INTRODUCTION Medical education in India, in accordance with the CBME and AETCOM frameworks, focuses mainly on the development of clinical reasoning and ethical behavior as the main competencies. Nonetheless, the focus is primarily on the pathogenic side of things. It is mainly concerned with diagnosing and treating illness. A paradigm shift toward salutogenesis the study of factors that promote health and well-being is therefore essential. Such an orientation would help train physicians who not only manage illness but also actively foster wellness and resilience in their patients and themselves. Antonovsky’s salutogenic theory asserts that health is a continuum from no trouble at all to total illness and that this continuum is influenced by a person’s sense of coherence (SOC) the ability to see life as clear, not too hard, and worth living to some extent and by general resistance resources (GRRs) and specific resistance resources (SRRs) which help the person to be healthy.1-4 Embedding salutogenesis in the Indian MBBS program would be developing a holistic student formation and at the same time, fulfilling the AETCOM outcomes of empathic, communicative, and self-aware physicians.5 The present paper puts forward a faculty development framework that equips educators to incorporate salutogenic thinking into the already-existing curricular structures with no added cognitive or administrative workload. AIMS OF FACULTY ENHANCEMENT Faculty members who finish this program will be capable of: Giving an account of the theoretical and empirical foundation of salutogenesis in terms of SOC, GRRs, and SRRs Introducing salutogenic principles in preclinical, para-clinical, and clinical teaching contexts Applying reflective and narrative methods for enhancing student empathy and well-being Supporting students in resilience, meaning-making, and professional identity formation Creating assessments that give importance to reflection, compassion, and holistic competence along with the knowledge of biomedicine. Goal To develop holistic educators who can harmonize the pathogenic and salutogenic paradigms within the MBBS curriculum, fostering health-promoting learning environments. PROPOSED FACULTY TRAINING MODULES Module 1: Introduction to salutogenesis Focus area: Concept of SOC, GRRs, SRRs; Indian contextual relevance Teaching methods: Interactive lecture and group discussion Exercise: Analyze patient vignettes illustrating resilience Faculty Evaluation: Reflective essay on integrating salutogenesis. Module 2: Health promotion in preclinical years Focus area: Linking physiology, pathology, and biochemistry with wellness Teaching methods: Case-based learning and flipped classroom Exercise: Identify adaptive mechanisms in stress physiology Faculty evaluation: Review of lesson plan with a salutogenic focus. Module 3: Clinical integration Focus area: Moving from “What is the disease?” to “What promotes health?” Teaching methods: Role play, bedside teaching, and narrative medicine Exercise: Facilitate a discussion on coping and adaptation in chronic illness Faculty Evaluation: Peer-assessed microteaching. Module 4: Salutogenesis within AETCOM Focus area: Communication, empathy, family, and spiritual support Teaching Methods: Simulated patient interviews Exercise: Explore coping, faith, and support systems Faculty evaluation: Evaluation of narrative facilitation. Module 5: Salutogenic assessment Focus area: Holistic evaluation methods Teaching methods: Portfolios, OSPE, and mini-CEX Exercise: Design rubric for assessing reflection and resilience Faculty evaluation: Assessment review. Module 5: Faculty as mentors Focus area: Building student well-being and purpose Teaching methods: Mindfulness workshops and mentoring sessions Exercise: Conduct faculty-student mentoring Faculty evaluation: Feedback and self-reflection. EXAMPLES FOR FACULTY TRAINING Clinical case example Case A 55-year-old female patient suffering from chronic kidney disease who is on dialysis. The traditional view of her case would be solely through pathology and treatment. On the other hand, the implicit discourse in the serious approach could be: How to avoid pain? What kind of financial support can be sought? To what extent is the patient’s family involved? Does the patient have any spiritual beliefs? What is the patient’s willingness to continue the treatment? The faculty member’s participation in this case is to lead the group discussion on the GRRs (e.g., family and financial support) and the SRRs (e.g., home dialysis training and diet counseling). Community medicine example