| Medical education should be reoriented to produce "basic doctors," emotionally prepared and professionally compen\tent to meet the needs of the rural of community. Recognizing the need for reorientation, the Indian government appointed a committee to examine all aspects of medical education, including course content, selection of candidates, fees, etc., in the light of national needs and resources. The conclusions and recommendations of the committee are reported in this publication, including very detailed suggestions on planning the curriculum. A conference of ministers, experts, and college principals endorsed these recommendations and the proposals contained in four working papers; the latter are concerned with the selection of students for med colleges, medical education and community health, the importance of health promotion in the undergraduate medical syllabus; and the lack of balance between the need to produce basic doctors and the extensive facilities available for postgraduate specialization. |