Strong Clinical Foundation Must Remain Central in Medical Education, Says Dr Jitendra Singh

Singh also pointed out the necessity to continuously upgrade medical education systems in line with emerging challenges, including technology integration and the growing complexity of diseases.

Union Minister Jitendra Singh has recently said that while new technologies such as artificial intelligence have made access to medical information easier, the learning process must remain rooted in strong fundamentals and hands-on clinical exposure.

The minister emphasized that once a sound clinical foundation is established, AI can serve as a valuable enabler, assistant, and facilitator.

“However, if one turns to AI before grasping the essence of medical concepts, there is a risk of missing the basic learning process essential for becoming a competent clinician, who could be capable of serving society even in the absence of any instruments, gadgets, investigations, or even drugs,” Singh said.

Singh also pointed out the necessity to continuously upgrade medical education systems in line with emerging challenges, including technology integration and the growing complexity of diseases.

“Young medical professionals should be encouraged to build strong basics and gradually develop specialisation in chosen areas,” said the minister.

Union Minister Jitendra Singh recently highlighted India's GARBH-INi initiative as a prime example of AI enhancing maternal health outcomes while building on strong clinical foundations.

This flagship program has enrolled 12,000 pregnant women in South Asia's largest cohort study, developing indigenous AI tools, like pregnancy-dating models and microbiome predictors, for early preterm birth detection.

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