Pakistan’s medical education system has become a serious national concern. Every year, more than 180,000 students appear for the MDCAT, but fewer than 20,000 secure seats in government institutions. The rest turn to private or foreign universities, where tuition costs run into millions of rupees. For many middle-class families, this dream of producing a doctor comes at the expense of selling property, jewelry or lifelong savings — often without realising that Pakistan already produces more doctors than it can employ.
Private medical colleges boast modern infrastructure but remain affordable only to the wealthy. In contrast, government colleges, though far cheaper, suffer from overcrowding, outdated facilities and a shortage of trained faculty. As a result, around 25,000 new doctors graduate each year, yet limited hospital capacity and few government posts leave many underpaid or unemployed.
This imbalance has fueled frustration and accelerated brain drain, as graduates seek opportunities abroad. The MDCAT itself faces allegations of paper leaks and flawed grading, damaging its credibility. At the same time, societal pressure to pursue medicine has turned it into a status symbol rather than a calling. Students are pushed into a profession that increasingly offers limited growth and deep uncertainty.
Reforms are overdue. The MDCAT must be transparent, public colleges upgraded and incentives created for doctors to serve in rural areas. Without such action, Pakistan risks producing a generation of overqualified yet disillusioned doctors.
Muhammad Anfal
Islamabad
