Faculty Development Program on Electives
The Faculty Development Program on Electives, organized by the Medical Education Unit (MEU) and the Curriculum Department, was a pivotal event aimed at equipping faculty members with essential knowledge and skills to design and implement effective elective programs.
Held on May 5, 2025, from 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM, the session brought together 40 esteemed faculty members, including department heads and elective coordinators, in an engaging and interactive discussion.
The program commenced with a warm welcome from the MEU coordinator, setting the tone for a collaborative learning experience.
The first speaker, Dr. Yashaswini MK, MEU Coordinator and Head of the Microbiology Department,introduced the concept of electives, emphasizing their importance in undergraduate medical education. She elaborated on the prerequisites for a successful program, detailing the roles and responsibilities of department heads and mentors in planning and execution. Additionally, she outlined the elective allocation process and addressed the challenges involved, providing strategies for overcoming them. MEU Chairperson and Principal, Dr. Pravin GU, further enriched the discussion by clarifying doubts raised by participants, reinforcing key aspects of elective implementation.
The second session featured Dr. Yogesh MK, Professor and Head of the Physiology Department, who guided faculty members through the process of designing elective programs. His session was highly interactive, offering practical insights into structuring engaging elective topics, planning sessions, and aligning learning objectives.
He also demonstrated how AI tools such as Claude and ChatGPT could be leveraged to enhance curriculum development, showcasing the innovative integration of technology in medical education.
Following this, Dr. Champa H, Professor in the Microbiology Department, delivered a session on assessment and evaluation. She distinguished between assessment and evaluation methodologies, emphasizing the importance of daily monitoring and comprehensive end-of-program assessments. Her session provided faculty with valuable strategies to ensure effective evaluation of elective postings, thereby enhancing student learning outcomes.
Throughout the program, faculty members actively participated in discussions, posed questions, and shared concerns regarding elective implementation. To facilitate ongoing support, the organizers created a dedicated WhatsApp group, enabling continued communication and knowledge-sharing among participants.
As the program drew to a close, attendees expressed their appreciation for the insights gained, recognizing the FDP as a significant step toward refining elective structures and improving student engagement. Essential NMC guidelines and reference documents were shared to ensure faculty members had access to standardized frameworks for elective design and execution. The program concluded successfully, reinforcing the commitment to fostering teaching excellence and advancing competency-based medical education
