We are a diverse collective united by a shared commitment to nurturing critical thinking and inquiry in medical education. Our group includes scholars and practitioners of Ayurveda, modern biomedical practitioners, educators, clinical researchers, biochemists, and transdisciplinary thinkers with backgrounds in linguistics, physics, anthropology, policy, computer science, chiropractic, bioinformatics, and the creative arts. This breadth of expertise enables us to engage with questions of health, illness, and healing in ways that are both rigorous and pluralistic.
Our concern arises from the tendency of mainstream education — whether within the system of mainstream medicine or within alternative medical systems such as Ayurveda — to present both bodies of knowledge as fixed, totally certain, bodies of knowledge, not subject to doubting, questioning, critiquing, or revising. This approach often discourages students from engaging in critical examination, leading to the uncritical internalization of information. It also discourages path breaking research. We believe this poses a serious challenge to meaningful education and warrants deliberate intervention.
To address this concern, we are in the process of developing an introductory textbook intended for use as course material in elective modules within MBBS and BAMS programs. Our intended readership includes inquisitive and reflective learners–particularly students in grades 11 and 12, as well as first-year MBBS and BAMS students–who are beginning to engage with diverse perspectives on health, illness, and healing.
While this larger initiative is underway, we are also pursuing another initiative, that of developing a series of fictional dialogues on Health, Illness, and Healing. This second initiative involves two sets of dialogues, one that is situated within a narrative in which the ancient physicians Charaka and Sushruta engage their students in probing discussions that challenge assumptions and promote reflective inquiry. Each conversation is followed by a parallel dialogue among 21st-century teenagers, guided by a physician, as they interpret and critique the ideas presented.
We are also thinking of pursuing yet another initiative parallel to the second one. This would be an introduction to critical thinking and inquiry in mainstream medicine, to help learners view medicine as situated in the epistemology of science: as uncertain, fallible, with rationally justified conclusions subject to doubting, questioning, critiquing and revision.
We hope these dialogues stimulate critical curiosity, and encourage meaningful engagement. Feedback and critical commentary are most welcome. You may like to reach us at:
patwardhan.kishor@gmail.com
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