Indian Society of Gastroenterology

Report on the ISG Annual Course for Examination-going GI Trainees held in 2009

For quite some time, the idea of creating a separate program within the Indian Society of Gastroenterology specifically targeting trainees and students was under consideration. In 2008, 2 proposals came to the Governing Council for consideration and approval: one was by Prof SK Acharya and Dr Govind Makharia, and the other submitted by Prof Gourdas Choudhuri. It was also felt that the 2 programs should be complimentary to each other and benefit different segments of trainees.

Both the proposals were approved by the Governing Council in September 2008 with the suggestion that the session organized by Prof Choudhuri (as initial program director) cater to examination going DM and DNB trainees, while the other (by Prof SK Acharya and Govind Makharia) cater to those who have joined their training programs and have 2-3 years of fellowship ahead.

It was estimated that around 100 trainees would be taking their exit exams every year; hence 2 courses were planned every year ( with around 50 candidates each), one to cater to trainees in the northern and western parts of India, and the other to cater to trainees from southern and eastern parts of the country.

This report pertains to the program undertaken for exam going trainees:

Background:

1. Number of trainees in Gastroenterology in India: on the increase

2. Upsurge in the number of centres offering DM/ DNB courses in the last few years

3. Need to improve & homogenise the training programs in Gastroenterology in India

4. Wide variation in results in DM and DNB examinations, from different centers in the country, reflecting varied levels in different components of training.

5. Formation of the Education Committee in ISG in 2007 with Dr S K Acharya as its Chairman

6. Dr Acharya’s presidential address in 2006 covered the need for modifying and updating the training and curriculum in Gastroenterology in India

Overview and objectives:

To supplement the basic academic training of DM/ DNB students through an annual short preparatory course conducted under the aegis of ISG with faculty comprising leading educators / potential examiners

Specifically:

1. Expose exam-going trainees to the examination format (case presentations) with potential examiners, so that examinees know what to expect and familiarize them with the type and manner of questions usually asked by examiners in DM and DNB examinations.

2. Pool and share expertise from faculty drawn from various centers

3. Provide guidance on other exam survival tools such as radiology and pathology spotters, tips on clinical examination, theory etc

4. Attempt to bring about homogeneity and uniform approach of examiners by sharing the same platform and facing the trainees.

Format:

• Annual update for 2 days

• Residential program at a neutral non-academic venue well connected to major centres

• Targeted at Senior GI trainees (2nd yr/ 3rd yr DM & DNB students) especially those preparing for final exam

• Two separate venues for geographical convenience & for optimum no of participants

• North & West in one venue and South & East in another

Course content:

• Course content primarily includeed topics that would aid preparation for final exam

• Similar to a pre-board/ pre MRCP training

• Live cases : 3-4 (Luminal, Liver, etc)

• Radiology : Basics & Advanced imaging

• Pathology Spotters

• Endoscopy/ Instruments

• Tips for Exam preparation

• Milestone Articles

• New Drugs

Faculty and Facilitators:

• Program Director : central co-ordinator to ensure overall continuity, improvement & achievement of the program objectives on a yearly basis

• Course Director : Incharge of one program : coordination & delivery especially arranging and transporting cases to the venue, and making all investigation details available to trainees; two Course Directors every year

• Faculty members : Leading Teachers/ Potential examiners & Senior Clinicians; primarily drawn from institutes offering DM/ DNB courses

• Core team of around 10 faculty to remain constant while others on rotation

The 1st steps:
• Proposal approved in General Council meeting – Delhi (APDW), Sep 08

• Drafting of initial program by Program Director.

• Communication to ISG (Chairman of Education Committee, Hon Secretary & President of ISG)

• Selection of Course Director/ Local Coordinators based on local requirements and logistics

• Letter from Program/Course Directors to faculty members & HODs for enlisting trainees

• Logistics : Venue arrangements, travel, stationery, momento etc by industry sponsor (Sun Pharma)
Course name and logo:

The First program was a new experience. Its details are as follows:

• Period : 27th Feb to 1st March (Friday evening to Sunday afternoon)

• Venue : The Atria, Surajkund near Delhi

• Course Director : Dr Vineet Ahuja (AIIMS)

• Trainees from North & West

• No of participants : 55

• No of Faculty : 32

Although the original plan was to have around 15 teachers, many senior faculty members from centers that run training programs expressed their keenness to attend the 1st course to observe and judge its utility for their trainees. Hence, the number doubled and almost all training centers had their faculty attending the session.

Faculty list:

  GYM Delhi : List of Faculty

The 2^nd session catered to trainees from South & East

•          Period : 26^th to 28^th June (Friday evening to Sunday afternoon)

•          Venue : Chariot Resort, Mahabalipuram, Chennai

•          Course Director : Dr K R Palaniswamy

•          No of participants :47

•          No of Faculty : 32

As most of the training centers and trainees were from the southern region, a proportionate larger representation from the region reflected in the constitution of the faculty.

Faculty List, GYM Chennai : 

Feedback

A special effort was made to collect feedback from the participants and analyse them, to assess how the program was received and to modify it in tune with the requirements /suggestions made by the trainees.

Feedback from GYM Delhi.

Feedback from GYM Delhi - 2

Feedback from Chennai -1

It was felt that the session on “Statistical Methods: Concepts”, (that featured in the 1^st GYM session in Delhi) would be more valuable to trainees joing the DM/DNB program than just before the exit examination.. This issue was discussed with organizers of the PG course for 1^st year DM/DNB trainees (Young Clinicians’ Program) and a session on Statistics therefore featured prominently in the meeting held in Agra. Hence, this session was dropped for the next GYM session (catering to exam-going trainees) in Chennai

The map below depicts the centers that offer training in Gastroenterology in India, and from where the participants and faculty were largely drawn. There was good match between them.

Feedback

•          Overall feedback from students/ faculty : good

•          Rating from students : mostly good or excellent

•          The opportunity of meeting potential examiners was also found very useful

•          Many trainees felt that the timing of the program could be advanced toFeb/Mar/Apr (before the DM/ DNB exams)

•          They suggested more case discussions to be included

•          Limit faculty to around 15 per program (some constant, some by rotation). The faculty should be willing to spend the entire duration of the course at the venue and thus spend more time interacting with trainees.

•           Continue neutral venue outside institutes

The program seemed to have been highly appreciated by the target group, ie trainees, and has made a good and impactful beginning. The challenge is to keep it useful and interesting for trainees and involve other teachers by rotation as well.