Centre for Medical Education (CME): An Enthusiastic Journey

Bangladesh is a densely populated country which became independent by The Great War of Independence in 1971. After independence, Father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman ensured medical care as the basic necessities of life for all the citizens of Bangladesh by including it in article 15 of the constitution of the People's Republic of Bangladesh. To ensure sustainable medical care, there is a need of well-established community oriented and competency based medical education in the country. For this reason a scheme was undertaken with United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) assistance in 1976-77 for strengthening of Health Manpower Development in Bangladesh. The development objective of the scheme was to rejuvenate the under–graduate and post-graduate medical education of the country. The scheme was evaluated in a tripartite review meeting on June, 1980 and decision was taken to reformulate the project in line with the objectives of second five year plan. It was then felt necessary to implement a project that would provide a community oriented medical education as well as appropriately trained trainers in medical education locally and overseas. In order to achieve the objective stated above, the government approved the scheme to establish Center for Medical Education (CME) in 1983. Although the project was approved by pre Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on 1980, it took period of four and half years in its passage though different quarters and was finally signed by all concerned on May ’85. Since then the center started functioning as a development project with financial assistance from UNDP in the form of provisions for short-term consultation for training of teacher on educational science (local and overseas) and supply of books and equipment for the center and other medical institutions. The policy of the center is to give all kinds of assistance to improve the teaching ability of the teachers of medical colleges, dental colleges, medical institutes and allied health institutes. In 1987 revenue post created in CME as per existing organogram. CME is working on teaching methodology and assessment since October 1988 and developed National tools and guidelines on Quality Assurance Scheme (QAS) for medical colleges in 1997 & in 2012. It also developed training modalities for inter professional education (IPE) in 2014. CME  conducting two years duration of Masters in Medical Education (MMEd) course which started first under Dhaka University in 2004-05 and later which is now affiliated by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), Dhaka from 2012-13. CME also started one year duration diploma in Health Professionals’ Education (DPHEd) course under BSMMU since 2019-20. During the course of its journey CME develop, review and update MBBS, BDS, 12 Courses of IHT, MATS, SIT, EPI and HA Curriculum. CME is publishing BMDC recognized peer reviewed journal since July 2021. To ensure orientation to the teachers of medical colleges, dental colleges and medical institutes, about the basic concept of ‘Teaching Methodology and Assessment’ a ToT method on ‘Teaching Methodology and Assessment’ was started in January 2022. After the successful completion of the ToT programme on ‘Teaching Methodology and Assessment’, an order has been issued from the Medical Education and Family Welfare Division of Ministry of Health And Family Welfare, to establish viable ‘Medical Education Department’ in all medical colleges, dental colleges and medical institutes. Honorable Health Minister Zahid Maleque, MP also agreed to establish a medical teachers’ training institute in the country to ensuring competency of the teacher of all medical colleges, dental colleges and medical institute as well as to provide sustainable health care services in Bangladesh and abroad.