Indian Teachers of Psychiatry (IToP) is an platform to bring psychiatry teachers together to share their experiences & resources that benefits psychiatry training of undergraduates and postgraduates, which in turn enhances their ability to serve the public. This platform is the result of constant efforts of passionate teachers.
The journey of IToP began in 2013 Annual national conference of Indian psychiatric society (ANCIPS) at Bengaluru, Prof Mohan Isaac, Prof Lakshmi V Pandit, Dr M Kishor, presented an symposium on “ The Art & Practices of Teaching Psychiatry in Medical colleges- Experiences, Challenges, Innovations”. In the same year at SAARC psychiatric conference, they held another symposium on same theme with Prof MVAshok and Prof M Manohari.In 2014 ANCIPS at Pune, Prof Mohan Isaac, Prof M V Ashok, Dr M Kishor took up postgraduate training and the symposium presented was “ Teacher’s perspectives on postgraduate training in psychiatry: Reflections, current trends, upcoming challenges”.
They continued their effort in all available platform on undergraduate and postgraduate psychiatry training. Considering much need for a forum for teachers of psychiatry, in 2016, the forum was inaugurated at St.John’s medical college under the joint collaboration of MCI Regional Center of Medical Education, IPS Karnataka & Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences.In 2018, the IToP initiative was awarded “International Neuropsychiatric Association ( INA) NIMHANS Knowledge Conclave T S Srinivasan Award” in area of public health initiative. Over the years many teachers joined the initiative and presented several workshops, symposium and seminars at regional, national and international platforms on the training and teaching in psychiatry at undergraduate and postgraduate level. From the award prize, that was substantial, money was donated to the trust and annual awards was initiated to encourage psychiatry teachers in India. In the year 2018, Dr HR Vinay (AIMS BG Nagar) won the award.
The award was expanded to undergraduate and postgraduate section from the year 2019-2020. The two annual awards are named as “Minds united for health sciences & humanity Trust IToP award”for best initiative or research for any Indian psychiatry teacher/teachers/department in undergraduate and postgraduate section. Dr Mona N (SDUMC, Kolar) was awarded -The IToP award in undergraduate section and Dr Ajay Kumar ( AIIMS, Raipur) was awarded IToP award in postgraduate section.Recently, the team published a book on “Perspectives in Postgraduate Psychiatry Training- What every PG must know” edited by Dr Suhas Chandran (St.John’s medical College, Bengaluru).