Saveetha Institute Of Medical & Technical Sciences (SIMATS): Redefining Medical Education By Creating Ethical, Holistic, & Professional Clinicians
Dr Deepak Nallaswamy Veeraiyan, Director (Academics), Saveetha Institute Of Medical & Technical Sciences (SIMATS)
Medical education in India faces challenges such as outdated curricula, limited practical training, and overcrowded classrooms, making it difficult for students to learn effectively individually. Competency-based education, proposed by the National Medical Commission, aims to address these issues; however, most institutions struggle to meet global proficiency-based standards that focus on practical skills. According to recent estimates, the healthcare education market in India will expand at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 8.5 percent till 2030 due to the increasing number of skilled professionals. However, there are still loopholes in clinical exposure, research, and industry alignment, thus requiring institutions to revolutionize medical education.
Saveetha Institute of Medical & Technical Sciences (SIMATS) is addressing these challenges with a forward-thinking approach. SIMATS exceeds the competency-based model proposed by the NMC by incorporating proficiency-based education, as it applies Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) to undergraduate students. This will guarantee a high degree of clinical competence among the students upon graduation, following practical procedures assessed during the graduation study. The EPA-based model, in contrast to the observership-based model commonly used by most colleges, will produce graduates who are better prepared to enter the workforce. Additionally, the competency-based integrated clinic model allows students to observe multidisciplinary consultations in a single setting, enhancing holistic patient care understanding.
EPA-based Curriculum & Integrated Clinic Model
SIMATS' innovative pedagogy significantly elevates the quality of medical education in India. Its EPA-based curriculum ensures students get the required amount of procedures done independently which amounts to excellent clinical skills. Every student has to perform surgeries and deliveries to an assessed competency, which is uncommon in Indian institutions. “We are India’s only institute offering small group teaching, with 40-student classes repeated six times. This demands more faculties but ensures personalized attention, unlike traditional large halls”, says Dr Deepak Nallaswamy Veeraiyan, Director (Academics), SIMATS.
The integrated clinic model exposes students to real-time, multidisciplinary case discussions, preparing them for complex healthcare environments. The college also leads in undergraduate research, with students producing publications annually, making it one of India’s highest-publishing medical schools. This research focus, supported by rigorous methodology training, fosters critical thinking and innovation.
Preparing Students for Industry Demands
The institute aligns its curriculum with industry needs through a robust EPA-based system, ensuring graduates are skilled in performing essential medical procedures independently. Students are able to have a lot of practical experience, as the number of patients is high 5,000 to 6,000 cases per day, and philanthropy plays a certain role in providing these patients. They also get trained in community outreach, patient acquisition, and treatment planning which provide them with practical skills of how to treat a patient, and when to refer a case.
“We are proud that the industry prioritizes our students, as we train them to be the best in multiple roles, from clinical tasks to patient management, meeting the industry’s demand for versatile professionals”, says Dr Deepak Nallaswamy Veeraiyan.
SIMATS offers a unique curriculum, providing small-group learning, electives, and dual-degree programs as per the National Education Policy (NEP). Students are also enabled to undertake part-time courses in areas such as Bharatanatyam even as they study medicine to create a harmonious education. Having spent ₹50-60 crore annually on R&D, it is considered one of the best in dental education in the world according to Scimago rankings. These distinctive programs guarantee that the graduates are not only clinically excellent but also possess the skills in research as well as interdisciplinary skills to enable them to have productive careers.
Faculty Excellence & Innovative Clinical Infrastructure
SIIMATS employs over 500 faculty members, including 120 from premier institutes such as AIIMS, ensuring high-quality instruction. The supportive work environment encourages junior faculty to pursue innovative projects without hierarchical constraints. The college infrastructure features interactive panels, LED-equipped lecture halls, and comfortable demo rooms with sofa seating. The ICU, designed with transparent lacquered floors and the architecturally stunning infertility center, reflects its commitment to modern facilities. Digital and paperless systems also enhance the learning process, saving 27 tons of paper every year.
SIMATS is well-equipped with innovative clinical infrastructure, comprising 500 dental chairs that are fully equipped with evacuation units and 14 X-ray rooms with RVG units to take rapid radiographs. The college has developed its combo clinic system, which consists of 300 scaler units, 300 LC units, and 400 articulators, which complete dental training. The specialized equipment is represented by 21 Carl Zeiss OPMI PICO microscopes, Waterlase and Biolase lasers, and a CBCT machine for implantology.
