Breakthroughs in medicine are not just about scientific discoveries. They also happen from the way we teach. For Dr. Purvi Bhagat, a leading ophthalmologist and educator at M&J Western Regional Institute of Ophthalmology in Ahmedabad, India, the path to innovation in medical education began when she was selected for the FAIMER Regional Institute at Christian Medical College, Ludhiana, India (CMCL-FRI) in 2018.
A Journey of Growth
“Education is not just about delivering knowledge. It is about connection, communication, and impact,” she reflects. “FAIMER gave me the tools to rethink how we prepare future doctors.” Her experience was so enriching that she decided to continue her journey, seeking to expand her perspective and engage a broader global network. In 2022, she was selected for the International FAIMER Institute (IFI) Philadelphia. This experience deepened her commitment to transforming medical education.
Name: Dr. Purvi Bhagat
Title: Ophthalmologist and Educator
Institution: M&J Western Regional Institute of Ophthalmology, Ahmedabad, India
FAIMER Fellow: FAIMER Regional Institute at Christian Medical College, Ludhiana, India (CMCL-FRI), 2018 and International FAIMER Institute (IFI), 2022
The FAIMER Fellow Innovation Project
A cornerstone of the FAIMER Fellowship is the Fellow Innovation Project (FIP) where Fellows apply their learning to real-world educational challenges. “FAIMER encourages you to step beyond theory and apply what you learn,” Dr. Bhagat explains. “It is about making a tangible difference in your institution and ultimately in patient care.” For Dr. Bhagat this meant tackling two critical areas in medical education: doctor-patient communication and empathy in medical training.
Enhancing Communication in Medicine
For her Fellow Innovation Project at CMCL-FRI, Dr. Bhagat addressed a major gap in postgraduate medical education—communication skills. She notes, “Doctors are trained in diagnosis and treatment but rarely in how to communicate with patients effectively.”
Her project, “Development and Introduction of a Communication Skills Module for Postgraduate Students of Ophthalmology,” introduced an eight-day workshop featuring interactive lectures, video analysis, and role playing exercises.
The response was overwhelmingly positive. “Faculty recognized that communication gaps contribute to patient dissatisfaction, and students saw immediate improvement in their interactions,” she says. “They wanted the workshop to be a permanent part of their training.”
Bringing Empathy into Medical Training
Encouraged by her success at CMCL-FRI, Dr. Bhagat sought to make an even greater impact through her International FAIMER Institute Fellowship project, “Nurturing Empathy through Arts, Literature, and Role Play for Postgraduate Trainees of Ophthalmology.”
“Empathy is essential in medicine, but it is not formally taught,” she explains. “I wanted to see if storytelling, arts, and role playing could help doctors connect with their patients on a deeper level.” The results were striking. Students became more empathetic, patients noticed the difference, and trainees recommended making it part of medical education. Expanding her research, she surveyed 150 faculty members and 127 postgraduate trainees across specialties, confirming that structured empathy training is crucial.
The FAIMER Experience
Dr. Bhagat describes her fellowship as life-changing. “FAIMER is not just about learning. It is about transforming how we teach, lead, and grow,” she says. “The mentorship, global collaboration, and real-world application made me a better educator and clinician.”
In 2024, she was selected by her peers as a FAIMER Connect Ambassador, helping to strengthen FAIMER’s online community and foster connections worldwide. “The FAIMER network is incredible. It is a lifelong community of educators who inspire and support one another,” she says. Her journey is a testament to dedication, innovation, and lifelong learning. It is an inspiring example of how education can shape the future of health care.
The Storytellers series brings the work of Intealth to life through the stories of the people we serve. FAIMER offers fellowship programs for health professions educators through the online International FAIMER Institute and ten FAIMER Regional Institutes in Chile, China, Egypt, India, Indonesia, and Uganda. Health professions educators who complete one of these Institutes are skilled in implementing curricular improvements at their home institutions and become outstanding local and national resources and leaders for improving health professions education. FAIMER Fellows form an international network of more than 2,100 health professions educators representing nearly 60 countries with the goal of improving world health.