Dr. Ashish Mehta, DHMS, M.D. (HOM.) has a clinical experience of 26 years of Homoeopathic Practice and 15 years of teaching experience in Organon of Medicine. He is currently Principal and Executive Director at Swami Vivekanand Homoeopathic Medical College & Hospital, Near Sports Complex, Sidsar road, Bhavnagar, Gujrat.
INTERVIEW
Dr Abha (ED): What is unique about your college?
Dr Ashish Mehta( AM): The uniqueness of this college is its infrastructure, cleanliness, eco-friendly serene atmosphere and regularity & sincerity in day to day teaching & training.
ED:What does a typical day look like for you working as a Principal?
AM:For Principal, all working days are equal. As Principal has to look after Administrative, Academic, Clinical Training & treating departments, one has to be active, observant & action oriented.
ED:How is India’s current homoeopathy medical education scenario?
AM:The current homoeopathic medical education is under transformation. Many good initiatives taken by AYUSH Dept., Central Council of Homoeopathy, State Councils, Various Pharma Industries, Private/Trust academies to promote good homoeopathic teaching & training. The main goal & road to promote homoeopathy is to produce good quality homoeopaths to serve & practice for the society. Such homoeopaths are the future of homoeopathy to establish the Homoeopathic system as the most accepted, efficient and scientific system of medicine for the society.
ED:The environment for Homoeopathic medical research in India is very conducive. Do you agree?
AM:As there are many avenue for homoeopathic research In India, research activities are going on in India but still quality research is the foundation of any scientific system, which is required more in India esp. in Homoeopathy too. For that, the knowledge of Research Methodology is most required with skilled application of homoeopathy in various diseases / subjects.
ED: What are your views on public trust in doctors and other challenges?
AM: Any doctor, who is in Medical Practice is honorable provided that he is qualified, Trained in the discipline, Patient oriented attitude and quality health care provider. Such doctors are gift to the suffering humanity & public recognize and trust such doctors. Such doctors can be the role model for students in any medical colleges.
ED: Why is research- orientation low in the homoeopathic colleges of India?
AM:Many of the students and even teachers are not aware of research information in homoeopathy. The most important is to make all students aware about research possibilities in homoeopathy and providing them information, examples and guidance. For that exposure to research activities / academies should be conducted during the course especially Post graduate training. At undergraduate level, all students should be informed about scope of research in homoeopathy and its advantages.
ED:What is your take on funding scenario for homoeopathic sector?
AM:The funding scenario for homoeopathic sector is in budding stage in India. No doubt, Govt. is making its efforts by encouraging various research activities. But the active participation from various Institutions / NGOs / Individuals is required. They must be trained to conduct research activities at their respective area / place & funding should not be the obstacle for them. Rather it should be encouraging to conduct research.
ED:Most of the students join B.H.M.S as a secondary option. How you make them aware of the challenges and opportunities.
AM:The most important aspect of the teaching homoeopathy in all colleges is to inspire the students toward learning homoeopathic science and its day to day application in curing various patients / diseases. The best way to make them aware about challenges & opportunities of homoeopathy is to provide them inspiration through motivating seminars/ workshops/ results in OPDs/ teaching with examples from actual homoeopathic practice and create interest among students to achieve success in good homoeopathic practice.
ED: How do you uplift the morale of your students with regard to career?
AM:The only way to uplift the morals in students is to teaching in best possible manner and the best clinical training, where they can witness the process of homoeopathic treatment methodology with good homoeopathic teachers & practitioners.
Providing them opportunities to learn from masters of homoeopathy through internet / online learning courses / seminars / workshops / etc.
ED: Is pursuing courses in hospital administration and emergency medical service along with B.H.M.S a road to employment?
AM: Any course, which supplements to BHMS course, can be a road to good employment. As skill development is the key feature in any subject is mandatory, one can opt for various courses like hospital management, emergency medical service, clinical psychology, forensic science, Community medical services, etc.
ED:What steps you have taken to ensure decent OPD inflow.
AM: To increase the OPD inflow, requirement is standard OPD infrastructure, cleanliness, accessibility, and regularity in functioning, availability of medicines, staff and treatment by a genuine, humanitarian homoeopath with competence. If patients are satisfied with their treatment, automatically, OPD inflow will increase.
ED: Enumerate the infrastructure needed for your college for research activities?
AM: We are having very good infrastructure for teaching, clinical training and research at present. We can evolve more too by providing online clinic setup collaborated with Masters of homoeopathy & homoeopathic academies. Moreover, we can provide direct access of OPD working to students by providing audio-visual aids connected to special room.
ED: In what areas your college wants to go forward with regard to research?
AM: We are interested to provide platform for PH.D. scholars of M.K.Bhavnagar University and faculties of this college to have research activities in their subject/s and treatment of various diseases like – I.T.P., Cancer, Auto-immune disorders, Pediatric cases, etc.
ED: What are your goals and aspirations towards making your college a better hub of education?
AM: Regularity in teaching & training, developing more Peripheral OPDs to promote/ provide homoeopathic treatment to the suffering human being, providing clinical training to the students & interns at peripheral OPDs, Updating all OPDs with Computer & the best homoeopathic Software, organizing seminars/ workshops of eminent homoeopaths & teachers of homoeopathy. We have planned to invite the best teachers from the other homoeopathic colleges to teach our students & interns. As present also, we are arranging regular C.M.E. / Orientation programmes for interns & faculties on regular basis. Providing platform to everyone who are interested in homoeopathic education & scientific homoeopathy.
ED: What extra effort you put in to stand out among the list of around 195 Homoeopathic colleges in India?
AM: To stand out among all, one should be consistent, skilled and systematic & ever learning from experiences of all. We are open to evolve & learn from our mistakes. We always attempt to do our best than the previous not by completion but by collaboration. Unity is the strength.
