Fundamentals of medical education - A critical study based on Rogabhishagjitiyam Vimanam Adhyaya of Charaka Samhita

Abstract

In a healthcare system Ayurveda has accepted physician as the most important aspect among others. The utility and accomplishment of a healthcare system rests on the quality of a physician.Charaka Samhita, being one of the foremost compendium of Ayurveda has given much emphasis on medical education. Acharya Charaka has categorically described different aspect of medical education in Charaka Samhita, Vimanasthana, 8^th chapter namely Rogabhishagjitiyam Vimanam Adhyaya.  This literary study has been conducted to evaluate the basic structure of medical education as propounded by Charaka Samhita along with to evaluate the scope of implementation of such model of medical education in current age. According to Acharya Charaka, the first and foremost object of a person intended to study medical science should be the proper selection of Sastra or the branch of medical science. Then the student should pay attention to the selection of a qualified preceptor based on several criteria as described by him. Then only the student should start his journey of learning medicine in three different levels. The primary level of medical education consist of studying under the guidance of a qualified preceptor. Then at the second level, a student should act as a preceptor to other novices. At the third and final level, a student who has established himself as a teacher, should take participation in debates or discussions with other professionals. Such debates or discussions will help to promote the power of application of knowledge and competition leading to enlightenment. Thus, the medical education system as proposed by Acharya Charaka is beneficial for both the students, teachers and professionals. This is a high time for us to adopt such time tested age old traditional medical education models which are rooted in the great Vedic tradition rather than blindly following different ambiguous western educational learning systems.