The Department of Pediatrics, KMC, Manipal, which consistently ranked amongst the first 10 best medical colleges in India for the last 5 years and affiliated to Manipal Academy of Higher Education, is primarily concerned with the delivery of healthcare to children who come to Kasturba Hospital, Manipal and to train undergraduate and postgraduate students. Clinical activities related to in-patient and out-patient care include the newborn nursery. The department serves as a referral centre and has weekly and monthly outreach programs. The department has carved a niche for itself by being compassionate, paying attention to details, updating and putting into practice the latest developments in the field, empowering the parents with the child’s illness, so much so that difficult cases from other medical colleges are referred.  In addition to diagnosing and treating serious and complicated illnesses, encompassing the various subspecialities of Pediatrics, it has expanded the area under preventive and rehabilitative services.

The department works in close collaboration with the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Pediatric Surgery, Cardiothoracic surgery, Neurology, Neurosurgery, Nephrology, Urology, Oncology and Radiotherapy, Gastroenterology and other specialities. Numerous extension programs such as school health are also going on in the outlying areas and form an important part of the departmental activities.  The purpose of the training program is also to make one realize that hospitals are centers of health activities for the whole community - and should not remain isolated as ivory towers - and to teach residents to be in touch with the needs of the community. 

The department has adequate infrastructure and facilities including air-conditioned classrooms, overhead projectors for the training of undergraduate and postgraduate students. Undergraduate training involves lectures, bedside clinics, tutorials, seminars and encouragement to participate in research work like short term studentship program. Regular assessment is done in the form of case presentation and write-ups, end posting examination, sessional exams at the end of each semester. Postgraduate training involves, case presentations, grand rounds, bedside teaching seminars, journal club, thesis presentations. They are encouraged to attend conferences and CME’s and present papers and posters and to publish their work. They are regularly assessed in theory as well as in clinical setting. The MBBS and postgraduate courses (MD and DCH) are MCI recognised. As the hospital is  ISO 9001:2008 (Quality Management System) and ISO 14000 (Environmental Management System) certified and NABH approved, the postgraduate students are trained in all good hospital practices.

• MCI-accredited UG and PG course.
• Excellent structures, processes, outcomes related to both treating and teaching domains.

Key Features

• Deals with all kinds of Childhood illnesses
• Comprehensive healthcare for diseased children with long term follow up of chronic cases of childhood ailments.
  
• Preventive and health promotive activities
• 24 x 7 intensive monitoring of sick children
• State-of-the-art Neonatal ICUs/Paediatric ICUs
• Specialty Clinics: Paediatric Cardiology, Paediatric Nephrology, Paediatric Endocrine, Paediatric Haemato Oncology, Paediatric Gastroenterology, Paediatric Neurology, Newborn High risk Clinic, Well baby Clinic, Immunization, Paediatric Asthma, Thalassemia
• Best infrastructure and experienced faculty profile
• Curriculum designed to prepare not only compassionate, caring and competent Paediatricians but also to promote and prepare them for higher educations
• Community and social Pediatrics
• Orientation to and promotion of research activities

Collaborations

• UG training program - University of Amsterdam, Maastricht University, Monash University.
  
• Research projects: ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research)

About the Area of Study

Pediatrics (also spelled Pediatrics) is the branch of medicine that deals with the medical care of infants, children, and adolescents, and the age limit usually ranges from birth up to 18 (in some places until completion of secondary education, and until age 21 in the United States). 

Children are the world's most important resource. Pediatrics is the sole discipline concerned with all aspects of the well-being of infants, children, and adolescents, including their health; their physical, mental, and psychologic growth and development; and their opportunity to achieve full potential as adults. Paediatricians are concerned not only with organ systems and biologic processes, but also with environmental and social influences, which have a major impact on the physical, emotional, and mental health and social well-being of children and their families. Paediatricians are involved in early diagnosis and prevention and hence have contributed immensely in prevention of mental retardation, disabling and crippling diseases and have contributed immensely in providing healthy adolescents to the community.