PMDC directs for early completion of all admissions in medical institutions.

Byline: Rahul Basharat

ISLAMABAD -- Pakistan Medical and Dental Council on Wednesday strictly directed all universities to complete the delayed admission process in medical institutions before the end of this month.

A statement issued by the PMDC said that to cater to the urgent and burning issue of admissions in the 2019 academic year which had been delayed due to the new central induction programme, the Council had in its previous meeting fixed a final deadline of March 31, 2019 for all universities responsible for admissions by central induction to complete the admissions process.

During this meeting, the Council constituted the Admission Board to be headed by President PM and DC Prof. Dr Tariq Iqbal Bhutta with the mandate to supervise directly the completion of all remaining admissions from April 1.

The PMDC also directed all universities to present all record of admissions in the council on April 1.

The Council said admission is priority issue and the academic year of the students cannot be put at stake and hence it will be completed on war footing within the first week of April under the PMDC direct supervision.

The Council has also requested all medical and dental colleges to send their updated admissions status by March 31, 2019 to assist the process.

The Council took serious notice of the delays caused in granting graduating doctors their provisional licences without which they are unable to start their house jobs.

The pending cases of provisional licences of 100 students of Federal Medical and Dental College and Avicenna Medical and Dental College of session 2013:14 which were long awaited were directed to be issued immediately and by or before Friday the March 28.

These graduating doctors will be able to start their house jobs immediately.

The Council also decided to undertake a detailed review of the current regulatory structure of inspection of existing and applying medical and dental colleges to not only bring it in line with best international practices and standards but streamline the existing cumbersome process and also consider the imposition of a review of standards of all colleges on a periodical basis to ensure best quality education for our future doctors.

The Council Committee has been entrusted with this job and will be working on an urgent basis to finalise the new structure.

The Council also refused to accept requests by...