Medicity Institute of Medical Sciences, Andhra Pradesh has entered into an agreement with MedRC Edu Tech Ltd, Hyderabad for introducing digital learning of MBBS course. Under the agreement, MedRC will provide study materials in electronic format to the students that will be useful for learning the course.

SV Krishnan, chief operating officer, Medicity said that, with this agreement, Medicity Institute has become the first medical college in the country to embrace e-learning for MBBS course.

Dr Neeraj Raj, CEO of MedRC said " This is the first time we have a system of learning that has been based on the materials sent by top lecturers in all disciplines. We have all the necessary text that come from expert faculty which makes it an asset fro students all over the country to understand the subject better."

When asked about the substitution of regular class and demonstration by a teacher by an e-learning product, Dr Raj explained the innovative project had features designed to assist learning in a virtual fashion, "You see, the programme uses 2-D, 3-D graphics to give a complete graphic display of what can be demonstrated in a class."

Providing more inputs he gave an example where the student has a chance to test his diagnostic skill on a virtual patient on screen while in person a student has to get it right and nod in agreement when a batch of students are out to examine their diagnostic skills. But with a virtual patient the student has time to err and corrects himself in time. In other words even if he misses a lecture or two he can learn the portion with such a programme at his own pace.

Dr Raj stated that till now no one has attempted to arrange 7500 lectures on a platform in such a catalysed manner with technological adoption. The syllabus has been covered as per Indian Medical Council norms and till now the entire first year has been compiled. About 70 per cent of second year is complete and the rest will be complete within eighteen months.

When asked about costs part, Dr Neeraj said that, it would differ from institution to institution and usage. Now we have agreed for a price of Rs 30/hr for Medicity students. Krishnan chips in saying that the library in Medicity would allow students access across topics from now with this digital technology.