Teaching and training of anaesthesia and critical care technicians in India - Towards a competency-based modular framework.

Abstract

There is currently a lack of published guidance on competency-based curriculum design specifically tailored to Anaesthesia and Critical Care Technicians (ACTs) training in India, creating a need for a structured and standardised educational framework. This review was undertaken to address the need for a competency-based educational framework for ACTs in India, aligning existing training programmes with contemporary national educational reforms and international standards while enhancing clinical competence, patient safety, and workforce readiness. In this article, we propose integrating key components, such as competency domains, entrustable professional activities, workplace-based assessments, and simulation-based training, into the existing educational framework without altering the mandated hours or examination weights. We outline ten teaching-learning modules, ensuring a balance across foundational sciences, applied anaesthesia, critical care, ethics, and simulation. This strategic restructuring of Diploma in Anaesthesia and Critical Care Technician training programmes has the potential to significantly improve clinical skills and enhance patient safety protocols. The literature search for this article was conducted in PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, and CINAHL using terms related to competency-based education, allied health training, anaesthesia, and critical care.