Applying systems approach for bridging education, research, and patient care in a health sciences university.

Systems approach provides a logical and scientific basis for explaining the functioning of a system in a holistic manner. The health sciences university is a system with its three major operations - education, research, and patient care, which can be conceived as inputs, process, and output, respectively. The system is aided by a feedback loop to inform and correct the system. Systems thinking enable us to identify the deficiencies existing in each of the components so that appropriate remedial action can be taken. In this article, we have identified deficiencies in the health sciences system. Further, we have suggested a five-point formula to achieve connection among education, research, and patient care. We need to consortia and networks to create a mass movement, regulations to remove bottlenecks, curricula to make them credit linked and competency based, all through a faculty development initiative, and finally, the system by setting examples and demonstrating success. The initiative taken by the Medical Council of India in introducing a competency-based curriculum for MBBS, and the revised accreditation manual introduced by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council can provide a lot of opportunities to explore the potentiality educational research to answer many questions that can help us in connecting research with education and patient care.