The AP government is planning to revamp medical education with the introduction of Information Technology in class rooms from next month. Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu had asked the medical authorities to impart education through daily video conferences, two hours each in the morning and evening, to students of all private and government medical colleges in the state.

This was stated by Dr R S Rama Devi, Director of Medical Education. Speaking at the Medical Council of India-sponsored CME (continuing medical education) programme on the "New MBBS curriculum - a Reappraisal," organised by the Andhra Medical College in Visakhapatnam, she said all colleges had been asked to start the IT programme from next month.

Pointing out it was high time that the medical education sector in the state was revamped, Dr Rama Devi said that there were 450 doctors who were working in specialties other than their own. Over, 1,500 doctors who did not receive formal training in teaching practices were handling classes in the state, as a result of which the entire teaching programme was suffering.

The separation of teaching cadre into respective specialties, setting up of training centres and introduction of a full-fledged and committed system for training should happen in another six months, depending on the government's policy, she said.

The two-day programme, which had discussions and presentations, saw the faculty members interacting with experts. NTR University of Health Sciences Vice-Chancellor Dr G Sham Sunder, Dr K Raghava Prasad, AMC principal, Dr R Sasi Prasad, Supdt, King George Hospital, Visakhapatnam, were among those who spoke on the need for a new MBBS curriculum.