Physiology: Looking for leadership roles

Leadership is always a need to maintain the growth and development of any discipline. Younger colleagues always look on the seniors to give a kickstart to their creativity/talent may it be in research, teaching-learning process or leadership endeavours.

Recently, it has been felt that leadership in Indian Physiology is lacking somewhere during the fast phase of development in Medical Sciences. Keeping this in mind, it was decided to hold a summit of Physiology leaders to chalk out the direction in this regard. It was initiated by the outgoing APPI Head Quarter Secretary and Finance Secretary Prof HN Mallick and supported by all of us.

In view of this, the APPI organised the First Physiology Leaders’ Summit in India during February 25–26, 2020, at International Centre Goa, Panaji. The summit offered an opportunity to leaders in Physiology and Physiology professionals to discuss the new undergraduate (MBBS) curriculum at length in an open forum. The summit was open to any Physiologist who wanted to contribute to the overall growth of Physiology. The response has been overwhelming. It was a pleasure to see the presence of several senior and some younger physiologists including several Heads of the Departments. The participants were full of enthusiasm during the deliberations at ‘Physiologists Leaders’ Summit.’ The physiologists discussed the emerging needs in Physiology teaching, future directions and several other related issues in Physiology education.

To make wider availability of the summit’s proceedings to the APPI members and others, we are publishing a special supplement issue of IJPP. The supplement issue contains the views, opinions and some original research papers. They cover Competency-Based UG curriculum in Physiology, Competency-Based PG curriculum in Physiology, Animal experiments in Physiology and some other relevant contemporary issues. The APPI is committed to standardise and raise the levels of Physiology teaching and research in India.

In the prevailing tough circumstances of COVID-19, we have shifted real teaching to virtual teleteaching mode, out of compulsion. We need to excel even in this difficult scenario by adopting computer simulations, making students learn skills through online mode. Let this difficult time sharpen our skills for better. I hope this phase will pass soon and we indulge in regular classes and normal meetings.