Pakistan Medical Commission announces that below-merit rich students will not flock to private medical colleges now
Dr. Arshad Ali Tariq, President of the Pakistan Medical Commission, said that about 8000 students from Sindh passed the Medical College Admission test “MDCAT” last year, but sixty percent out of them remained unsuccessful in securing admission in a medical or dental college. The only reason behind this scenario is that they come from an average or poor background, and they do not afford the fee of private medical colleges. At the same time, in private medical colleges, a large number of students are below-merit, but they secure admission because of their wealthy background.
Pakistan Medical Association (PIMA) organized an online seminar under the title of ″Pakistan Medical Commission: Apprehension and Expectations″. Vice-chancellors and Deans of Medical and Dental Colleges and Universities expressed their views during this webinar series. Many issues that need to resolve related to PMC were discussed by the professors, intellectuals, and administration.
It is decided in the seminar that a fund will be established for those students who meet the needs of merit but cannot afford the fee of private medical colleges. This fund will be patronized by different businessmen, social activists, and those who want to support intelligent students who passed MDCAT but were unable to secure admission due to financial issues. In this way, society will get passionate and worthy doctors.
Furthermore, the issue of dental colleges not getting students was also discussed in the seminar. Similarly, PMC representatives talked about fifty percent of students at dental colleges not receiving licenses from PMC. The issue of non-professionals as part of PMC was also discussed in the meeting. Faculty of different universities expressed their views about the representation from public sector medical universities in PMC. Dr. Abdullah Muttaqi offered PIMA′s services for organizing a meeting of vice-chancellors of medical universities and PMC in Islamabad for a dialogue to apprehend all the issues of medical education regulatory. Suggestions and recommendations from all medical universities will be discussed for more effective medical education that leads to the betterment of society.
