Medical Research in Medical College in India: Current Scenario and Ways to Improve it
Ghosh K, Ghosh K.
J Assoc Physicians India. 2019 Apr;67(4):71-73. PMID: 31299844.
The authors actually drop a bombshell when they say that they reviewed and discovered that 60% of research papers in indexed journals are published by just 6 – 10 medical colleges, when we have around 450 medical colleges in India! Now that is something to be concerned about!
The authors have reviewed several papers and listed as well as cited various reasons for lack of good research out in the country’s medical colleges. They have also come up with some sound suggestions, which include the generation of real interest in research, motivating factors, money and more.
There is a mention of the need for good medical statisticians in every institution, and this is of course a must (and sadly a major lacuna).
And (as expected) there is no mention of the lack of literature searching skills and the need for a good information specialist (usually the librarian). I am not surprised. This is the scenario in our country. There is a huge lack in this aspect and I would add it to this article.
And that – dear readers is why QMed exists. To fill up this gap!
As the authors say – we do have skills in the country, but they need to be spread across all institutions with thorough training and skill building. We have the patient load. We can produce top notch research publications if skills are built, if the research environment exists and there is great motivation. Let us all work at these together!