Presently, India carries about 15 percent of the global burden for diabetes, which demands skilled healthcare workforce to control this fastest growing epidemic. While the recent findings infer that India is experiencing a marked down surge in providing skilled healthcare workforce, comprising 97.9 percent skill gap, where the shortage of allied professionals counts 3.68 lakh in Tamil Nadu alone. To fill this growing lacuna in healthcare skill brigade, Dr. Mohan’s Diabetes Education Academy (DMDEA) at Chennai is training competent students to excel in their prospective career in diabetology and clearly understand its complications.

DMDEA was started under the leadership of an internationally acclaimed diabetologist and research scientist Dr. V.Mohan and his diabetic eye specialist wife late Dr. M. Rema in September 2008. Presently, DMDEA is recognised as an International Diabetes Federation(IDF) Centre of Education, offering innovative certified courses on diabetology (UG.PG, Ph.D, and more)for medical and allied health sciences, training cadres of specialists, doctors, nurses, lab technicians and paramedics, most of which are offered for the first time in India. Dr. Mohan avers “We are creating employment opportunities, which will in turn benefit the society by increasing the availability of quality healthcare professionals in diabetology”.

Offering Advanced Courses
DMDEA also benefits from its parent institution Dr. Mohan’s Diabetes Specialties

Centre (DMDSC), which has the unique distinction of being the world’s first ISO 9001 Certified Diabetes Centre. It houses NABL & CAP accredited state-of-the-art clinical laboratories (biochemistry, clinical pathology, hematology and microbiology) extensively used for clinical and research purposes. Thus, it can allow trainings on high throughput techniques like biomarkers, biogenetics and other specialties for professionals like doctors, scientists and research technicians.

We are creating employment opportunities, which will inturn benefit the society by increasing the availability of quality healthcare professionals in diabetology

Being a WHO collaborating centre, DMDSC also conducts training on non-communicable diseases control program for international trainees. It also has tie-ups withvarious international organisations, including University of Warwick and Dundee in the UK, Deakin University in Australia, Harvard School of Public Health in US, and others, helping them to devise unique course content to stay ahead in their curriculum. Similarly, in collaboration with Deakin University, Australia, DMDEA offers ‘Diabetes Nurse Educator’ courses to gain advanced knowledge and applied skills in diabetes management for Nurses.

Structured Course Work
Utilizing the vast knowledge space it has garnered from its national & international peers, DMDEA has designed an evidence based, well structured curriculum with a perfect balance of theory and practical experiences, delivered through a unique pedagogy. Its regular classroom courses are well-spaced with interactive sessions like clinical presentations, hands-on skill training, group discussions, audio-visual conceptualization and more, to keep the curriculum more engaging and interactive. Furthermore, to raise awareness regarding the career prospects & related fields, DMDEA also conducts short intensive courses, conferences and seminars to update them on current technological developments in diebetology.

The academy offer the courses under the tutelage of talented diabetologists, including Prof. Dr.V.Mohan, assisted by a team of consultants (Neuro, Cardio, Podiatry & Surgeons), experienced dieticians & nurses (some are Ph.D holders) and external faculties. To ensure quality offerings, the curriculum is regularly monitored & evaluated, and revamped once in two years to accommodate the recent evidences and advancement in diabetology. Currently planning to add new courses in the upcoming year, DMDEA is envisaging a longterm plan of emerging into a university for diabetes education.