Implementation of a pedagogical skills training programme in postgraduate medical education at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University: Lessons and outcomes

Authors

  • Bijoy Kumer Paul 
    Department of  Public Health and Informatics, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (currently, Bangladesh Medical University), Dhaka, Bangladesh

DOI:

Keywords

pedagogical training, postgraduate medical education

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Correspondence

Bijoy Kumer Paul
Email: bijoypaul@bsmmu.edu.bd

Publication history

Received: 1 Feb 2025
Accepted: 12 Apr 2025
Published inline: 28 Apr 2025

Funding

None 

Ethical approval

Not applicable

Trial registration number

Not applicable

Copyright

© The Author(s) 2025; all rights reserved
Published by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (currently, Bangladesh Medical University)

Key messages
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University incorporate training on teaching methods and assessment for residents to improve ethical, technical, and scientific knowledge. Including teaching training during residency can enhance clinical skills and patient care. It's important to accurately identify teaching abilities in medical residents and help them understand effective teaching methods. Existing efforts are not enough, and with more medical residency programmes, there's a need for qualified teachers.
Cancer Doctors need to learn how to teach, and residents can start developing this skill during their medical education. Teaching enhances communication with patients, junior residents, faculty, and peers. Medical residents who understand teaching and learning principles can become better learners. Medical residents should learn teaching skills, including professional values. Teaching skill is a crucial component of the medical education curriculum in Western countries. Literature suggests that residents allocate nearly 25% of their residency programmes to teaching, despite being inadequately trained for this role [1].

Universities across the globe strive to improve the teaching skills of residents, thereby enriching their educational journey and preparing them for the future. This initiative is not confined to developed nations; even developing countries such as Nigeria are incorporating medical residents into teaching positions to overcome resource limitations [2]. The duration, structure, and subject matter of these teaching programmes, nevertheless, exhibit significant variation [3]. There is unequal distribution of resources and expertise for instruction among residency programmes.

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, the premier institution in Bangladesh for nurturing skilled healthcare professionals, is dedicated to providing quality medical education, research, and healthcare services. In 2009, the University introduced competency-based medical education for postgraduate residents, featuring a 5-year training programme in clinical faculties (3-4 years for the Basic and Para-clinical Sciences) leads to the degrees MD/MS. This comprehensive programme is divided into two phases, namely Phase-A and Phase-B. Phase-A involves broad-based specialty training, while Phase-B focuses on in-depth, specialty-specific training, ensuring residents' competence and preparing them for specialty qualifications. As part of their Phase-B training, residents of Phase-B participated in a mandatory short course on the 'basics of medical education’ that focused on pedagogical skill training of residents. The Division of Medical Education is responsible for this formal pedagogy skill training for the residents.
 
Structure of the programme
Postgraduate residents undergo a comprehensive one-month training in pedagogical skills, featuring interactive lectures conducted by qualified (MMEd degree holders) internal and external faculty members. The course covers various topics of medical education, including the introduction to medical education, formulation of educational objectives, effective teaching and learning facilitation, curriculum planning and development, basics of communication, construction of lesson plans, small and large group teaching, bedside teaching, ambulatory care teaching preparation of instructional materials, principles of assessment, and the planning and execution of assessment tools such as written, structured oral examinations, and clinical competency assessments like objective structured practical/clinical examinations, long cases, short cases, and portfolio assessments. Faculty members deliver 2-hour-long interactive lectures on these topics, and a formative assessment (objective types of written assessments) is conducted at the end of the placement.
Table 1 Percents of resident’s feedback regarding the short course on basics of medical education (n=102) 

Statements

Strongly agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly disagree

The course enhanced my knowledge of the subject matter

27

65

6

0

2

The course contents, modules and structure were relevant and beneficial

26

68

3

2

1

Instructors were engaging, supportive, easy to understand, and provide a clear instruction

46

46

15

0

3

I feel competent and confident on the on the subject matter at the end of the course

15

50

27

6

2

I would recommend this course to others

47

49

3

1

0

Statements

Strongly agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly disagree

The course enhanced my knowledge of the subject matter

27

65

6

0

2

The course contents, modules and structure were relevant and beneficial

26

68

3

2

1

Instructors were engaging, supportive, easy to understand, and provide a clear instruction

46

46

15

0

3

I feel competent and confident on the on the subject matter at the end of the course

15

50

27

6

2

I would recommend this course to others

47

49

3

1

0

Application

Description

AI techniques used

Benefits

Relevance to drug discovery

Identification of target 

AI analyzes extensive datasets to detect proteins, genes, or pathways affecting disease mechanisms, aiding in identifying promising targets. 

