The importance and significance of Self-directed learning is very appropriately recognised and amalgamated as the necessity for learning of skills in the student-centric competency based medical education curriculum to cope in a fast-changing medi...

The importance and significance of Self-directed learning is very appropriately recognised and amalgamated as the necessity for learning of skills in the student-centric competency based medical education curriculum to cope in a fast-changing medical field. The current era of rapid advancements in the medical field and technology, yesterday’s and today’s practice is likely to change fast and may sometimes get obsolete. Thus, medical education has a very dynamic nature of learning. The fixed course curriculum of undergraduate medical education cannot be expected to fulfill the needs of lifelong medical practice. Self-directed learning is one of the adult principles of learning described by Malcolm Knowles, 1975; a habit of learning, shaping students as lifelong learners. At the end of the undergraduate curriculum, the medical colleges are expected to develop and certify robust and dynamic health professionals as lifelong learners, the Indian Medical Graduates. Self-directed learning (SDL) is one of the new elements introduced in the present competency-based medical education in India. The competency-based medical curriculum identifies one of the five roles of an Indian medical graduate as a lifelong learner in the pursuit of continuous improvement of knowledge and skills, and keeping themself updated with latest advancements of the medical field.