Developing and implementing a skill-based competency module for Indian medical graduates: A community-based education approach for community diagnosis

Background: Effective communication between doctors and patients plays a pivotal role in achieving positive health outcomes and patient satisfaction. The integration of a standardized communication skills module into the medical undergraduate curriculum offers numerous advantages, such as improved treatment adherence, reduced malpractice claims, and notable advancements in both psychological and physical well-being across a range of health conditions. Aim and Objectives: This study aimed to design, validate and implement skill-based competency module and to take feedback from medical undergraduate students. Material and Methods: An educational observational study was conducted by preparing the draft of the selected skill-based competencies of the community medicine subject named as community diagnosis module and validated with the help of subject experts and health education professionals by using Content Validity Index (CVI). Results: The CVI, based on assessments from ten field experts, yielded a score of 0.86, indicating good validity. Feedback analysis from medical students post-implementation revealed that transitioning from classroom teaching to community experiences was the most valued aspect of the program. Conclusion: The implementation of the community diagnosis module demonstrated positive outcomes based on feedback from 152 trained students and validation by ten faculty members. Student feedback indicated a favourable consensus on various aspects of the module, including its objectives, teaching methods, materials, assessments, and active participation in activities.