INDIAN MEDICAL GRADUATE ATTRIBUTES

Indian Medical Graduate Training Programme Specific Attributes:

The undergraduate medical education programme is designed with a goal to create an “Indian
Medical Graduate”(IMG) possessing requisite knowledge, skills, attitudes, values and
responsiveness, so that she or he may function appropriately and effectively as a physician of
first contact of the community while being globally relevant. To achieve this, the following
national and institutional goals for the learner of the Indian Medical Graduate training
programme are hereby prescribed:

Goals and Roles for the Learner

In order to fulfill the goal of the IMG training programme, the medical graduate must be able to
function in the following roles appropriately and effectively:-

1. Clinician who understands and provides preventive, promotive, curative, palliative and holistic
care with compassion.

2. Leader and member of the health care team and system with capabilities to collect analyze,
synthesize and communicate health data appropriately.

3. Communicator with patients, families, colleagues and community.

4. Lifelong learner committed to continuous improvement of skills and knowledge.

5. Professional, who is committed to excellence, is ethical, responsive and accountable to

patients, community and profession.

Competency based learning would include designing and implementing medical education
curriculum that focuses on the desired and observable ability in real life situations. In order to
effectively fulfill the roles as listed above the Indian Medical Graduate would have obtained the
following set of competencies at the time of graduation:

1. Clinician, who understands and provides preventive, promotive, curative, palliative and
holistic care with compassion

– Demonstrate knowledge of normal human structure, function and development from a

molecular, cellular, biologic, clinical, behavioural and social perspective.

– Demonstrate knowledge of abnormal human structure, function and development from a

molecular, cellular, biological, clinical, behavioural and social perspective.

– Demonstrate knowledge of medico-legal, societal, ethical and humanitarian principles that

influence health care.
-Demonstrate knowledge of national and regional health care policies including the National
Health Mission that incorporates National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) and National Urban
Health Mission (NUHM), frameworks, economics and systems that influence health promotion,
health care delivery, disease prevention, effectiveness, responsiveness, quality and patient safety.

-Demonstrate ability to elicit and record from the patient, and other relevant sources including
relatives and caregivers, a history that is complete and relevant to disease identification, disease
prevention and health promotion.

-Demonstrate ability to elicit and record from the patient, and other relevant sources including
relatives and caregivers, a history that is contextual to gender, age, vulnerability, social and
economic status, patient preferences, beliefs and values.

-Demonstrate ability to perform a physical examination that is complete and relevant to disease
identification, disease prevention and health promotion.

– Demonstrate ability to perform a physical examination that is contextual to gender, social and
economic status, patient preferences and values.

– Demonstrate effective clinical problem solving, judgement and ability to interpret and integrate
available data in order to address patient problems, generate differential diagnoses and develop
individualized management plans that include preventive, promotive and therapeutic goals.

– Maintain accurate, clear and appropriate record of the patient in conformation with legal and
administrative frame works.

– Demonstrate ability to choose the appropriate diagnostic tests and interpret these tests based on
scientific validity, cost effectiveness and clinical context.

-Demonstrate ability to prescribe and safely administer appropriate therapies including

nutritional interventions, pharmacotherapy and interventions based on the principles of rational
drug therapy, scientific validity, evidence and cost that conform to established national and
regional health programmes and policies for the following:

(i) Disease prevention,

(ii) Health promotion and cure,

(iii) Pain and distress alleviation, and

(iv) Rehabilitation.

– Demonstrate ability to provide a continuum of care at the primary and/or secondary level that
addresses chronicity, mental and physical disability.

– Demonstrate ability to appropriately identify and refer patients who may require specialized or
advanced tertiary care.

– Demonstrate familiarity with basic, clinical and translational research as it applies to the care
of the patient.
2. Leader and member of the health care team and system

– Work effectively and appropriately with colleagues in an inter-professional health care team
respecting diversity of roles, responsibilities and competencies of other professionals.

– Recognize and function effectively, responsibly and appropriately as a health care team leader
in primary and secondary health care settings.

-Educate and motivate other members of the team and work in a collaborative and collegial
fashion that will help maximize the health care delivery potential of the team.

– Access and utilize components of the health care system and health delivery in a manner that is
appropriate, cost effective, fair and in compliance with the national health care priorities and
policies, as well as be able to collect, analyze and utilize health data.

-Participate appropriately and effectively in measures that will advance quality of health care and
patient safety within the health care system.

– Recognize and advocate health promotion, disease prevention and health care quality
improvement through prevention and early recognition: in a) life style diseases and b) cancers, in
collaboration with other members of the health care team.

3. Communicator with patients, families, colleagues and community

– Demonstrate ability to communicate adequately, sensitively, effectively and respectfully with

patients in a language that the patient understands and in a manner that will improve patient
satisfaction and health care outcomes.

– Demonstrate ability to establish professional relationships with patients and families that are
positive, understanding, humane, ethical, empathetic, and trustworthy.

– Demonstrate ability to communicate with patients in a manner respectful of patient’s

preferences, values, prior experience, beliefs, confidentiality and privacy.

-Demonstrate ability to communicate with patients, colleagues and families in a manner that
encourages participation and shared decision-making.

4. Lifelong learner committed to continuous improvement of skills and knowledge

– Demonstrate ability to perform an objective self-assessment of knowledge and skills, continue

learning, refine existing skills and acquire new skills.

– Demonstrate ability to apply newly gained knowledge or skills to the care of the patient.

– Demonstrate ability to introspect and utilize experiences, to enhance personal and professional
growth and learning.
– Demonstrate ability to search (including through electronic means), and critically evaluate the
medical literature and apply the information in the care of the patient.
 – Be able to identify and select an appropriate career pathway that is professionally rewarding
and personally fulfilling.

5. Professional who is committed to excellence, is ethical, responsive and accountable to patients,

community and the profession

– Practice selflessness, integrity, responsibility, accountability and respect.

– Respect and maintain professional boundaries between patients, colleagues and society.

– Demonstrate ability to recognize and manage ethical and professional conflicts.

– Abide by prescribed ethical and legal codes of conduct and practice.

– Demonstrate a commitment to the growth of the medical profession as a whole.