Proposals for investment for homeopathy education sector at the Global Investors' Meet, Bangalore, 2010

The following are possible domains for investment in homeopathy sector –

· Establishment of homeopathy undergraduate course with global healthcare thrust in the ‘Special Education Zone’

· Starting Finishing School for providing clinical softskills and clinical decision skills for homeopathy graduates

· Providing opportunities for the scholars of MD Family Medicine from US universities to undertake their internship in homeopathy as Integrative Medicine

Homeopathy graduate course

Prelude

Homeopathy is accepted as credible healing system across the globe. Statistics provided by World Health Organisation place homeopathy as the most preferred among Complementary and Alternative Systems of Medicine. Currently homeopathy education is strewn into a varied mosaic of courses across the globe. This has created a chaotic and inconsistent state on a global scale. The mounting demand for homeopathy healthcare services place on the stakeholders of homeopathy to construct a globally acceptable brand of homeopathy education.

Situational analysis:

Epidemiological studies reveal that there is diversity in morbidity prevalence across the globe. Health cultures prevalent across the globe have a heterogeneous composition. Further, the geopolitical values of population dictate a medley of healthcare preferences. The constraint for uniform education brand might also stem from variations in each nation’s education system and differing thrust / focus on national healthcare policies.

However, uniformity for homeopathy education on a global scale is plausible, considering the all embracing need to realise Millennium Development Goals, of which healthcare is a major component, common baseline that is evolved for heath indicators of the entire population and unvarying nature of homeopathy principles. Further, English as the globally accepted medium of communication add the edge for homeopathy education as the significant majority of homeopathy educational resources are available in English language.

Proposal:

Therefore, it is proposed to start a globally acceptable and applicable homeopathy graduate course. This course may be operated under the provisions of ‘Special Educational Zone’, thus enabling the service providers with the leverage to design a universally compatible curriculum. This would also ensure that the globally accepted standards are factored in without the interference of bureaucratic hassles.

Such a course would find ready acceptance not only among the Indian population who have a basic medical qualification, but are interested to practice homeopathy, but also the NRI sector and the foreign nationals having interest to align with homeopathy bandwagon.

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Finishing school for homeopathy graduates

Prelude

Formal education in homeopathy sector, as in any other higher education spectrum is heavily laden with knowledge component. Even though there is huge popular patronisation for homeopathy, the average homeopathy graduates are very often falling short of excellence in their performance. Many of the practitioners are aware of this inadequacy, but are at a loss to bridge the gap on their own, or to identify the resource that can help them overcome this challenge.

Situational analysis:

Many studies have revealed that the outcomes of higher education are not industry compatible. Studies in the western countries have brought to light that the communication proficiency of health professionals has to be improved on a priority basis. These observations hold true for homeopathic graduates also. In fact the lack of clinical softskills is a major hurdle for many brilliant homeopaths to survive and thrive in private practice.

With 184 homeopathy colleges and around 3000 homeopathic graduates passing out each year, there is a huge market potential to capitalise on.

Proposal:

Therefore, there is a significant space in the homeopathy education sector to establish a ‘Finishing School’ that would impart clinical softskills and clinical decision making skills.

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Internship in homeopathy for scholars of MD Family Medicine

Prelude

Family Medicine is a speciality of conventional medicine in the US health education system. This has a component of Integrative Medicine in some of the universities like University of Arizona, University of Wisconsin, etc. Further, there is increasing interest among western medical graduates to learn firsthand about the tropical diseases.

Situational analysis:

The increasing insistence by western population for rational drug therapy is driving conventional medical practitioners to seek feasible alternatives. Homeopathy ranks favourably in the list of complementary therapies among the practitioners. Karnataka has strong credentials for homeopathy clinical training in both government and private sectors

Proposal:

Therefore, it makes a logical sense to invest in the establishment of training facility to provide resources on homeopathy in community health and also the role of homeopathy in topical medicine.

Designing Global Brand of Homeopathy Education

Abstract of the paper to be presented at

International Seminar on Recent Advances in Homeopathy, Kolkata

Designing Global Brand of Homeopathy Education

Key words: homeopathy education, global brand, curriculum design,

Prelude:

Homeopathy is accepted as credible healing system across the globe. Statistics provided by World Health Organisation place homeopathy as the most preferred among Complementary and Alternative Systems of Medicine. Currently homeopathy education is strewn into a varied mosaic of courses across the globe. This has created a chaotic and inconsistent state on a global scale. To advance homeopathy practice, it is essential that the stakeholders of homeopathy construct a globally acceptable brand of homeopathy education.

Situational analysis:

Epidemiological studies reveal that there is diversity in morbidity prevalence across the globe. Health cultures prevalent across the globe have a heterogeneous composition. Further, the geopolitical values of population dictate a medley of healthcare preferences. The constraint for uniform education brand might also stem from variations in each nation’s education system and differing thrust / focus on national healthcare policies.

However, uniformity for homeopathy education on a global scale is imperative considering the all embracing need to realise Millennium Development Goals, of which healthcare is a major component, common baseline that is evolved for heath indicators of the entire population and unvarying nature of homeopathy principles.

