Upcoming Tata IISc Medical School to integrate traditional medicine with modern research

Bengaluru: The concept of an integrated medicine is being considered at the upcoming Tata IISc Medical School at the Indian Institute of Science.

The Times of India has reported that the upcoming medical school will integrate traditional medicine with modern research to advance holistic healthcare.

Confirmation in this regard was made by the Dean of IISC's division of Interdisciplinary Sciences, Navakanta Bhatt, at the International Conference on Integrative Approaches to Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome, organised by the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences on Monday.

Also Read: IISc's upcoming Bagchi-Parthasarathy Hospital to get Geriatrics wing

The Dean said that the institute was committed to interdisciplinary work, including integrative medicine. According to the latest media report by The Times of India, he further added that "Combining IISc's strengths in basic science, engineering and technology with both modern and traditional medical knowledge is what sets us apart."

Bhat further added that the Bagchi-Parthasarathy Hospital is expected to be ready by the second half of 2026. He also announced that the MD-PhD programme at Tata IISc Medical School is scheduled to commence in 2027.

The Indian Institute of Science has entered into an MoU with Prashanth Prakash, founding partner of Accel and Chairman of Karnataka's Startup Vision Group, to set up a geriatrics wing as part of IISc's upcoming Bagchi-Parthasarathy Hospital.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that an announcement was made regarding an MBBS-BAMS Integrated course at the Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER) by the Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare and AYUSH, Prataprao Jadhav, on May 27.

The file notings from the Union Health Ministry showed that the proposal for setting up the institute to teach the MBBS-BAMS integrated course came from the Auroville Foundation in January 2024. Consequently, JIPMER, in collaboration with Ayurvedic universities, prepared a draft curriculum for the proposed integral medical education to grant the dual degrees of MBBS and BAMS.

However, allopathic doctors had been strongly objecting to such plans of the Government to combine the MBBS with BAMS. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) had also strongly criticised the attempts being made to unscientifically mix different systems of medicine. Amid the ongoing speculations and protests, JIPMER had clarified that there were no plans to introduce such a programme at the institute as of now. Even though such a clarification was offered by the institute, information obtained through a Right to Information (RTI) request suggested that the proposal in this regard has not been shelved.

Also Read: MBBS-BAMS Dual degree proposal under evaluation at JIPMER: RTI