Brief Biography:
Dr. P. Ravi Shankar works as a Professor of Pharmacology at the Xavier University School of Medicine, Oranjestad, Aruba, Dutch Caribbean. In addition to delivering interactive lectures in pharmacology, history of medicine and contemporary issues in medicine he also conducts a medical humanities module for students and teaches students to use medicines rationally.
Dr. Ravi Shankar was previously working as a Clinical Pharmacologist and Medical Educator at KIST Medical College, Lalitpur, Nepal. He was Professor and Head of the department of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, a professor in the department of Medical Education and the MBBS Phase I program coordinator. He has been involved in Medical Humanities since 2007. He conducted a voluntary module at the Manipal College of Medical Sciences, Pokhara. At KIST Medical College in Lalitpur he had been involved in conducting sessions in Medical Humanities for faculty members and first year MBBS students. The module for medical students titled ‘Sparshanam’ uses case scenarios, role-plays, debates and paintings among other modalities to explore various aspects of the humanities. The sessions are based on small group work, role-plays, activities and presentations. Dr. Shankar is a member of the editorial board of BMJ Medical Humanities. He has published a number of articles on the subject.
He is the Chairperson of the Institutional Research Committee and the Institutional Review Board at XUSOM, Aruba. He is a member of the Curriculum Committee and the Examination Committee in the institution. He is keenly interested in promoting the more rational use of medicines and in small group learning methods. Dr. Shankar is a fellow of the PSGFAIMER Regional Institute, Coimbatore, India. Dr. Shankar is a Member of the Editorial Board of the International Journal of Medical Education.
Dr. Shankar has over 460 publications in various journals. His areas of research are pharmacoepidemiology, pharmacovigilance, medication counseling, teaching students about rational use of medicines and medical education including medical humanities among others. Among the journals in which he has published are Academic Medicine, PLoS Medicine, Medical Education, Medical Teacher, BMJ Medical Humanities, Pharmacy World and Science, Canadian Medical Association Journal, BMC Family Medicine, Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety and the Singapore Medical Journal among others.
Dr. Shankar is a keen trekker and photographer. He is interested in creative writing and publishes creative non-fiction in Nepalese magazines. He is fond of good food and is partial towards Thakali and Newari cuisine.
Academic positions:
Professor Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics
Professor Medical Education
MBBS Program Phase I Coordinator, KIST Medical College, Imadol, Lalitpur, Nepal.
Convener & Member Secretary, Medicine & Therapeutic Committee
Member, Infection Control Committee
Member, Institutional Research Committee
Coordinator, Medicine (Pharmaceutical) Care Services
Member, Pharmacy Management Committee
Research interests:
Rational use of Medicines,
Pharmacoepidemiology,
Medical Education,
Pharmaceutical care,
Use of medicines in the community,
and Pharmacology education.
Small group learning
Medical Humanities
Pharmaceutical promotion
Student research
What I think of the idea behind WebmedCentral:
I feel the idea of postpublication peer review is good. Also quick publication and high production standards make it a pleasure to publish.