Journal of Global Medical Education and Research

Chemical burns are prevalent and may inflict considerable physical, psychological, social, and economic burdens. Chemical burns can be life-threatening and lead to significant aesthetic and functional outcomes, representing 30% of all burn-related fatalities. Chemical burns result from corrosive substances (acids and alkalis) that cause extensive damage to tissues. Chemical burns still present various challenges for clinicians treating such cases. Feracrylum, a soluble mix of partial ferrous salts (II and III) of polyacrylic acid, is classified as a chemical hemostatic agent and an antimicrobial substance. Its molecular weight falls between 500,000 and 800,000 Daltons, which hinders systemic absorption and avoids adverse effects on the liver, kidneys, adrenal glands, cardiovascular system, or hemostatic systems. Feracrylum possesses antibacterial characteristics, reducing the likelihood of wound infections

Background: Sickle cell anemia (SCA) remains a major public health concern in high-risk and tribal populations in India, yet awareness and psychological support remain limited. This study aimed to explore both the level of awareness and the psychological burden experienced by individuals with lived experience, caregivers, and tribal residents. Methods: A qualitative design was used, treating survey responses from 35 participants as in-depth interview data. Thematic analysis was conducted to identify key themes related to awareness, emotional impact, and communitybased solutions. Participants included healthcare workers, caregivers, patients, and individuals from tribal communities. Results: Findings revealed substantial knowledge gaps: 20% of participants reported no awareness of SCA, 45.7% had basic knowledge, 20% moderate, and only 8.6% showed expert-level understanding. Participants strongly favored community-driven awareness approaches, including school-based programs (40%), tribal screening camps (30%), and targeted media campaigns (20%). The psychological toll was evident 60% reported stress, 40% anxiety, and 48.6% irritability. Individuals with caregiving or lived experience reported heightened frustration and emotional burden. Tribal participants highlighted cultural misconceptions and poor access to care. A key pattern emerged: those with lower awareness levels experienced significantly greater psychological distress. Conclusion: There is a clear need for integrated, culturally sensitive strategies that combine SCA education with accessible mental health support. Strengthening collaborative care models through local outreach, school programs, and psychosocial counseling may reduce knowledge deficits and emotional distress among high-risk populations.

Background: Janu Sandhigatavata, a Vata-predominant degenerative disorder of the knee joint described in Ayurvedic classical texts, corresponds closely to knee Osteoarthritis (OA) in contemporary medicine. Knee OA is the second commonest musculoskeletal problem worldwide, with a prevalence of 22–39% in India, predominantly affecting the elderly female population.16 Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of Marma Tantra — an ancient Ayurvedic therapeutic technique targeting vital energy points — in pain management and functional improvement in patients with Janu Sandhigatavata/Knee Osteoarthritis. Materials and Methods: An observational pre-test, post-test study was conducted on 20 patients (mean age 53.3 ± 6.95 years) fulfilling the diagnostic criteria for Janu Sandhigatavata at DGM Ayurvedic Hospital, Gadag. Marmatantra was administered over 7 sessions (1 week), combining Snehan with Ashwagandha taila, Mardan karma, Peedana karma, and Janu Marma stimulation. Outcome measures included Janu Sandhi Shoola (pain grading), Sandhi Shotha (swelling), Sandhi Atopa (crepitation), Sparsha Asahatva (tenderness), Walking Time, Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), WOMAC Scale, and Kellgren-Lawrence radiographic grading. Results: All parameters showed statistically highly significant improvement (p < 0.00001) after one week of Marma Tantra. Mean VAS score reduced from 2.7 ± 1.1 to 0.5 ± 1.4 (p < 0.00001). Mean WOMAC score reduced from 3.9 ± 10.8 to 2.1 ± 9.3 (p < 0.00001). Mean knee flexion improved from 100.5° ± 15.4° to 120.3° ± 10.1° (p < 0.01). Sandhi Shotha showed significance at p = 0.0075. Conclusion: Marma Tantra demonstrates significant efficacy in pain management, reduction of stiffness, and improvement of functional mobility in Janu Sandhigatavata/Knee OA. It represents a promising, non-invasive, cost-effective complementary approach warranting larger randomised controlled trials.

Surgical education relies heavily on textbooks, yet operating room realities reveal critical gaps in practical application, decision-making, and medico-legal compliance under India’s new criminal laws (BNS, BNSS, BSA 2023). This interview-based review captures reflections from an experienced surgeon on common procedures appendectomy, cholecystectomy, hernia repair, and trauma laparotomy highlighting experiential lessons in tNumber handling, complications, and clinical bedside documentation. Emphasis falls on BNSS §183 (mandatory videography) and §176A (viscera protocols), transforming surgeons into evidentiary stewards. Comparative tables juxtapose textbook ideals against practice realities, advocating simulationintegrated curricula to minimize litigation risks and enhance outcomes. These insights equip trainees for the art-science-humanity triad of surgery. Medical education provides a strong scientific and clinical foundation; however, the realities of medical practice often reveal important gaps between what is taught during undergraduate and postgraduate training and what is required for effective, compassionate patient care in practice. Drawing on reflections from a lifetime of surgical practice in India, this article examines two broad domains of learning: aspects of medical training that later prove inadequate or incomplete, and the essential professional competencies that are rarely taught but gradually acquired through experience. These include managing atypical clinical presentations, decision-making under uncertainty, caring for patients with multiple comorbidities, effective communication, expectation management, documentation, ethical dilemmas, grievance redressal, teamwork, and emotional resilience. Through illustrative clinical anecdotes, the interview dialogue highlights the “unwritten curriculum” of medicine that shapes doctors long after formal education ends. Recognising and integrating these lessons into medical training may help prepare future generations of Indian doctors to be not only clinically competent but also ethically grounded, communicatively skilled, and better equipped to navigate the complexities of contemporary medical practice.

Gynecomastia is the benign proliferation of male breast glandular tissue due to hormonal imbalance. Though often physiological, it may occur due to systemic, neoplastic, or pharmacological causes. This review discusses the current understanding of gynecomastia's pathogenesis, clinical features, diagnostic approach, and updated treatment strategies.

The inclusion of health care services under the Consumer Protection Act (CPA) through the landmark V.P. Shantha judgment (1995) fundamentally altered the ethos of medical practice in India. By reclassifying patients as consumers and doctors as service providers, the judgment transformed the fiduciary doctor–patient relationship into a contractual and commercial one. This shift has fostered defensive medicine, excessive reliance on documentation and technology, and fragmentation of care into specialties and super-specialties. While the CPA strengthened patient rights and accountability, it also created inequities, eroded holistic healing, and burdened practitioners with litigation risks. This paper critically examines the judicial and medical consequences of CPA inclusion, highlighting the resulting “cauldron of chaos” in Indian health care, and proposes legal, institutional, and ethical safeguards to restore balance between accountability and compassion