Competence based education in homeopathic psychiatry

Introduction:

Competence based education has been around for a long time, but the implications of structuring an educational program based competence, is now becoming evident. Homeopathic education has not engaged this concept in a structured way.

Method:

Our Postgraduate Psychiatry Department decided to initiate a pilot project and cast its teaching in the competency mould based on the topic of alcoholism and its homeopathic management. It decided to found its program, in view of the following competencies: Quality patient care, integrated knowledge base, practice-based learning and continuous improvement, effective interpersonal and communication skills, sound professionalism and team based practice.

The outcome, in terms of a successful homeopathic management of alcoholism in its various forms and building of knowledge of working materia medica was conceived. Cognitive, affective and psychomotoric domains and the learning objectives were identified. Further the competencies pertaining to the various topics were mapped. This enabled the specific learning objectives, teaching-learning and assessment methods to be defined. Basic methodology of case based learning was adopted.

Findings:

The gradual unfolding of the themes from defining basic terminologies, exploring epidemiology, understanding clinical presentations and its relationship to susceptibility and miasm was made possible in a structured manner for the first time. Integration of all knowledges and their direct impact on management was experiential in its application. A detailed assessment of the results of learning will be presented at the conference.

Conclusions:

A promising manner of imparting facilities through which knowledge can be acquired and integrated in a new field, such as homeopathic psychiatry, has been recognised.