Improving primary healthcare: UHS to launch new programmes in general medicine
The programmes, a diploma and an MD, comply with standards set by Royal Australian College of General Practitioners.
LAHORE:
The University of Health Sciences will launch two innovative training programmes for general practitioners in 2012 to improve the standard of primary healthcare in Punjab.
The two programmes, a two-year diploma and a four-year Doctor of Medicine (MD) in family medicine, will be offered at all medical colleges affiliated with the UHS.
The new programmes were approved in the 63rd meeting of the UHS Advanced Studies and Research Board, chaired by Vice Chancellor Prof. Malik H Mubbashar, held on Thursday.
Prof. Junaid S Khan, a professor of medical education at the UHS, said that documents for the new programmes had been finalised after a series of workshops. The documents were made by a steering committee, which was chaired by Prof. John S G Biggs, the former dean of postgraduate medical education at Cambridge University, UK.
“The programmes comply with the standards of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. Part of the training will be hospital-based while another will be based in primary care settings,” Prof. Khan said.
“Family physicians are an integral part of primary care. Therefore most developed countries provide opportunities for professional development to primary care physicians,” said Prof. Biggs.
He said that more than 120,000 registered family physicians in Pakistan are not being formally trained in family medicine. “Currently, there are two fellowship programmes which produce six or seven graduates every year, five membership and two diploma programmes which are not accepted for professional growth by the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council. There are three MD programmes which are virtually non-functional due to lack of faculty,” Prof. Biggs said, adding that the PMDC allows any doctor with an MBBS to start independent general practice without any requirement for training.
The professor said that the situation demands a two-pronged approach: training fresh graduates and impart flexible training to those who are already practicing. “The UHS, a leading medical university, has initiated working on this in collaboration with its affiliated institutes and a group of 25 qualified physicians.”
The University of Health Sciences will launch two innovative training programmes for general practitioners in 2012 to improve the standard of primary healthcare in Punjab.
The two programmes, a two-year diploma and a four-year Doctor of Medicine (MD) in family medicine, will be offered at all medical colleges affiliated with the UHS.
The new programmes were approved in the 63rd meeting of the UHS Advanced Studies and Research Board, chaired by Vice Chancellor Prof. Malik H Mubbashar, held on Thursday.
Prof. Junaid S Khan, a professor of medical education at the UHS, said that documents for the new programmes had been finalised after a series of workshops. The documents were made by a steering committee, which was chaired by Prof. John S G Biggs, the former dean of postgraduate medical education at Cambridge University, UK.
“The programmes comply with the standards of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. Part of the training will be hospital-based while another will be based in primary care settings,” Prof. Khan said.
“Family physicians are an integral part of primary care. Therefore most developed countries provide opportunities for professional development to primary care physicians,” said Prof. Biggs.
He said that more than 120,000 registered family physicians in Pakistan are not being formally trained in family medicine. “Currently, there are two fellowship programmes which produce six or seven graduates every year, five membership and two diploma programmes which are not accepted for professional growth by the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council. There are three MD programmes which are virtually non-functional due to lack of faculty,” Prof. Biggs said, adding that the PMDC allows any doctor with an MBBS to start independent general practice without any requirement for training.
The professor said that the situation demands a two-pronged approach: training fresh graduates and impart flexible training to those who are already practicing. “The UHS, a leading medical university, has initiated working on this in collaboration with its affiliated institutes and a group of 25 qualified physicians.”