Integrating modern medicine with traditional is positive move: Gaur Brahman Ayurvedic College Principal

After Covid-19 pandemic, Ayurvedic courses are much in demand as the traditional system of medicine is more acceptable among people and there is more demand for professionals skilled in treating patients with Ayurveda. Shiksha spoke to Prof (Dr) Manish Sharma, Principal of Gaur Brahman Ayurvedic College.  

Ayurveda and other AYUSH-related treatments are gaining popularity after the global pandemic. Now, common people are aware of the various benefits associated and hence these courses are also much in demand. We spoke to Prof (Dr) Manish Sharma, Principal of Gaur Brahman Ayurvedic College, to know about the career options available after doing BAMS from their institutes and much more, read here the excerpts of the interview:

Recently, WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicine has been established in Gujarat to position AYUSH systems across the globe. how do you see the development?

WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicine (GCTM) was established in April 2022. It is not limited to treatment only but the approach is of holistic life. This is promoted as the Indian vision of "One Earth, One Health". Through this centre, India will be able to take its knowledge of traditional medicine to the world.

This centre will be supported by an investment of about 250 million US Dollars from the Government of India. So, in the coming years, traditional medicine therapies will see a major transformation due to the use of artificial intelligence, and technical innovations.

GCTM will aim to integrate the benefit of traditional medicine with the achievement of modern science and create a comprehensive health strategy.

How do you see the integration of modern medicine with traditional medicines as being promoted by the government?

It is a positive approach by the government towards the patient's health. Traditional medicines will help to overcome the side effects of different modern medicine. It will be also beneficial in drug resistance. Modern medicine/science is desperately short of new treatments. So this integration will enhance research and development.

What are the career options available after doing BAMS from Gaur Brahman Ayurvedic College?

After completing BAMS from Gaur Brahman Ayurvedic College, the students have many opportunities, they can work as Medical Officers, they can do their own clinical practices, go into the research field and also choose higher education by doing PG courses such as MD and MS in Ayurveda.

What are the research areas of your institute?

Our institute has its own “Institutional Ethical Committee” in which the subject includes clinical trends on OPD and IPD patients, uses of different herbal/Ayurvedic preparation on various diseases, library research, survey/descriptive research, and case study.

What are your plans and vision to make the college better in terms of education?

The plan is to make the education system better, and for that, we conduct our theory and practical classes regularly and on time. We also intend to make the study more interesting and clear, we are having projector classrooms. We arrange regular seminars based on various clinical approaches to different expertise, direct clinical exposure of the students via OPDs and IPDs, and provide academic tours.

How pandemic affected Gaur Brahman Ayurvedic College and what are the changes you are observing after two years of the pandemic?

During the Covid-19 pandemic, we converted offline classes into online classes which led to a communication gap between teachers and students, students' clinical skills were also affected during this period due to a lack of practical demonstration. It wasn't good for their future. Some students could not continue their online classes because of poor networking.

Also, academic tours, seminar exposures, and CMEs got hampered. After two years of the pandemic, now everything came on its own right track as students are back to offline classes and practical demonstrations, OPDS and IPD's are happening on regular basis, students developed better technical skills, and better sanitary habits are developing between every staff and student because of Covid awareness programme.

How did the Gaur Brahman Ayurvedic College manage during the lockdown period, and what were the challenges?

During the lockdown, students were sent to their homes for isolation purposes and offline classes were converted into online classes, the hospital was converted into a Covid care centre, and hospital staff were guided to follow all Covid care instructions. 

The challenges we faced included difficulties in treating the patient because of Covid fear, patients were not ready to wear masks and follow isolation criteria, and counselling of patients was not easy because of myths about Covid spread and its prevention/treatment. Shortage of supply of oxygen cylinders was another challenge.

What challenges did the students face during the lockdown period?

The students also faced many challenges such as lack of interaction with teachers, online studies couldn't clear their concepts properly, practical classes were not possible due to the online mode of studies, students were losing their clinical skills, and students' academic activities got hampered.

Read more:

• Career options are growing for BAMS, Ayurvedic Doctors: Principal Govt Ayurvedic College, Assam
• Ayurveda courses gained prominence post Covid-19; Know Career options after BAMS