Islamabad
After visit of a delegation of College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan to United Kingdom and Ireland, the Royal College of Physicians London has offered Medical Training Initiative (MTI) Programme for the CPSP fellows while Royal College of Surgeons and Health Services Executive Ireland has approved extension in its ongoing HSE-CPSP scholarship programme.
It is important that as many as 270 post-graduate trainees registered with the CPSP are getting training in seven specialties in Ireland and with the extension of HSE-CPSP scholarship programme, addition of another specialty, Ophthalmology; another 130 Pakistani young doctors would be able to complete on-job training in Ireland.
The delegation of CPSP led by President CPSP Professor Zafarullah Khan and comprising of its members CPSP Vice President Dr. Khalid Masood Gondal, Councillor and Controller Examinations Professor Dr. M Shoaib Shafi, Major General (R) Professor Salman Ali and Professor Mahmood Ayaz visited RCP London recently.
In the meeting, the President of RCP offered Medical Training Initiative (MTI) Programme for the fellows of CPSP who have completed FCPS Degree in Medicine. The young FCPS doctors would be imparted two-year on-job post fellowship training in UK under the program, said Professor Shoaib while talking to ‘The News’ on Friday.
He added the training programme has been set for two years by the CPSP intentionally because the CPSP does not want brain drain. By the efforts of CPSP Team, the President of Royal College of Physicians London exempted the PLABS exam for these fellows, he said.
To a query, he said a team of RCP London would visit Pakistan on the invitation of CPSP for interviews of the candidates in November. He added he has been appointed focal person for the purpose by CPSP.
The CPSP delegation also held a meeting with representatives of Royal College of Surgeons Ireland and Health Services Executive. The meeting was very
fruitful and they offered more opportunities for postgraduate trainees of Medicine, Surgery, Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Psychiatry, Paediatrics, Anesthesiology and Emergency Medicine, said Professor Shoaib.
He added the HSE Ireland also offered on-job training for Pakistani PG Trainees in eighth specialty, Ophthalmology by extending ongoing HSE-CPSP Scholarship Programme. In Ireland, Pakistani PG trainees are registered with Irish Medical Council and get a stipend amounting to 3500 euros.
He said at present, 270 FCPS trainees are working under the HSE-CPSP scholarship programme. Chief Executive of Health Service Executive Ireland Ms. Ellis McGovern acknowledged the standard and knowledge of the Pakistani medical students who are working in Ireland, he added.
He said during the stay in UK, he along with Professor Khalid and Dr. Junaid Mustafa had a meeting with Royal College of Emergency Medicine in London, where the opportunities for Training and Examinations were discussed.
Talking of another breakthrough, Professor Shoaib said the CPSP team along with Dr. Ayaz Abbasi visited Wiggin Group of Hospitals at Lancashire County, where they inspected three different hospitals and have been offered training slots for third year postgraduate trainees registered with the CPSP in the specialty of Emergency Medicine.