Prajna Barke

Dr. Prajna Barke, MBBS; MD (Physiology) has extensive experience as a Medical Educator in both India and the Cayman Islands. Dr. Barke is currently the Course Director for Physiology at St. Matthew’s University School of Medicine. She has over 16 years of teaching experience in medical schools, and 2 years of clinical practice in a busy 600 bed hospital in India. Her areas of expertise are Clinical Physiology and Patho-physiology.

Dr. Barke is the Chairperson of the Faculty Promotions and Development Committee, Vice President of the Faculty Senate and is an active member of the Student Promotions and Research Committee. She is an effective administrator of academic examinations as a National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) Chief Proctor. As a Student Mentor, she goes the extra mile and plays a supportive role and in the attainment of academic goals while respecting University policies.

Dr. Barke is a great team player and assists other departments in the administration of semester-based Block Examinations and as a preceptor for Patient doctor (PD) examinations. She has chaired committees for recruitment of new faculty and also has assisted several new faculty members in the transition to the work environment at SMU. 

Dr. Prajna Barke has been honored with several ‘Golden Apple’ awards, and has been  voted “Best Faculty in Second Semester,” every semester for the  past 14 years. Dr. Barke’s research interests include Clinical Physiology, Respiratory Pathophysiology, Endocrinology & Reproductive System and she has published several papers in her fields of interest.

• Volunteer at Cayman Heart Fund health fairs since 2007 that involves the following activities:
  • Assistance in screening for blood pressure, blood sugar, serum cholesterol and BMI
  • Assistance to participants in interpretation of laboratory values 
  • Provision of advice on lifestyle modifications and referral for further follow up
• Volunteer for literacy reading with infant and primary school children at local school
• Volunteer at local beach clean-ups and earth day clean-ups
• Active participant in runs and walks that benefit local charity organizations

• Clinical Physiology and Pathophysiology

• Recipient of nine “Golden Apple’ awards that is based on student’s vote for best teacher in the Basic Sciences.
• Recipient of semester-based awards for, Best faculty in Second semester, for every semester over the past 14 years of her service at the School of Medicine in SMU.
• Fellow of the Academy of General Education (FAGE).

• A correlative study on blood pressure and lung function profiles during different phases of menstrual cycle among Indian population.
• Variations in intraocular pressure during different phases of menstrual cycle among Indian population.
• Prevalence of depression in Type 2 DM and its correlation with glycemic index in India: A pilot study.
•  Antioxidant biochemical parameters in Parkinsons’s disease in Libyan population.
• Nutrition Patterns and their Effects in General Public during Covid-19 Pandemic Lockdown.
• Study the Effect of Vitamin D Level in Relation to Behaviour, Knowledge and Motivating in Healthy and Patients with Myocardial Infarction in Libya.
• Can We Consider All the Cases of COPD Associated with COVID-19 Suffer from Acute Respiratory Failure?
• Early pregnancy maternal Vitamin D deficiency and risk of gestational diabetes mellitus in pregnant women in Libya.

• Clinical Physiology
• Respiratory Pathophysiology 
• Endocrinology & Reproductive system

• Participated in Faculty development workshops and has given presentations on NBME guidelines on constructing effective exam questions, Effective classroom management strategies, Competency Based Medical education.
• Member of Research Committee.
• Grading of student research projects – minimum of 2 per semester, total of approximately 6 per year.
• Volunteered at Community Health Fairs organized by the Seventh Day Adventist Church in Grand Cayman in collaboration with Cayman Heart Fund.
• Attended CME organized by Cayman Islands Cancer Society on September 27, 2018.
• Attended Cayman Islands Healthcare Conference, “Managing your health- The Empowered patient” over October 18-20th, 2018.
• Attended CME on “Breastfeeding and Tongue Tie controversy” and “Unicompartment knee replacement” organized by CTMH Doctors Hospital Cayman Islands on 01 November 2018.
• Attended CEME Faculty Development Workshop at SMU on “Active learning in medical school curriculum” held in July 2019. 
• Attended the 4th National Conference in Family Medicine and Primary Care organized by AFPI (Academy of Family Physicians of India) in Bangalore, India 3-4 August 2019.
• Attended CEME Faculty Development Workshop at SMU on “Personality Test – MBTI Test” during February 2020.
• Attended Online Caribbean Palliative Care Conference 2020 on 08 October 2020.
• Attended an online Cayman Islands Healthcare Conference, “Re-envisioning Life with a Pandemic” on 17 October 2020.
• Attended CEME Faculty Development Workshop at SMU on ‘Zoom teaching online” on 06 November 2020.