INDABA CALLED OVER DWINDLING MEDICAL EDUCATION STANDARDS 

By Kalobwe Bwalya

ZAMBIA Medical Association (ZMA) has expressed concern over the declining standards in medical education.

ZMA Secretary General Oliver Kaoma noted that the advancement in medical knowledge, technology, and increase in the number of training institutions posed a great challenge in maintaining the standards and quality of training.

Dr. Kaoma explained that the Association had further noted a shift towards prioritization of passing exams rather than mastering the clinical skills necessary for competent practice.

He said the commercialization of education, reliance on memorization, faculty shortages, and assessment inconsistencies as well as failure to integrate new advancements in curricula left students ill-prepared to tackle modern healthcare challenges.

He said the commodification of education may have shifted the focus from quality to profitability as it promoted less strict evaluation standards with instances of ghost writing, plagiarism, and unethical practices tarnishing the integrity of medical education.

He however, disclosed that ZMA was convening an Indaba with key stakeholders involved in training to address the evolving gaps in medical training.

He said another challenge was the shortage of qualified faculty members as many experienced clinicians were reluctant to transition into teaching roles due to poor conditions of service.

He said this had since resulted in most medical schools relying on inexperienced faculty members who may lack the necessary expertise to provide quality education.

He said this could only change through strategic reforms and concerted efforts which were possible to rejuvenate medical education and produce competent and compassionate healthcare professionals equipped to meet the evolving needs of society.