The Forensic Medicine Curriculum in India: Where do we stand?

Medical education and curriculum have undergone significant changes both at the national and global levels. It is a significant process and undergoes restructuring, in tune with the change in the needs of the society. Student's introduction to the clinical settings early in their carrier is one such important change. However, with the introduction of the newer disciplines, the present day graduates and postgraduates are paying less attention to the practical skills of the practice of medicine. This is true even of Forensic Medicine. One important factor for this is the regulating body of the medical curriculum, the Medical Council of India, itself; besides the very faculty that has the responsibility of imparting knowledge and training of the specialty.

This article discusses the present day undergraduate and postgraduate forensic medicine curriculum in India and suggests ways to improve the medical education program in general and that of forensic medicine, in particular.