Letter to the editor
Recent changes in MBBS curriculum in psychiatry in Bangladesh:
a call for attention
Susmita Roy,1 SM Yasir Arafat2
1Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Jalalabad Ragib Rabeya Medical College, Sylhet, Bangladesh; 2Assistant Professor,
Department of Psychiatry, Enam Medical College and Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Article info
Correspondence
Received
:
01 Apr, 2020
Susmita Roy,
Accepted
:
07 Jul, 2020
Mobile: +8801711459277
Number of tables
:
04
E-mail: susmita07@hotmail.com
Number of refs
:
03
Bang J Psychiatry 2018;32(2): 24-25
There has been some remarkable changes in the assessment
examination (OSPE) station, no short case, no long case and no
system of the subject psychiatry from 2002 to 2012 bachelor of
specific examiner of psychiatry in oral examination. As a result
medicine, bachelor of surgery (MBBS) curriculum.1,2 In 2012
a student can totally escape the entire subject.2 The significant
MBBS curriculum in Bangladesh, psychiatry learning and
comparison between 2002 and 2012 curriculum, drawback of
assessment system has been grossly ignored. Though in the
current curriculum and our proposal for upgrading the current
curriculum it was clearly mentioned that, an MBBS student must
curriculum are given below.1,2
diagnose, manage and refer specific psychiatric disorders, the
Comparison of 2002 and 2012 Curriculum
objective would not accomplish devoid of proper assessment
system. In medical education, learning of a subject is not possible
Table 1: Comparison of ward placement of psychiatry1,2
without proper assessment in summative examination both in
Ward placement
2002
2012
written and clinical examination.2 Detailed evaluation revealed
4th year
3 weeks
3 weeks
that in the current curriculum there is no ward placement in 4th
5th year
1 week
No
phase (5th Year). Furthermore there is no specific marks
Block posting
1 week
3 days
distribution in written, no objective structured practical
Table 2: Comparison of marks and questions distribution of medicine paper II of final professional MBBS
examination1,2
Type
2002
2012
Marks distribution
Paediatrics (35),
Paediatrics (35),
(total 100)
psychiatry and dermatology (35),
internal medicine and allied (35),
(MCQ* 20, FA* 10)
(MCQ* 20, FA* 10)
Questions
Paediatrics
Paediatrics
distribution
(SAQ 7; 5 marks each),
(SAQ 10; 3.5 marks each),
psychiatry and dermatology (SAQ 7;
internal medicine and allied (SAQ
5 marks each)
7; 5 marks each)
*MCQ: Multiple choice question, FA: Formative assessment, SAQ: Short answer question
Table 3: Comparison of marks distribution of OSPE, oral and clinical of medicine final professional MBBS examination
(Total 300)1,2
Type
2002
2012
OSPE marks
100
50
Oral examination marks
100
150
Clinical
100 (one long case; 50 and two
100 (one long case; 50 and five
(long and short cases)
short cases; 25 for each)
short cases; 10 for each)
Bang J Psychiatry
Vol. 32, No. 2, 2018
Table 4: Comparison of OSPE stations, boards and examiners distribution of medicine final professional MBBS
examination1,2
Type
2002
2012
Total OSPE station
10
10
OSPE station for psychiatry
1
0
Oral examination boards
2 (four examiners)
3 (six examiners)
Examiners distribution in
Two internal medicine, one paediatrics,
Three internal medicine, two paediatrics,
oral examination board
one psychiatry or dermatology
one allied or subspecialty
Drawback of current (2012) curriculum
•
One short case for psychiatry is recommended (currently
There is no specific distribution of marks and questions (including
there is no short case for psychiatry).
SAQ and MCQ) in medicine paper II for psychiatry. Group A
•
One examiner from psychiatry is recommended for viva
contains eight questions and students have to answer seven
board.
questions.2 If the group contains only one question from
Psychiatry has been considered as an under focused branch
psychiatry, then there might have chances to escape the
of medicine in Bangladesh. It has a poor physician-patient ratio
psychiatry totally. There is no specific OSPE station and shirt
that will be worse in case of psychiatry. The current MBBS
case of psychiatry.2 Moreover, there is no allocation for a specific
curriculum has put little attention on psychiatry.3 Although, the
examiner from psychiatry even two more examiners have been
curriculum plays a key role to develop manpower as per the
allocated in the current curriculum.2 The situation can bolster
need, in the recent situation it has been heading towards the
the possibilities of escaping psychiatry as a whole.
wrong direction in Bangladesh as there is mounting burden of
Proposal
mental disorders. The article was aimed to draw proper attention
To cover up the subject psychiatry and make the current
of the psychiatrists, medical education experts and all other
curriculum more logical, need based and for improvement of
stake-holders of Bangladesh to take necessary steps to deal
problem area, there are some proposals for modification of
with the further challenges of mental health in the country.
learning system and final professional examination of medicine.
References
•
At least one week ward placement of psychiatry in 4th
1.
Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council. 2002. MBBS
phase (5th year) along with 3 weeks ward placement in 3th
Curriculum Update - 2002. https://www.bmdc.org.bd/
phase (4th year) is recommended.
curriculum-2002
2.
Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council. 2012. MBBS
•
Medicine paper-II group A portion suppose to contain
Curriculum Update - 2012. http://www.mmc.gov.bd/
4 questions from psychiatry (currently, there is no specific
downloadable%20file/new_curriculum/
number distribution for Psychiatry).
The%20updated%20MBBS%20Curriculum%202012.pdf
3.
Arafat SMY. The current status of psychiatric education in
•
One OSPE station for psychiatry is recommended (currently
Bangladesh. Asian J Psychiatr 2020;52:102108. DOI:
there is no OSPE station for psychiatry).
10.1016/j.ajp.2020.102108
25