Concept of Mental Health and Disease for Practical Implementation: A Case-Based Teaching for Undergraduate Students Part II: Abnormal Psychology and Psychiatry and the Homoeopathic approach

Abstract

Background India faces a significant gap in the prevalence of mental illness and the availability of effective mental health care. A significant factor is inadequate teaching/training of the subject at the undergraduate level rendering physicians incapable to deliver homoeopathic care to the large number of mentally distressed which needs it. This is in spite of our science having an immense potential to benefit these patients. Part I of this series explored the impact of cased-based teaching on acquainting the students in the principles of basic and applied psychology. The current study builds on this experience. Aim The aim of this study was to teach the basic concepts of abnormal psychology and psychiatry and the homoeopathic approach to homoeopathic undergraduate students based on case-based presentations Methodology Plan of teaching abnormal psychology and psychiatry to undergraduate students with a case-based approach integrated with homoeopathic principles was formulated by the Psychiatric Department of Dr. M. L. Dhawale Homoeopathic Institute (MLDMHI), Palghar, Maharashtra, India. PG students prepared topics with the help of a lesson plan template guided by the faculty. Peer evaluation along with student feedback helped to gauge the impact of the lectures and to design improvements. Results Eleven topics, one each week, covered the assigned portion for basic abnormal psychology and psychiatry. Reports of minimum 30 students revealed that 80% were keenly interested in the topics and desired to have more such lectures. Half the students were able to answer all the five multiple-choice questions correctly. Discussion Basic and comprehensive knowledge of psychiatry integrated with homoeopathic principles will allow students/physicians to know how cases are managed homeopathically from a more holistic and comprehensive point of view. Conclusions Case-based presentations through the homoeopathic approach will enhance the confidence of the students in the ability of the science to take care of the psychologically distressed section of the population.

What role can a homoeopathic psychiatrist play in restoring mental health in an unequal world?

“…What was unique was that the postgraduate students of the institute were trained to deliver the teaching for the 2 nd and 3 rd and 4 th years; the programme was a runaway success. [33,34] The programme, if replicated all over the country and combined with clinical exposure in the OPDs, promises to transform the mental healthcare scenario in the country. It is hoped that the National Commission of Homoeopathy will consider this innovative programme while it deliberates on its competency-based model of education.…”