PULMONARY CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION (CME) PROGRAMME

Pulmonary CME Programme of the Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGI), Chandigarh was started in 1985. Several activities are undertaken under the aegis of the Program.

1. Pulmonary and Critical Care Bulletin
   The Bulletin is published every quarter of the year on 15th day of January, April, July and October. The last issue of October 2000 (Volume VI, Number 4) has been just published and released. It includes educational material (on pulmonary and critical care sciences) of interest to the general clinicians and pulmonologists. Postdoctoral fellows or the Faculty members of the department write most of the articles, but others are also welcome to contribute.
2. Annual Update in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine
   An annual Update session in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine is held annually for general as well as chest physicians. Fifteen Update sessions have been held till date. Although the annual Updates are primarily regional, in nature, one National symposium on Lung Cancer and a large South Asia India Conference in Pulmonary and Critical Care have also been held. The Chest India-1998 Conference was held in collaboration with the American College of Chest Physicians and participated by eminent faculty and delegates from India and USA.
3. Miscellaneous Activities
   The Programme undertakes other educational and related activities from time to time. Some of these activities are listed below:

   (i) Development of educational material on pulmonary health care for patients, paramedical personnel and doctors. Two books have so far been published under the programme.
   (ii) Promotion of educational exchange and visits.
   (iii) Education for the lay public - Exhibition, lectures and articles etc.
   (iv) Expansion of reading and audio-visual materials for the postgraduate students, practicing doctors and others.
   (v) Collaborative research.

   CHEST INDIA - 1998

   A South Asia and All India Scientific conference on respiratory diseases and critical care was held on December 12-14, 1998 at the postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh. The Conference was held under auspices of pulmonary CME Programme, co-sponsored by the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP). Participation in the meeting was designated for up to 20 credit hours in Category I of the Physicians Recognition Award of American Medical Association.

   The Conference was participated by over 500 delegates from different parts of India, a large contingent from Pakistan and another few from Nepal and Bhutan etc. Prof. D. Robert McCaffree, the President of ACCP and Dr David Eubanks, Vice President, Education and Special Projects, ACCP Participated in the scientific proceedings and outlined the future goals of ACCP and its India Chapter.

   A distinguished faculty from India and abroad Contributed to the Scientific Programme of the Conference. The US Faculty included Prof.Leonard D. Hudson, former-President of American Thoracic Society, Prof. S. Lakshminarayan, Prof.Danield E. Banks, Prof. Veena B. Antony, Prof.Yash Kataria, Prof. Harakh Dedhia, Prof. Asim Dutt, Dr. Naresh Dewan, Dr. Rajeev Dhand and several others. An equally eminent faculty from India included Prof. Faroukh Udwadia, Prof. A. A. Mahashur, Dr. V. K. Vijayan, Dr. S. K. Sharma, Prof. S. C. Tewari, Prof. J. M. Joshi and several others.

   One of the important fallout of the meeting was the decision to publish an abbreviated 'India Edition' of the international journal "Chest" by the ACCP. The India edition was designed to provide appropriate and important material of relevance in the Indian context at a much cheaper price. It also includes editorials on an Indian perspective by authors from India. Dr. S. K. Jindal was designated as the Chief Editor for the India edition. The bimonthly journal has now appeared in print since March 2000. The fifth issue (November-December 2000) is due later this month