Training of postgraduate students has traditionally been done in person in a hospital setting with hands-on training with each faculty member imparting knowledge to 2 to 4 students per year. Supplementing their practical education with online instruction could make a significant difference in standardizing pediatric cardiology training or education in India. To present the rationale, methods and survey results of a live e-Teaching methodology implemented for Pediatric cardiology trainees in association with the National Board of Examinations, India. Dr. Sunita Maheshwari, Senior Consultant Pediatric Cardiologist, and e-Teacher from Bangalore, India. in association with Children's HeartLink conducting regular online training sessions to students in India. Please contact her to register your next e-class at sunita.maheshwari@telradsol.com

2. Academic cardiology:
Where are the (new) opportunities in India?
Dr. Sunita Maheshwari
Senior Consultant Pediatric Cardiologist
and e-Teacher, Bangalore

3. Of course…The new social world
• Blogs
• YouTube videos
• Facebook / LinkedIn Groups
• Books on Flipkart / Amazon

4. Problem: Cardiology Training in India
• Number of super specialists teaching are limited in number
• Energy and time needed for clinical work makes content
creation / class delivery a challenge
• Quality is variable and different
• Different institutions have different protocols / approaches to
patient care so no standardisation.
• DM / DNB start and end time changes each year

5. Some solutions
• Examination boards: Collaborate to
standardise degrees, timing of entry into
programs, timing of exit, equivalence in
degrees and standardisation of content /
teaching methods
• The use of ‘e’ in training for super
specialists has been attempted via
teaching websites and creation and
distribution of DVD’s/CD’s:
Disadvantage: non interactive, cannot
objectively assess student learning

6. e-Teaching: Teacher anywhere
One Teacher
All PG’s
Same content
All centers

7. Student anywhere:
Classroom or smart phone (or recorded e-class, doesn’t miss a session)

8. e-Teaching program so far…
March 2010 - December 2014: 375 e-classes in Pedi cardiology
• Teachers: India and international
• Students: Mandatory for Fellows of the
National Board but open to anyone interested
• 280 logins globally
• Tues 530 Thurs 8am
• Content portal with recorded e-lectures
• Bi annual Quiz
• Accredited by the National Board of Examinations, New Delhi

10. Conclusion
• Innovative use of technology such as e-teaching can help
spread the reach of academic cardiologists
• The same e-Teaching program can be extended to all
medical specialties
• It obviates the problem of scarcity of super specialist
teachers and standardizes content for all medical graduates

11. Thank you!
www.p4pheartstrings.org
E-mail me:
sunita.maheshwari@telradsol.com
To Children’s HeartLink
People4people and DNB
For Supporting the e-Teaching in
Pediatric Cardiology program for
students in India and Africa