2015 and beyond: Need to update medical curriculum highlighted

RAWALPINDI:

It is a need of the hour to update the curriculum of medical colleges and skill-sets keeping in view the international best practices.

This was stated by Higher Education Commission (HEC) Chairman Mukhtar Ahmed while addressing the inaugural session of National Consensus Guideline Meeting at the Holy Family Hospital on Friday to review ‘Challenges of Undergraduate Medical Education 2015 and Beyond,’ said a press release.

The event was organised with the cooperation of HEC, Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC), University of Health Sciences (UHS) and Rawalpindi Medial College (RMC).

More than one hundred delegates including principals of medical colleges from across the country, faculty members and experts will participate in different sessions.

Maj Gen (retd) Azhar Kayani said the healthcare system in Pakistan was facing immense challenges and awareness among doctors at all levels was increasing.

UHS Vice Chancellor (VC) Maj Gen (retd) Muhammad Aslam underlined the need to focus on developing new teaching techniques and academics.

Shifa Tameer-e-Millat University VC Professor Muhammad Iqbal Khan said the outlook of medical education has grossly changed over the past two decades. Colossal innovations were introduced in curriculum development, assessment, quality assurance, accreditation, and research, he added.

Professor Dr Muhammad Umar termed curriculum development as one of the most important issue to acquaint medical students with the best knowledge and skills. He said experts, during the various sessions of the conference, would focus on undergraduate medical education curriculum, research and academic accreditations with degrees and diplomas.

Prof Javed Iqbal, Prof Umer Ali Khan, Prof Syed Hasan Shoaib, Brig Mowadat Hussain Rana and Prof Khalid Masood Gondal also spoke at the occasion.

Earlier, the delegates planted saplings at the RMC garden.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 12^th, 2015.