15th convocation: 91 dental graduates walk away with degrees, gold medals, shields

A shield was presented to the former principal of the college, Prof. Dr Essa Arain.


Our Correspondent May 20, 2012

KARACHI:


After four gruelling years of learning about teeth, most students are glad it’s over. However, the students at the Fatima Jinnah Dental College were excited as they got ready to walk up on stage at the Bahria Auditorium on Saturday to receive their graduation certificate.


At the 15th convocation ceremony of the college, the vice-chancellor of the University of Karachi, Prof. Dr Muhammad Qaiser, presented 91 students – 25 men and 66 women – with their BDS degrees. The dean of medicine, Prof. Dr S M Abbas Hussain administered the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council oath.

The parents of Dr Hannah Emmanuel, were beaming with joy as they told The Express Tribune how proud they were of their daughter’s achievements. They hoped she would serve the country with her knowledge even after she got married.

The faculty members were quite pleased with the graduating class. This year the graduates earned 18 gold medals for the highest marks in their annual examinations, 13 shields for top positions and 93 distinctions. So far, 970 students have graduated from the college.

Dr Sadia Jumani was awarded the shield for best graduate as she got several distinctions and secured top positions while at college.

While speaking at the event, the new principal of the dental college, Prof. Dr Tasleem Hosein said that the college had evolved with time. “Our students go to work all over the country,” she said. “We are very proud of our students and faculty. Dr Saqib Rashid, the head of the operative dentistry departments, accepted a fellowship at the International Congress of Implantologists this year. Two of our trainees, Dr Fauzia Hamid and Dr Fehmida Soomro, cleared their FCPS this week.” She added that despite doing so well this year, the students were disturbed because of the delays in the exam schedules.

To this Prof. Qaiser responded and said that the issue would be discussed further and precautionary measures would be taken. He congratulated the students and said that every year the college produced graduates who went ahead to gain further qualifications such as MCPS, and FCPS from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Pakistan, MPhils, MSc, MS and PhD’s from KU.

A shield was presented to the former principal of the college, Prof. Dr Essa Arain, for his contribution to the college. He has the distinction of being Pakistan’s first dental graduate after partition in Sindh. He is also one of the oldest practitioners and teachers of dentistry in the province. A pride of performance gold medal was awarded to senior staff member Muhammad Ali Khurasani for 15 years of meritorious service.

Sindh Health Minister Dr Sagheer Ahmed announced that he would introduce a service structure for dentists in the public sector.

Dr Taha Abbas, a young graduate, said that he had started a non-governmental organisation to provide people in rural Sindh with basic medical care.

He added that his main goal was to start a mobile dental health service.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 20th, 2012.

 

COMMENTS (2)

dr hina | 11 years ago | Reply

he studied from lahore and he was the first dental surgeon in sindh at that time

Jibjob | 11 years ago | Reply

Was Dr Essa Arain the only person in his class when he graduated? How can be be the 'first dental graduate' since partition in Sindh? I am very curious

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