The Tessellation Centre hosts India’s only dental CAD-CAM unit and 3D printer for prostheses. The Helix Lab and digitized 3D smile design studios with Geomagic and EXOCAD software enhance research and treatment planning, positioning SIMATS as a globally recognized institution in dental innovation.
Future Roadmap
SIMATS is planning to enhance its education by launching didactic programs in poorly represented specialties such as radiology and dermatology, as well as skill-based courses as a means to resolve the healthcare crisis in India by task shifting and task sharing. The institute is also venturing into student-initiated curriculum development to promote more inquiry and thinking. As an entrepreneurship-oriented university, it is open to postgraduates working on patents and products that would establish India as a medical innovation sector. The long-term vision is to graduate holistic clinicians with ethical foundations and professional clarity that will be used as an example by other institutions in the next five years.
Looking ahead, Saveetha Institute of Medical & Technical Sciences is redefining medical education in India through its innovative, student-centric approach. By proficiency-based education, small group learning, integrated clinical training, and undergraduate research, the institute provides graduates who excel in clinical skills, research, and industry readiness. Its world-class infrastructure, diverse faculty, and strategic industry partnerships further enhance its impact. With a clear vision to lead global medical education, SIMATS is poised to shape the future of healthcare training in India and beyond.
Scholarships And Industry Collaborations
SIMATS offers scholarships, especially to doctoral and research scholars, with a monthly stipend of 20,000 - 40,000 rupees. These facilitate a wide community of 100 researchers in medical projects. The alignment with the industry is made possible through the Department Advisory Committee (DAC) and Program Advisory Committee (PAC), whereby the input of the industry review boards helps revise the curriculum with industry-relevant skills. This ensures graduates meet the current demands of the healthcare sector, such as proficiency in specific procedures, through tailored EPAs.
The college engages students in a myriad of co-curricular activities to foster holistic development and professional readiness. The institute’s creative assessment system assigns marks for clinical work, theoretical contributions, and extracurricular participation, which are put into scholarship evaluations, though it’s not mandatory for graduation per NMC guidelines.
On average, each graduate presents 15 research papers at national and international conferences, building critical skills in public speaking, research dissemination, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Such activities enable students to eliminate stage fright, fear of expressing ideas, and fear of networking and get ready to face the reality of professional life. Incorporating such a wide range of opportunities, the college not only makes its graduates clinically competent but also fit to work in the dynamic healthcare environment.
Saveetha Institute of Medical & Technical Sciences (SIMATS) is addressing these challenges with a forward-thinking approach. SIMATS exceeds the competency-based model proposed by the NMC by incorporating proficiency-based education, as it applies Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) to undergraduate students. This will guarantee a high degree of clinical competence among the students upon graduation, following practical procedures assessed during the graduation study. The EPA-based model, in contrast to the observership-based model commonly used by most colleges, will produce graduates who are better prepared to enter the workforce. Additionally, the competency-based integrated clinic model allows students to observe multidisciplinary consultations in a single setting, enhancing holistic patient care understanding.
EPA-based Curriculum & Integrated Clinic Model
SIMATS' innovative pedagogy significantly elevates the quality of medical education in India. Its EPA-based curriculum ensures students get the required amount of procedures done independently which amounts to excellent clinical skills. Every student has to perform surgeries and deliveries to an assessed competency, which is uncommon in Indian institutions. “We are India’s only institute offering small group teaching, with 40-student classes repeated six times. This demands more faculties but ensures personalized attention, unlike traditional large halls”, says Dr Deepak Nallaswamy Veeraiyan, Director (Academics), SIMATS.
The integrated clinic model exposes students to real-time, multidisciplinary case discussions, preparing them for complex healthcare environments. The college also leads in undergraduate research, with students producing publications annually, making it one of India’s highest-publishing medical schools. This research focus, supported by rigorous methodology training, fosters critical thinking and innovation.
Preparing Students for Industry Demands
The institute aligns its curriculum with industry needs through a robust EPA-based system, ensuring graduates are skilled in performing essential medical procedures independently. Students are able to have a lot of practical experience, as the number of patients is high 5,000 to 6,000 cases per day, and philanthropy plays a certain role in providing these patients. They also get trained in community outreach, patient acquisition, and treatment planning which provide them with practical skills of how to treat a patient, and when to refer a case.