Proposal:

Therefore, a globally acceptable and applicable curriculum design is proposed. This structure can be classified into four phases: the first three phases leading to award of qualification as basic homeopathic practitioner and the fourth phase providing an opportunity to upgrade to a specialisation. The phases may be structured as follows –

Phase 1 of one year duration – clinical foundations, consisting of study of Human Biology including genetics, Homeopathy principles, Human Psychology, Logic, Medical Sociology, among others

Phase 2 of one year duration – clinical relations, consisting of study of Pathodynamics, Homeopathometrics, Homeopathic materia medica, Homeopathic methodology including repertorisation, Legal issues in medical practice, Community health orientation, Medical diagnostics, practice of NLP, etc.

Phase 3 of two year duration – clinical experiences, consisting of postings in wards, clinics, community health centre and field work, so that the integration of clinical decisions and homeopathic principles can be demonstrated in action.

At the end of phase – 3, the student qualifies as basic homeopathic practitioner. He / she will have to attend a CME of 60 hour duration once in atleast two years subsequently for the updating of knowledge and skills.

Phase 4: three year duration – specialisation, which could be either in clinical, research or academic domains. They will have to attend CME of 60 hours duration at least once every year.

Expected Outcomes:

• Sensitising the stakeholders of homeopathy to evolve a uniform curriculum
• Preparing a zero draft of homeopathy education document for discussion on various homeopathy forums

As I could not attend the seminar due to some unavoidable issues. I am presenting the details that I wanted to present at Kolkata in the International Seminar -

Homeopathy is in the news for many reasons in the recent past. Some of them not very comforting for the followers of homeopathy. There are cartoons heaping ridicule on homeopathy and its effect. They provoke us to think, ‘why so much animosity’ and ‘how can that be neutralised’. One of the major solutions is creating an environment of mutual trust and respect among the healthcare practitioners.

Clinical foundations

Understanding the human functioning is prerequisite for its therapeutic management. As we step into the futuristic healthcare management, the understanding of human functioning too has to shift from the present compartmentalised learning of anatomy, physiology and biochemistry to an interdisciplinary outlook of human biology with relevance for homeopathic ideology. As homeopathy transcends beyond scientific domain into the realms of human – social axis, the capacity of homeopathic practitioner has to be reinforced with aptitude for balanced decision making and forging positive interpersonal relationships. Thus, medically relevant applications from psychology, sociology, logic and cybernetics need to be included. It needs to have strong foundations in homeopathic ideology with a contemporary outlook. This includes a brief learning of history of homeopathic evolution, its relevance for contemporary society and the core ideological principles of homeopathy.

Clinical relations

This phase clarifies and strengthens the media that connect basics of preclinical learning to clinical decision making. Continuing with the tradition of interdisciplinary learning, homeopathometrics introduces the understanding of pathogenesis with homeopathic background. This learning also provides a contrast of Wellbeing Vs Morbidity, so that a comparative and comprehensive view of therapeutic decision making can be made.

The study of homeopathic pharmacology is introduced with the intent of evaluating therapeutic tools. The learner is provide with an opportunity to understand legal and ethical dimensions in the diverse practice situations like ambulatory or outpatient care, hospital or in-patient care and community based care.

The learner is also introduced to principles and practice of medical history taking and homeopathic methodology including repertory use.

Clinical experiences

This phase consolidates the learning of the first two phases and enables their application in real life situations. Continuing with the tradition of interdisciplinary learning, the focus of application is the symptom / expression based build up, rather than a segment oriented approach of medicine / surgery / obstetrics / gynaecology and their sub specialities.

The differential diagnosis of the most commonly encountered clinical expressions and their evaluation, cutting across the disciplines is made and applied in the practice situations like ambulatory / hospital / community.

In their applications, the learners are provided with softskills like human values, professionalism, ethical decision making, health communication, health economics, etc,.

Evaluation

For phases 1 and 2, evaluation is for all the domains of learning – knowledge, skills and aptitude with the stress like K 50%, S 20% and A 30%. For phase 3, it could be K 20%, S 50% and A 30%.

The mode of assessment for 1 and 2 could be project based assessment of mastery learning in formative style. This could be monitored by the degree awarding agency. However, the assessment for phase 3 shall be jointly done by the degree awarding agency and the registering / professional monitoring body. It shall be as a balance of exit and entry evaluation – exit, for the award of qualification by the degree awarding agency and entry for getting included as legitimate practitioner, by the registering / monitoring body. The subsequent renewal of registration shall be managed by the registration / monitoring body.

Specialisation

Specialisation is the process that provides avenues and opportunities for the growth and development of any profession. Four areas are important for the sustenance and growth of homeopathy as a professional entity – clinical specialisation to provide specialised tertiary care n focused healthcare areas; public health to mainstream the strengths of homeopathy in preventive and promotive healthcare and also in the primary and secondary healthcare; research to converge the benefits from allied disciplines, to generate compelling evidences for the health policy makers to position homeopathy in the core areas of its competence; and academic domain to build competent human resources to carry the baton of homeopathic education.

Conclusion

The presentation that I have made is at conceptual level. This opens a debate for the need and feasibility of a common schedule of homeopathy training n global scale. The details of legal and logistical issues may be referred to a taskforce involving international educational planners and homeopathic stakeholders. The curriculum designing including content development and evaluation strategy may be entrusted to a team of curriculum / instruction designers who are sensitised for the nature and needs of homeopathic practice.