CPSP clarifies report

PESHAWAR: The College of Physicians and Surgeons (CPSP) has clarified its position about the article published in The News on Friday, saying it is wrong that the college does not have software for plagiarism.

In a statement, the CPSP Senior Vice President Maj Gen Prof Salman Ali (retd) stated: “Being the Chairman of Disciplinary Committee of the College, I myself with committee members have recommended the punishment/cancellation of training of the residents who were picked up by our software involved in plagiarism and this incidence has decreased after the effective punishments by the College. As a matter of fact this the only institution in the country where there is zero tolerance even on intention of plagiarism.”

The evidence of international research standards of this institution is its journal - Journal of College of Physicians & Surgeons Pakistan - which is among the top rated journals recognized by HEC and among the few medical journals of the country having impact factor.

Our Peshawar Bureau adds: The reporter stands by his story and raised the following questions:

1. When was plagiarism detection software installed by the CPSP?

2. Are all dissertations checked for plagiarism? How many detected over last 5 years and how many punished?

3. Most importantly, how does CPSP ensures that the data are authentic?

Are the hospitals required to keep an official database against which data submitted by trainees can be checked?

4. What about the dissertations submitted in the past before plagiarism software was installed? Are they being checked retrospectively? If not, why not?

5. How does CPSP ensures that data submitted are of procedures actually performed in the hospital to which the TMOs are assigned?

6. Has CPSP ever looked into complaints that dissertations are being written for money by others?

7. Do the Royal Colleges of UK and Ireland require dissertations by those taking FRCS/MRCP exams?

8. What are the minimum numbers of beds/patients per TMO required by CPSP?

9. Your clarification says that ‘such incidences have decreased’. Is it acceptable for an institute like CPSP to not have zero incidence of plagiarism?

CPSP is a prestigious organization of the country and it should be beyond any shadow of doubt.