The current explosion in knowledge has necessitated a better and faster access to new and current knowledge - an area, where conventional education has its own limitations. The distance learning approach to education has transformed professional education through use of improved communication and information technology. Through this model, the students across the globe have an expanded choice of learning institutions, unlimited learning resources and collaborative learning opportunities. It transcends the barriers of time and space in providing equitable and quality education to all, thus helping in creation of a truly learning society.

There is a myth that distance education is not useful for professional subjects like medicine. However, the experience the world over has shattered this myth - a large number of professional and skill oriented courses are being imparted through distance mode of learning. Indira Gandhi national Open University recently launched a distance learning program in Mother and Child Health, which is already running into its fourth year and has been successful in imparting skills and positive attitudes to the learners.

The concepts of distance education, specially those related to student support are extremely important even for conventional learning and a teacher trained in distance education is likely to provide a better support to the students in academic matters. The backbone of distance education viz. Two way academic communication helps to improve the teaching learning interactions. The process is highly cost effective and cater to a large number of learners, which otherwise would be difficult through the use of conventional mode of education.

Dr Tejinder Singh has a Masters degree in Distance Education and has been successfully using many of these principles in regular classroom teaching for many years. He has conducted a workshop on Distance Learning at Manila, a workshop on Instructional Materials at World Congress for Equity in Curriculum at Amritsar and another one on Academic Counseling at Linkoping, Sweden. He is also the Program in Charge of PG Diploma in Mother and Child Health, a distance learning program for medical graduates.