Enhancing healthcare education in India: Bridging gaps and fostering collaboration

Dr Sharmila Anand, Founder & Managing Director, Inspera Education and Healthcare highlights that informal learning spaces outside the classroom are a compelling way to foster experiential learning beyond the classroom. By bridging the gap between textbook learning and practical skills, they equip students with real-world skills

India’s promising healthcare landscape is battling a pressing concern – a significant gap in skills training that threatens to stunt the sector’s progress. The lack of cross-cultural learning severely affects the ability of the healthcare industry to provide affordable and accessible service to all in need. This issue must be addressed at the root by training the next generation of healthcare professionals to successfully operate in the rapidly evolving industry. With changing patient expectations, technological advancements, and a fickle job market, healthcare students are in dire need of correct guidance. A multidisciplinary solution, with community classrooms, international collaboration, gender inclusivity and a relentless pursuit of excellence, is the way forward.

Informal learning spaces outside the classroom are a compelling way to foster experiential learning beyond the classroom. By bridging the gap between textbook learning and practical skills, they equip students with real-world skills. Technical fields like radiology and anesthesiology show great potential for employability. Technical training and certification would allow students a near-guaranteed placement in these fields, offering them life-changing financial freedom. Another element critical to the sector’s progress is exposure to global healthcare practices. Not only does this allow students to develop cross-cultural sensitivity and access cutting-edge technology, but also allows them to import the best practices and tailor them to Indian sensibilities.

To achieve the above goals, collaboration is key, both domestically and globally. Local non-governmental organisations that specialise in patient care and community outreach allow university students to connect with ground realities and develop innovative solutions. Internationally, universities need to develop meaningful partnerships with foreign healthcare institutions and offer global training programs. Residential exchange programs, certificate courses, international internships, etc., educate Indian students about the nuances of different systems, their strengths and weaknesses. The approach must be to think globally and act locally, and such international collaboration is the key to doing so. However, to facilitate such partnerships, Indian universities must attain official accreditation and rankings that are a testament to their commitment to excellence.

Credentials like NAAC ratings and NIRF rankings not only increase the university’s reach, revenue and ranking but allow them the legitimacy to develop lucrative collaborations with foreign universities. It ensures that the institutions meet the highest standards, and incentivises consistent effort to maintain their reputation and performance. India boasts of world-class talent and esteemed educational institutions, and these accolades prove the same. They require the universities to be proactive towards providing the best possible opportunities, fostering inclusivity and bridging the current skills training gap.

In conclusion, the healthcare industry is precariously positioned. While there are significant lacunas in learning, it provides vast opportunities for universities to gain a competitive edge by providing specialised technical training, cross-cultural exposure and global opportunities. An official accreditation and better global ranking coupled with domestic grassroots partnerships allow universities to ensure that future professionals are both well-trained and readily employable. With an ever-evolving healthcare industry, the healthcare education system must evolve too. It must reinvent itself, and rise up to the challenges of the day, fostering inclusivity and growth all the way through.