Machine learning, data mining 

Focuses research on the most promising targets 

Target identification is crucial for the success of drug discovery, helping streamline the search for effective treatments.

Substance testing 

AI optimizes drug screening by predicting the most effective compounds, reducing the need for extensive experimental testing. 

Predictive models, convolutional neural networks 

Reduces experimental workload, accelerates discovery process 

AI’s predictive capabilities enhance efficiency by narrowing down the best candidates, saving time and resources. 

Predictive modelling 

AI-driven models predict ADMETa properties of drug candidates, helping assess potential effectiveness and safety before experimental validation. 

Statistical techniques, machine learning 

Expedites and reduces costs of drug development 

Predictive modelling reduces failure rates in clinical trials by assessing the safety and efficacy of drugs early in the process. 

Drug repurposing 

AI finds new therapeutic uses for approved drugs by uncovering correlations between drugs and diseases. 

Data analysis, natural language processing 

Accelerates development using existing safety and efficacy data 

Drug repurposing is a cost-effective strategy to quickly find new treatments, leveraging existing drugs for new indications. 

aADMET indicates absorption, distribution, metabolism, elimination and toxicity

The residents provided feedback on the course through a semi-structured questionnaire using a 5-point Likert scale. Approximately 84% expressed overall satisfaction. Moreover, around 92% of the residents agreed that the course enhanced their knowledge, making them competent and confident in the subject matter. They found the course content relevant and beneficial, and the instructors were noted as engaging, supportive, and providing clear instructions. Ninety six percent stated their intention to recommend this course to others (Table 1). Studies showed that the evaluation of the most programmes was very positive in terms of curriculum appreciation, learning outcomes and teaching behaviour [4, 5].
 
Although residents gave positive feedback, there were challenges—such as lack of time (added to their workload) and a shortage of skilled trainers. The institution should prioritize teaching skill training to develop competent doctors who can also train future doctors well. 

Categories

Number (%)

Sex

 

   Male

36 (60.0)

   Female

24 (40.0)

Age in yearsa

8.8 (4.2)

   Education

 

   Pre-school

20 (33.3)

   Elementary school

24 (40.0)

   Junior high school

16 (26.7)

Cancer diagnoses

 

   Acute lymphoblastic leukemia

33 (55)

   Retinoblastoma

5 (8.3)

   Acute myeloid leukemia

4 (6.7)

   Non-Hodgkins lymphoma

4 (6.7)

   Osteosarcoma

3 (5)

   Hepatoblastoma

2 (3.3)

   Lymphoma

2 (3.3)

   Neuroblastoma

2 (3.3)

   Medulloblastoma

1 (1.7)

   Neurofibroma

1 (1.7)

   Ovarian tumour

1 (1.7)

   Pancreatic cancer

1 (1.7)

   Rhabdomyosarcoma

1 (1.7)

aMean (standard deviation)

Categories

Number (%)

Sex

 

   Male

36 (60.0)

   Female

24 (40.0)

Age in yearsa

8.8 (4.2)

Education

 

   Pre-school

20 (33.3)

   Elementary school

24 (40.0)

   Junior high school

16 (26.7)

Cancer diagnoses

 

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia

33 (55)

Retinoblastoma

5 (8.3)

Acute myeloid leukemia

4 (6.7)

Non-Hodgkins lymphoma

4 (6.7)

Osteosarcoma

3 (5)

Hepatoblastoma

2 (3.3)

Lymphoma

2 (3.3)

Neuroblastoma

2 (3.3)

Medulloblastoma

1 (1.7)

Neurofibroma

1 (1.7)

Ovarian tumour

1 (1.7)

Pancreatic cancer

1 (1.7)

Rhabdomyosarcoma

1 (1.7)

aMean (standard deviation)

Acknowledgements
The author would like to acknowledge Professors Khandakar Manzare Shamim, Md. Humayun Kabir Talukder, Md. Khairul Alom, Tahmina Begum,   for conducting the sessions on teaching, learning and assessment. Also thanks to Department of Public Health and Informatics for their continuous support for smooth conduction of this course. The author would like to acknowledge residents of BSMMU who gave their valuable opinion regarding this course.
Conflict of interest
I do not have any conflict of interest.
Data availability statement
Not applicable
Supplementary file
None
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