Bengaluru: Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences is planning to launch a life and study skills intervention model for MBBS students at medical colleges affiliated with the university. The programme is in collaboration with Nimhans, which will roll out the modules and faculty training.The latest syndicate meeting of RGUHS approved the programme and decided to release Rs 50 lakh as seed money for the implementation of the project. Further, the university wants to tap corporate social responsibility funding for the same. “The main objectives of the programme are to improve academic performance and reduce behavioural issues. The intervention model is being done using mentoring as an approach. The skills taught will include time management, stress management, multitasking, micro-planning for studies, memory and concentration techniques, and knowledge management techniques,” said Bhagavan BC, vice-chancellor, RGUHS.
“The first step is to assess the current academic performance of all medical students across Karnataka. The second is to identify their mentoring and behavioural needs. After the competency-based medical education (CBME) curriculum was introduced in 2019-20, we did not get feedback from the student side. We are trying to understand their acceptance of the new system, their stress levels, and learnings,” he added. There are 53 medical colleges under RGUHS. Nimhans will train three faculty per college — 1 from psychiatry, 1 from community medicine, and 1 who will be designated as a nodal person for the mentoring cell within that medical college — who will, in turn, train the rest of the faculty in their college. “We will be looking at reducing behavioural issues, suicidal ideation, technology addiction, and substance abuse. Students will be sensitised to the availability of mentoring support to seek help for any of the issues, ranging from studies to substance use and relationships. In the long term, we hope to have a model of mentoring that is part of the system,” said an official from Nimhans.In addition, there is a plan to develop and test an AI-enabled counselling service chatbot for support or guidance in different languages. “We gave them an option beyond teachers. What if they do not want to discuss anything with teachers? They can talk to these AI-enabled machines or kiosks,” he added.
