Medical Education Excellence and the Evolution of Palliative Medicine

In terms of institutional achievement, KMC Manipal moves up, MCOPS retains place in QS World Ranking by Subject 2018. Within the Manipal Academy of Higher Education (formerly, Manipal University), academic integrity is paramount, and All Admissions at MAHE are merit based and through MAHE Admissions Dept only. Reflecting on professional standards, “Bad practice in Medicine must be rooted out,” World Medical Education President Prof David Gordon tells graduating students.

Prominent Medical and Health Science Institutes

The university encompasses several prestigious institutes including:

• Kasturba Medical College (KMC) Manipal
• Kasturba Medical College (KMC) Mangalore
• Centre for Integrative Medicine & Research (CIMR) Manipal
• Manipal College of Pharmaceutical Sciences (MCOPS) Manipal
• Manipal Institute of Virology (MIV) Manipal
• Department of Basic Medical Sciences (DBMS) Manipal
• Manipal College of Health Professions (MCHP) Manipal
• Manipal Tata Medical College (MTMC) Jamshedpur

IAPCON 2023: Subspeciality Palliative Medicine

The 30th Annual International Conference of the Indian Association of Palliative Care (IAPCON 2023) will be a physical conference at Bengaluru, organised by Karunashraya. The core focus is clear as ‘Metamorphosis: The emergence of Subspeciality Palliative Medicine’, will be the theme of IAPCON 2023.

Dr Nagesh Simha, the Organising Chairman of IAPCON 2023, and Dr Seema Rao, the Organizing Secretary, explain: “The immense need for palliative care in non-cancer conditions and the enthusiasm shown by the various subspecialities has the potential to transform the scope of palliative care.” Furthermore, Dr Naveen Salins, the Scientific Chairperson of IAPCON 2023, shares that “The scientific program of IAPCON 2023 will be slightly different from the previous conferences,” aiming to provide a strong foundation for what the future of palliative care should be.

Scientific Schedule and Specializations

The conference is slated to be conducted over two and half days (Friday, 10th, February 2023, to Sunday, 12th February 2023), with pre-conference workshops scheduled for Thursday, 9th February, 2023. To ensure comprehensive coverage, IAPCON 2023 would have 9 tracks in total (6 major tracks and 3 minor tracks) with each of the major tracks focusing on the 6 sub specialties.

The broad scientific categories include:

• TRACK 1: Neurology Palliative Medicine
• TRACK 2: Renal Palliative Medicine
• TRACK 3: Oncology Palliative Medicine
• TRACK 4: Respiratory Palliative Medicine
• TRACK 5: Intensive Care Palliative Medicine
• TRACK 6: Cardiovascular Palliative Medicine
• TRACK 7: Theory of Change and Development of Subspecialist Palliative Medicine
• TRACK 8: Best Care of the Dying Person: International Perspectives
• TRACK 9: Palliative Care Education

Within these tracks, Palliative medicine in neurology, pulmonology, nephrology, cardiology, oncology, and intensive care will be single standalone sessions traversing the entire day, integrating medical, nursing, and psychosocial aspects. Minor tracks will cover several novel intersection topics on advancements in medicine and its relevance to palliative medicine.

Research Submissions and Professional Training

The organising team of IAPCON 2023, invites researchers to submit their abstracts for presentation of their work to the global palliative care fraternity. Dr Seema Rao notes that “Abstract submissions for IAPCON 2023 is now open” and Entries are invited in either the oral or the poster presentation category.

In addition to conferences, the association provides essential educational foundations, such as:

• Foundation Course on Essentials of Palliative Care
• Foundation Course in Palliative Care for Volunteers
• Foundation Course in Palliative Care Pharmacy
• Foundation Course in the Physiotherapy – Palliative Care interface
• Foundation Course in the Essentials of Psychosocial Issues in Palliative Care

These programs address Opportunities and challenges in teaching Palliative Care to nursing students while Upholding Dignity in Healthcare.