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Indian Pediatr 2013;50: 363-364

Indian College of Pediatrics: A Novel Initiative of IAP in its Golden Jubilee Year


CP Bansal

President, Indian Academy of Pediatrics. Correspondence to: Shabd Pratap Hospital, Gwalior, MP, India.
Email: [email protected]
   


Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP) has made significant progress in the last 50 years, not only in terms of membership strength, but also our academic stature has grown. Our organs (branches, chapters, journals) also have progressed a lot. The Golden Jubilee Volume January issue of Indian Pediatrics is a testimony to these achievements. The definition of child has now embraced adolescents up to 18 years of age – this also has widened the scope of Pediatrics enormously. Now, we have many sub-specialities under the umbrella of "Child Care". In our Golden Jubilee year, our prime aim will be to re-organize and re-strengthen our academic wing, so that we may maintain and enhance our value in society and also generate confidence among our members.

If we intend to define ‘Values" for an organization like ours, we must have the following:

Command on child health issues: IAP must be recognized and respected as the authority on child health.

Updated knowledge: IAP must be committed to leading the way in pediatric research and training.

Effective health plans: IAP must be champions of the best health outcomes for children and young people.

Professional approach: IAP should be the standard bearer of child health in the medical profession.

These all can be achieved if we have determination and vision. What we need is a perfectly structured wing of IAP through which all the academic activities are routed and transpired. After a long discussion we thought that it is high time IAP should institute the concept of an Indian College of Pediatrics (ICP) -The academic wing of IAP. The motive of ICP would be to achieve all the four Values for our IAP.

To begin with, let us discuss about ICP in relation to Subspecialty Chapters - as it is the most important point. Almost all the Chapters are running their academic certification courses and fellowships where IAP lends its name without any involvement in terms of quality assurance. There is a possibility (though small) of certificate/fellowship distribution in name of IAP without maintenance of quality. Therefore, standards for Quality Assurance in terms of course curriculum, institutions, faculty, examiners and examination, certification of candidates and also accreditation of institutions, need to be drawn. This is a no cost or low cost intervention for quality assurance of the activities without compromising the autonomy of Chapters in conducting the courses.

I envision a regulatory role of the College in terms of accreditation of institutions (both new and old), curriculum formulation and quality of training and certification of candidates. It is a long awaited endeavor of IAP, and a felt need of the association and its members – the major thrust would be on Quality Assurance. The concept has been appreciated by the academicians and senior members of IAP. It is another step in improving Academics by our Academy.

Mission and Vision

The Mission of the Indian College of Pediatrics is to enable all children to reach their optimal physical and emotional health and well-being by building the capacity of health care providers. To this end, we recognize the role of pediatricians in general and sub-specialties chapters in particular. A well woven network which is ably administered and monitored shall assure quality in this endeavor.

With this concept, the Executive Board 2013 has endorsed ICP – Indian College of Pediatrics. The College will work towards the objective of expanding the scope of perceived benefit to the members by fulfilling growing academic needs of the members. The academic activities of the college are aimed at promotion, practice and advancement in the science of Pediatrics, which will contribute to optimal care of children.

The College shall deal with academic matter of the Academy and its Chapters. It will serve as an independent regulatory body for setting the standards and quality assurance of various fellowship, certificates, and other academy courses run by IAP and its Chapters and Groups. It will assist in formulating appropriate syllabi for undergraduate and post-graduate teaching and make suitable recommendations for their acceptance to the National Board of Examinations, Medical Council of India, Universities and Colleges.

The College will organize seminars, symposia, workshops in different part of the country. It shall also keep itself appraised of the academic activities of other national and international societies and keep the members aware of the recent advances in Pediatrics.

The College shall explore the possibility of organizing academic programs to further education and training of health personnel associated with care of children. The College will also aim to work for advancement of research and publication in the field of Pediatrics in India, by the members of the Academy.

Objectives

The proposed objectives and activities of the Indian College of Pediatrics are enumerated below:

1. The "INDIAN COLLEGE OF PEDIATRICS" shall be the academic wing of the Indian Academy of Pediatrics. It will serve as an independent regulatory body for setting the standards and quality assurance for various fellowships, certificate and other academic courses run by the Chapters and Group of Indian Academy of Pediatrics.

2. To further the advancement of research and publication in the field of Pediatrics in India.

3. To coordinate/organize other academic activities of IAP, as directed the Executive board from time to time.

4. To collaborate with national/International organization on academic activities related to IAP. It shall deal with all academic matters, formulate syllabi for undergraduate and post-graduate teaching and make suitable recommendations for its acceptance to the National Board of Examinations, Medical Council of India, Universities and National Academy of Medical Sciences and AIIMS like institutions and Colleges and hospitals conducting various fellowship and certificate courses.

5. To aim for capacity building of teachers of Pediatrics to allow them to optimally use good teaching and assessment practices.

6. The College shall institute traveling fellowships and visiting lecturerships.

7. It shall invite innovative and research studies from members of the association for suitable awards and certificates (award for best thesis etc).

8. The College may form an authors’ group to write textbooks under the aegeis of the college in various Pediatrics subspecialties or related specialties.

9. The College shall work towards augmenting the capacity of teachers of Pediatrics by way of training in good teaching and assessment practices. Pediatricians working in non-academic institutions but involved in teaching and training (e.g. for DNB and fellowship courses) will also be covered.

10. The College shall explore the possibility of organizing training programs for the students, doctors, and nurses. It shall accept donations and organize events to raise funds for the financial assistance of its academic activities.

The College will try to develop teams of educators from various institutions in various regions, who will train the pediatric teachers in ‘teaching and assessing clinical skills’ and developing suitable models for workplace based assessment.

The College will be governed by a Governing Council (GC), an Academic Council (AC) and an Executive Council (EC). College will also have a panel of advisors. It will be mandatory for the Chapters to become members of the ICP by applying for it – to use the IAP logo and certificate for their courses.

The entire constitution and rules of ICP has been framed and it will start functioning in from 1st April 2013.

I personally request all the chapters to become members of the Indian College of Pediatrics.

 

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