“We are proud that the industry prioritizes our students, as we train them to be the best in multiple roles, from clinical tasks to patient management, meeting the industry’s demand for versatile professionals”, says Dr Deepak Nallaswamy Veeraiyan.
SIMATS offers a unique curriculum, providing small-group learning, electives, and dual-degree programs as per the National Education Policy (NEP). Students are also enabled to undertake part-time courses in areas such as Bharatanatyam even as they study medicine to create a harmonious education. Having spent ₹50-60 crore annually on R&D, it is considered one of the best in dental education in the world according to Scimago rankings. These distinctive programs guarantee that the graduates are not only clinically excellent but also possess the skills in research as well as interdisciplinary skills to enable them to have productive careers.
Faculty Excellence & Innovative Clinical Infrastructure
SIIMATS employs over 500 faculty members, including 120 from premier institutes such as AIIMS, ensuring high-quality instruction. The supportive work environment encourages junior faculty to pursue innovative projects without hierarchical constraints. The college infrastructure features interactive panels, LED-equipped lecture halls, and comfortable demo rooms with sofa seating. The ICU, designed with transparent lacquered floors and the architecturally stunning infertility center, reflects its commitment to modern facilities. Digital and paperless systems also enhance the learning process, saving 27 tons of paper every year.
SIMATS is well-equipped with innovative clinical infrastructure, comprising 500 dental chairs that are fully equipped with evacuation units and 14 X-ray rooms with RVG units to take rapid radiographs. The college has developed its combo clinic system, which consists of 300 scaler units, 300 LC units, and 400 articulators, which complete dental training. The specialized equipment is represented by 21 Carl Zeiss OPMI PICO microscopes, Waterlase and Biolase lasers, and a CBCT machine for implantology.
The Tessellation Centre hosts India’s only dental CAD-CAM unit and 3D printer for prostheses. The Helix Lab and digitized 3D smile design studios with Geomagic and EXOCAD software enhance research and treatment planning, positioning SIMATS as a globally recognized institution in dental innovation.
Future Roadmap
SIMATS is planning to enhance its education by launching didactic programs in poorly represented specialties such as radiology and dermatology, as well as skill-based courses as a means to resolve the healthcare crisis in India by task shifting and task sharing. The institute is also venturing into student-initiated curriculum development to promote more inquiry and thinking. As an entrepreneurship-oriented university, it is open to postgraduates working on patents and products that would establish India as a medical innovation sector. The long-term vision is to graduate holistic clinicians with ethical foundations and professional clarity that will be used as an example by other institutions in the next five years.
Looking ahead, Saveetha Institute of Medical & Technical Sciences is redefining medical education in India through its innovative, student-centric approach. By proficiency-based education, small group learning, integrated clinical training, and undergraduate research, the institute provides graduates who excel in clinical skills, research, and industry readiness. Its world-class infrastructure, diverse faculty, and strategic industry partnerships further enhance its impact. With a clear vision to lead global medical education, SIMATS is poised to shape the future of healthcare training in India and beyond.
Scholarships And Industry Collaborations
SIMATS offers scholarships, especially to doctoral and research scholars, with a monthly stipend of 20,000 - 40,000 rupees. These facilitate a wide community of 100 researchers in medical projects. The alignment with the industry is made possible through the Department Advisory Committee (DAC) and Program Advisory Committee (PAC), whereby the input of the industry review boards helps revise the curriculum with industry-relevant skills. This ensures graduates meet the current demands of the healthcare sector, such as proficiency in specific procedures, through tailored EPAs.
The college engages students in a myriad of co-curricular activities to foster holistic development and professional readiness. The institute’s creative assessment system assigns marks for clinical work, theoretical contributions, and extracurricular participation, which are put into scholarship evaluations, though it’s not mandatory for graduation per NMC guidelines.
On average, each graduate presents 15 research papers at national and international conferences, building critical skills in public speaking, research dissemination, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Such activities enable students to eliminate stage fright, fear of expressing ideas, and fear of networking and get ready to face the reality of professional life. Incorporating such a wide range of opportunities, the college not only makes its graduates clinically competent but also fit to work in the dynamic healthcare environment.
