ArticleBMC public health2020
Medical schools in India: pattern of establishment and impact on public health - a Geographic Information System (GIS) based exploratory study.
Article in BMC public health, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 14 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
14 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Applications of geographical information system and spatial analysis in Indian health research: a systematic review.BMC health services research · 2024Pooled it
- Rethinking Basic Science Teaching in Medical Education: A Viewpoint on Its Past, Present, and Future.Interactive journal of medical research · 2026Article
- How to establish a new medical school? A scoping review of the key considerations.Advances in health sciences education : theory and practice · 2025Article
- For-profit growth and academic decline: a retrospective nationwide assessment of Brazilian medical schools.Frontiers in medicine · 2025Article
- The disposability and inclusion of Brown bodies.American journal of biological anthropology · 2025Article
- The dark side of private medical education in Brazil.Frontiers in medicine · 2025Article
- Access to palliative care in India: situational analysis and modeling of access from public healthcare centers.Ecancermedicalscience · 2025Article
- Analysis of acute poisoning cases at a tertiary care hospital.Journal of family medicine and primary care · 2024Article
- The bioethics of skeletal anatomy collections from India.Nature communications · 2024Article
- Geospatial Analysis of Parental Healthcare-Seeking Behavior in the Vicinity of Multispecialty Hospital in India.International journal of MCH and AIDS · 2024Article
- Scorpion Sting Envenomation, a Neglected Tropical Disease: A Nationwide Survey Exploring Perspectives and Attitudes of Resident Doctors from India.The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene · 2023Article
- Current distribution of medical colleges in India and its potential predictors: A public domain data audit.Journal of family medicine and primary care · 2023Article
- Achieving universal health coverage and sustainable development goals by 2030: investment estimates to increase production of health professionals in India.Human resources for health · 2023Article
- Implementation of competency-based medical education in India: Effect of COVID pandemic.Journal of education and health promotion · 2022Article
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Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundIndian medical education system is on the brink of a massive reform. The government of India has recently passed the National Medical Commission Bill (NMC Bill). It seeks to eliminate the existing shortage and maldistribution of health professionals in India. It also encourages establishment of medical schools in underserved areas. Hence this study explores the geographic distribution of medical schools in India to identify such under and over served areas. Special emphasis has been given to the mapping of new medical schools opened in the last decade to identify the ongoing pattern of expansion of medical education sector in India.
methodsAll medical schools retrieved from the online database of Medical Council of India were plotted on the map of India using geographic information system. Their pattern of establishment was identified. Medical school density was calculated to analyse the effect of medical school distribution on health care indicators.
resultsPresence of medical schools had a positive influence on the public health profile. But medical schools were not evenly distributed in the country. The national average medical school density in India amounted to 4.08 per 10 million population. Medical school density of provinces revealed a wide range from 0 (Nagaland, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu and Lakshadweep) to 72.12 (Puducherry). Medical schools were seen to be clustered in the vicinity of major cities as well as provincial capitals. Distance matrix revealed that the median distance of a new medical school from its nearest old medical school was just 22.81 Km with an IQR of 6.29 to 56.86 Km.
conclusionsThis study revealed the mal-distribution of medical schools in India. The problem is further compounded by selective opening of new medical schools within the catchment area of already established medical schools. Considering that medical schools showed a positive influence on public health, further research is needed to guide formulation of rules for medical school establishment in India.
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