Reimagining Medical Education

India needs systems thinking in its curriculum to train doctors to grow beyond their medical roles and expertise

- SWATI PIRAMAL Vice chairperson, Piramal Group AKSHAT SHUKLA Director, Piramal Foundation

India’s doctors have long been more than just clinicians—they are called upon to play numerous roles: Leading hospitals, health and research programmes, managing administration and finance, and working with policymakers.

As these roles grow in complexity, they demand competencies that go beyond clinical skills, which are still the dominant focus of most medical curricula.

As health systems grow in scale and complexity, so too must medical education. The National Health Policy (2017) calls for reorienting medical education to build system-aware, socially accountable professionals. Niti Aayog’s Vision 2047 strategy echoes this with a call for “next-generation health care leadership” capable of managing complex systems. To translate this vision into reality, medical training must look beyond conventional boundaries.

A HEALTH SYSTEM UNDER PRESSURE

However, most medical graduates today are underprepared for the systemic challenges they encounter, from workforce shortages and shifting disease burdens to digital disruption and persistent gaps in care. While the existing medical curriculum builds strong clinical competence, it offers little structured exposure to how health systems function or how they can be improved. As a result, doctors are often left to navigate 'wicked' problems—issues with no clear cause or linear solution—without the conceptual tools to address them effectively.

A DISCIPLINE FOR COMPLEXITY