PMDC likely to derecognise 7 Chinese medical institutions

* Decision will create panic among thousands of students who are studying in China

By Manzoor Qadir

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Medical and Dental Association (PMDC), conceding increased criticism from medical circles, has decided to derecognise seven Chinese medical universities. These medical institutions were recognised by the PMDC around three years ago, however, because of repeated criticism, the authorities have decided to derecognise them, Daily Times has learnt.

This move would affect dozens of Pakistani students who have been studying medicine in these institutions. The medical institutions that might be derecognised by PMDC include Peking Union Medical College, Beijing Medical University, Shanghai Medical University, School of Stomatology, Shanghai second medical university, School of medicine of Xian Jiaotong University, Xinjiang Medical University, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing.

It was decided that graduates from these medical institutions would have to appear in National Examination Board (NEB Exam) to get practice licence in Pakistan, regardless of their university’s early recognition status, the sources said.

The decision would create panic among students who have been studying in these Chinese institutions. However, it would also reduce grievances of hundreds of students who have been studying in other countries’ medical and dental intuitions because those were not recognised by PMDC despite repeated requests. PMDC has long been asked by Pakistani students studying medicine in Bangladeshi medical and dental institutions through SAARC Students Exchange Programme to recognise their degrees, but the PMDC officials never took any initiative in this regard. However, approval of Chinese medical universities, on the directions of President Asif Ali Zardari, in 2009 by the council had invited criticism from certain medical circles.

The medical circles opined that PMDC was ignoring the minimum standards for practicing medicine, surgery or dentistry in Pakistan. The PMDC took a political decision, which would affect the medical education, they added. Currently there are more than 5,000 Pakistani students in China and most of them are studying medicine. The medical circles alleged that graduates from these Chinese medical institutions badly lacked practical experience as Chinese medical institutions did not allow foreign students to have proper bed-site training.

PMDC Registrar Dr Ahmad Nadeem Akbar has confirmed the decision and said that a plan was on the cards to derecognise the Chinese medical universities. He said the council was ready to introduce a uniform policy for all foreign medical graduates and it would be necessary for each foreign medical graduate to get registered with PMDC after passing NEB examination.

Home | National