The Higher Education Review

MBBS education is ever-evolving and the rapid penetration of technology as well as the discovery of new and innovative methods of patient care have had a positive impact on the sector. Believers Church Medical College is one pioneering educational institution that is driven by the ultimate goal of serving humanity and is devoted to excellence in teaching, learning, and healing. The institution looks ahead to train young men and women for healing by introducing training programs in medical, nursing, and allied health sciences.

Believers Church Medical College Hospital was awarded full accreditation from NABH and the college will challenge students to serve in rural areas of the country that lack proper healthcare. Under this umbrella, the institute has nine centers of excellence and eighteen departments. The National Resource Centre for Non-communicable disease serves as a subsidiary of the institution joining hands with the government bodies trying to develop innovative translatable models.

As a research-oriented institute, the research wing of the Believers Church Medical College Hospital has published more than 300 research articles and collaborated with national and international societies including the prestigious Indian Council of Medical Research for research projects. The institute had multiple ICMR STS and 5 ICMR funded large-scale research projects.

Practical healthcare education at its finest
Believers Church Medical College Hospital offers wide range of super specialty services, including Cardiology, Neurology, Nephrology, Gastroenterology, Clinical Hematology, and Interventional Radiology to name a few. At Believers Church Medical College Hospital, practical-oriented training is imparted to the students so that they are job ready.

Competency based medical education as prescribed by the National Medical Commission is the training given to the students at the institute. Critical thinking, communication, and compass- ionate care are given importance in the curriculum and are developed through various programs and activities organized by the institution.

When asked to talk more about the teaching philosophy of the institute, Dr. George Chandy Matteethra, CEO & Director, Believers Church Medical College Hospital says “Our endeavor is to impart to our students the necessary skills, knowledge and mindset that will enable them to become leading practitioners in clinical medicine.

To this end, we engage with them more as facilitators in their growth and development, and less as instructors”.



Believers Church Medical College Hospital also offers a myriad of special programsto its students including a) Inspire – which exposes students to ancillary health departments, including the department of nursing, laboratory, guest relations, and engineering among many others, b) Community orientation program where students undergo a weeklong posting in a community. During this posting, the students learn about the structure of the community, socio-economic problems of the community, and its association with health.

The students are asked to find solutions to these problems with the help of expert faculty, c) Secondary hospital posting in rural area where the students are posted at rural hospitals for two weeks.

The objective of the program is to understand the health needs of rural India, which included visits to rural communities. This will be followed by six weeks of practical training during internship in remote rural hospitals. This will enable the students to work with limited resources and motivate them to work in rural India, d) Family adoption program where a faculty mentor is assigned to a group of students.

They meet regularly, interact with each other and share their concerns. The experienced faculty mentor will help the students to find their life in the campus more fruitful and engaging.

Scaling Greater Heights
Elucidating more on the quality of the faculty members of the Believers Church Medical College Hospital, Dr. George Chandy Matteethra states, “We have 325 experienced faculty who cater to the needs of the students. The institution through its

medical education unit takes regular feedback from the students in a structured format, analyze and suggest the necessary modification in the academic programs and departmental administration”.

To ensure the holistic development of its students, Believers Church Medical College Hospital conducts regular webinars, weekly undergraduate clinics, international and national conferences, professional development and leadership training programs. The college also offers a plethora of recreational facilities including badminton, football, hockey, and basketball courts as well as a modern gymnasium, swimming pool, and facilities for chess and table tennis. These allow the students to train both their body and mind.

”Critical thinking, communication and compassionate care are given importance in the curriculum and are developed through various programs and activities organized by the institution”

Over the years, Believers Church Medical College Hospital has been awarded on numerous occasions including winning the Rose of Paraselsus award for the institution recommended by the European Medical Association,Belgium, Best Pediatrics Department in medical colleges in private sector by Indian Academy of Pediatrics, and Most trusted Hospital in India - Atal award to name a few. Evolving with the changing times, the college is not willing to rest on its laurels and going forward, Believers Church Medical College Hospital aspires to constantly improve its teaching pedagogies and infrastructure.

It is also aiming to introduce a ‘Student Clerkship Program’ where the students are tagged with the consultant doctors as student doctors. The institute through its SSGP is organizing psychological council for each student by a student connector on a regular basis to help and guide them during their learning process. With all this, the college aims to become the best in the country in the next two years and continue its collaborations with international institutions to become a world class center for excellence in scholarship and care.

With its strong linkages with the corporate sector and its commitment to providing its students with a well-rounded education, the college is well-positioned to meet the challenges of the future and continue to produce responsible and committed citizens of the country.