During the course of rural rotations, students not only find out about disease patterns but also find community resources such as women’s groups, nutrition programs, and self-help networks that can bring about and keep up the needed health and resilience. Reflection exercise new reflective portfolios are not to be created but simply rework the current clinical logbooks by adding a new section titled “Promoting Recovery, Rehabilitation, and Wellness” to it. Example prompts: What is there besides treatment that supports the recovery of this patient? What social or personal resources are sustaining their well-being? STRATEGY FOR IMPLEMENTATION Step 1 Action Plan: Conduct periodic faculty development programs (FDPs) introducing salutogenesis and AETCOM alignment. Stakeholders: MEU, Nodal Centers. Timeline: Months 1–3. Step 2 Action plan: Faculty embed relevant wellness-promoting aspects in existing topics, vetted by a core review group. Stakeholders: Department heads and faculty champions. Timeline: Months 4–6. Step 3 Action Plan: Pilot modules in selected subjects using Plan–Do–Check–Act cycle. Stakeholders: MEU, Curriculum Committee. Timeline: Months 7–9. Step 4 Action Plan: Integrate reflection sections into existing logbooks and portfolios (no added burden). Stakeholders: Examination Committee. Timeline: Months 10–12. Step 5 Action Plan: Continuous evaluation and improvement through feedback loops. Stakeholders: MEU, IQAC. Timeline: Ongoing. This model guarantees that the institution is capable of receiving and gradually growing the change with almost no disruption. FACULTY PREPAREDNESS ASSESSMENT Pre-/Post-FDP surveys: Measure the level of understanding of salutogenic concepts Teaching observation: Evaluate how the instructor incorporates wellness and reflection into the classroom Student feedback: Determine the impact on the students’ capacity for empathy and participation Peer review: Foster the exchange of good practices and mentorship Lesson plan portfolios: Assess the real-life cases of the integration of salutogenic approaches. EXPECTED OUTCOMES (ALIGNED WITH MOORE’S SEVEN-LEVEL FRAMEWORK) Moore’s Level 1: Participation Outcome: Number of faculty engaged in FDPs Indicators/Data sources: Attendance, certificates. Moore’s Level 2: Satisfaction Outcome: Faculty perception of program relevance Indicators/Data sources: Feedback forms. Moore’s Level 3a: Learning (Declarative) Outcome: Knowledge of salutogenic theory Indicators/Data sources: Pre-/posttests. Moore’s Level 3b: Learning (Procedural) Outcome: Ability to design salutogenic teaching sessions Indicators/Data sources: Reviewed lesson plans. Moore’s Level 4: Competence Outcome: Demonstrated skill in integrating salutogenesis Indicators/Data sources: Peer observation. Moore’s Level 5: Performance Outcome: Consistent use of reflection, resilience, and empathy in classes Indicators/Data sources: Student evaluations. Moore’s Level 6: Patient/Student Health Outcome: Enhanced reflective ability of the students and patients’ well-being. Indicators/Data sources: Wellness surveys. Moore’s Level 7: Community Health Outcome: Graduates applying health-promoting principles in practice; community awareness of wellness practices Indicators/Data sources: Alumni and community health reports.6 CONCLUSION Integrating salutogenesis into medical education through the MBBS curriculum along with structured faculty development is an important step toward shifting the focus of medical education from disease to health. By emphasizing the development of the disease and the promotion of health, the medical teachers can produce a new generation of graduates who are clinically skilled, ethically sound, and emotionally strong thus, being the embodiment of AETCOM and CBME values. The suggested method is an easy, realistic, and goal-oriented approach that allows the seamless integration of the curriculum without adding to the workload of teachers. Following the implementation according to Moore’s Seven-Level Outcomes Framework not only identifies but also provides the measurement of the growth from faculty participation to community health impact. Finally, this approach turns medical education into a process of human development one that cultivates reflection, meaning, and well-being for both the students and teachers, thereby creating a new generation of doctors who are not only able to cure diseases but also to contribute to the health and purpose of society. Financial support and sponsorship Nil. Conflicts of interest There are no conflicts of interest.
Singh et al. (Sat,) studied this question.