr Simran Kaur, lead researcher of SVGD method at AIIMS Delhi, says, “We decided to adopt the SVGD approach to teach students in an online mode during COVID as face-to-face teaching was not possible.”
Starting by giving out validated validated questionnaires to obtain students’ feedback, the panel analysed the education to be conducted under this SVGD method. “Students in their feedback indicated that group discussions could not take place effectively in a conventional virtual format. After receiving feedback from the students, we decided to adopt this innovative SVGD method to offer structured online group discussions.”
“We took the SVGD ‘Tuckman’s Model of Group Dynamics’ into consideration which is often used in medical education to form sequential sub-stages of forming, storming, norming, and performing. These steps were followed to make group discussions interactive,” she adds.
After curating how the content needs to be delivered, mini groups of postgraduate students were formed and they were asked to discuss some topics amongst themselves.
“Post conducting this method, even the students felt that SVGD was a more structured and interactive approach than the conventional online group discussion. However, considering the limited sample size of students, live face-to-face group discussions are still the best,” adds Kaur.
Dr Siddharth Tara, general secretary, Progressive Medicos and Scientists Forum, says, “Teaching through the student-centered approach in classes is always more engaging and effective than a lecturer-centered approach whether it is face-to-face or virtual discussions. However, virtual discussions cannot replace face-to-face engagements in the future unless any other physical interaction-restricting situation similar to COVID arises again. More studies are needed to be done regarding structured virtual classes or discussions before any policy changes in education delivery are implemented.”
Dr Amit Gupta, professor, department of Surgery, AIIMS Rishikesh, says, “The hybrid model in the domain of medical education may be an alternative to the routine didactic format of lectures in virtual teaching methodology. SVGD hybrid mode of teaching is expected to produce better learning outcomes in times to come because it is a highly structured process.
This type of teaching would help the students to interact with one another, brainstorm, and increases concentration, which is not possible in the conventional method of virtual teaching. Classroom teaching and skill-based learning are integral methods of imparting knowledge and concept-building, but SVGD hybrid mode of teaching can be used in adjunct to encourage active learning. SVGD approach would ensure more productive outcomes in undergraduate and post-graduate medical education in times to come.”
Dr Sanjay Teotia, joint director, Medical and Health, Lucknow, UP, says, “The Health Ministry is working to initiate a hybrid medical education model that would be taught through the integration of Allopathy, Ayurveda, Naturopathy, Homeopathy, and Unani.
However, to fully ensure the success of hybrid education in real terms, students should only be taught certain topics of Anatomy and Physiology depending upon the branch they intend to specialise which would make the course compact and more meaningful. For instance, students who intend to specialise in the branch of Neurology, should be taught only brain-related Anatomy and Physiology and other topics should be omitted.
Students would be able to understand the practical aspects of medical education with full conceptual clarity if they are taught through SVDG approach which has the elements of supervision as well as unsupervision. However, this approach is primarily suited for clinical subjects, but not for the para-clinical and non-clinical subjects.”
According to research conducted at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi the future of medical education will be focused on hybrid mode. The study found that the structured virtual group discussion (SVGD) format will be a more effective and interactive approach than conventional virtual learning. SVGD format was introduced for the postgraduate Physiology students from AIIMS.
While experimenting with the SVGD approach, researchers followed both, supervised and unsupervised interactions in a structured way which led to active engagement with the students. The results of the study were published in a reputed international journal of medical education and were awarded the best research paper for the development of newer techniques (Dev Raj Bajaj Award) by the Association of Physiologists and Pharmacologists.
The study was conducted by a group of four doctors; Dr Simran Kaur, Dr Dinu S Chandran, Dr Megha Bir, and Professor KK Deepak at the Department of Physiology, AIIMS, New Delhi, and endorsed by professor KP Kochhar who is the current head of the department.
Dr Simran Kaur, lead researcher of SVGD method at AIIMS Delhi, says, “We decided to adopt the SVGD approach to teach students in an online mode during COVID as face-to-face teaching was not possible.”
Starting by giving out validated validated questionnaires to obtain students’ feedback, the panel analysed the education to be conducted under this SVGD method. “Students in their feedback indicated that group discussions could not take place effectively in a conventional virtual format. After receiving feedback from the students, we decided to adopt this innovative SVGD method to offer structured online group discussions.”
“We took the SVGD ‘Tuckman’s Model of Group Dynamics’ into consideration which is often used in medical education to form sequential sub-stages of forming, storming, norming, and performing. These steps were followed to make group discussions interactive,” she adds.
After curating how the content needs to be delivered, mini groups of postgraduate students were formed and they were asked to discuss some topics amongst themselves.
“Post conducting this method, even the students felt that SVGD was a more structured and interactive approach than the conventional online group discussion. However, considering the limited sample size of students, live face-to-face group discussions are still the best,” adds Kaur.
Dr Siddharth Tara, general secretary, Progressive Medicos and Scientists Forum, says, “Teaching through the student-centered approach in classes is always more engaging and effective than a lecturer-centered approach whether it is face-to-face or virtual discussions. However, virtual discussions cannot replace face-to-face engagements in the future unless any other physical interaction-restricting situation similar to COVID arises again. More studies are needed to be done regarding structured virtual classes or discussions before any policy changes in education delivery are implemented.”
Dr Amit Gupta, professor, department of Surgery, AIIMS Rishikesh, says, “The hybrid model in the domain of medical education may be an alternative to the routine didactic format of lectures in virtual teaching methodology. SVGD hybrid mode of teaching is expected to produce better learning outcomes in times to come because it is a highly structured process.
This type of teaching would help the students to interact with one another, brainstorm, and increases concentration, which is not possible in the conventional method of virtual teaching. Classroom teaching and skill-based learning are integral methods of imparting knowledge and concept-building, but SVGD hybrid mode of teaching can be used in adjunct to encourage active learning. SVGD approach would ensure more productive outcomes in undergraduate and post-graduate medical education in times to come.”
Dr Sanjay Teotia, joint director, Medical and Health, Lucknow, UP, says, “The Health Ministry is working to initiate a hybrid medical education model that would be taught through the integration of Allopathy, Ayurveda, Naturopathy, Homeopathy, and Unani.
However, to fully ensure the success of hybrid education in real terms, students should only be taught certain topics of Anatomy and Physiology depending upon the branch they intend to specialise which would make the course compact and more meaningful. For instance, students who intend to specialise in the branch of Neurology, should be taught only brain-related Anatomy and Physiology and other topics should be omitted.
Students would be able to understand the practical aspects of medical education with full conceptual clarity if they are taught through SVDG approach which has the elements of supervision as well as unsupervision. However, this approach is primarily suited for clinical subjects, but not for the para-clinical and non-clinical subjects.”
