Better Teaching,training Methods and Services in Medical Microbiology

Better Teaching, Training Methods and Services inimpact on understanding of several disease conditions
Medical Microbiologyand infections contributing to the missed Diagnosis.
Emerging Need in Developing WorldThe in coordination among the Para clinical teachers
Dr.T.V.Rao M.D.(Microbiology, Pathology, and Pharmacology) with
Email:tvraodoctor2000@yahoo.co.inclinical practioners had made many young Doctors as
The greatest achievements in Medical Science areprescribers and not true physicians. The
attributed to developments in diagnosis, treatmentconsequences have lead to uncontrolled and
and prevention of several diseases. Among severalunscientific prescriptions leading to increase cost in
branches of Medicine, Microbiology with fundamentalspatient care and ever growing drug resistance making
on infectious diseases, contributed immensely to theseveral drugs ineffective and many clinical laboratories
prevention and management of many communicablehave no fundamental facilities even to diagnose few
diseases which in turn reduced the mortality andlife threatening conditions. It’s certain that
morbidity. The explosion of population in severalproblem of misuse of antibiotics should be tackled
countries is highly dependent on control of infectiouswith appropriate training at undergraduate level or
diseases.else we have few drugs left after primary
Eradication of Small pox in 1978 by united efforts oftreatments with higher generations of antibiotics. The
WHO and several global contributions impressedexplosion of medical practioners from all streams
everyone that we are in for breakthrough. Theleads to unhealthy competition. On many occasions
emergence of AIDS in 1981 made us to know thatpatients with trivial and no infectious conditions are
we are in trouble with emerging infections. After 25subjected to latest generation of antibiotics. Current
years of AIDS pandemic, continues to be a challengeperiodicals/journals are available to few and
with few solutions and more hope to live long in withimpracticable to practice in the third world countries
anti retroviral treatment. There are several otherto learn the consequences of misguided knowledge.
similar issues including the drug resistance with aROLE OF PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRIES
question that drugs which saved several humans inToday we are drawn by market economy. The
the last half of the century will be thrown out ofpharmaceutical industry wishes to push the
shelves. And will be replaced by more criticalunnecessary formulations and combinations on
unaffordable new generation of antibiotics and onhelpless patients. National GDP is not taken to
many occasions with unpredictable end results addingconsideration in pricing drugs, with self interests of
to competitive marketing. Many pharmaceuticalfew in the Industry and Medical profession, patients
industries push on new generation of antibiotics withleft to pay and suffer with unethical practices.
luring offers to practicing physicians. Inspite of manySOLUTIONS TO TRAIN OUR MEDICAL STUDENTS
advances in diagnostics and therapeutic options, theIt is time to review our present training methods of
threat of infection looms over the best caredour undergraduates in Microbiology and Pharmacology.
patients.These two subjects need immense revival of
MICROBIOLOGY TEACHING IN DEVELOPINGmethodology of teaching. We should make them
WORLDclinical Microbiology practioners rather than historians
Many schools in the developing world teachof Microbiology Many topics are taught as a matter
Microbiology as a core subject in the middle ofof duty and not for real application. We have to
undergraduate curriculum and students will bedelete several unnecessary topics. There should be
successful with theoretical knowledge and fewmany topics on implication of antibiotics on health and
teachers take interest to transform the theoreticdiseases.
knowledge to practical use of evaluation to controlThere should be dedicated Microbiology laboratories
and treat infectious diseases. In the present Indianunder guidance of qualified Microbiologists to serve
context under educational regulations Microbiologythe clinicians or else we are heading to total collisions
taught as a Fairy Tale, where we show few thingswith microbes. The Medical Microbiology in developing
which are not at all relevant to the challenges we areworld needs a helping hand from several sections of
facing in 21st century. This in turn brought apathyMedical establishments to improve the Diagnostic and
among the students. This missing link has got greatTraining facilities.