MBBS, BDS classes to start from 22nd

LAHORE: First-year MBBS and BDS classes in government medical and dental colleges of Punjab will start from February 22 while in Azad Jammu and Kashmir from March 1.

The decision was taken at a meeting of vice-chancellors and principals of public sector medical and dental institutions held here at the University of Health Sciences (UHS), on Monday. The meeting was chaired by UHS Vice-Chancellor Professor Javed Akram.

It was also decided that traditional white coat ceremonies would be held in all medical and dental colleges. The meeting also decided that no poor student would be denied admission just because of non-payment of fees. The University of Health Sciences will pay the fees of such students on the recommendation of the college principal.

Vice-Chancellor King Edward Medical University Prof Khalid Masood Gondal, VC Fatima Jinnah Medical University Prof. Amir Zaman Khan, VC Faisalabad Medical University Prof Zafar Chaudhry, Principal Allama Iqbal Medical College Prof Arif Tajammul, Principal Services Institute of Medical Sciences Prof Muhammad Amjad, Registrar UHS Dr Asad Zaheer, Principal Sargodha Medical College Prof Humaira Akram, Principal Gujranwala Medical College Prof Maroof Aziz, Principal Sahiwal Medical College Prof Zahid Kamal were prominent among the participants.

At the start of the meeting, Dr Allah Rakha, UHS Team-Lead Admissions, gave a briefing on the admission process in medical and dental colleges. He said that admissions in medical colleges were completed as per the directions of the Pakistan Medical Commission. He added that in wake of Covid-19, the admission process was made completely online. Dr Allah Rakha further said that so far admission on almost 95 per cent of seats in government medical and dental colleges had been completed.

Prof Arif Tajammul commended the efforts of Dr Allah Rakha and the work of his team and said that UHS deserved congratulations for completing the work of months in weeks. Prof Khalid Masood Gondal said that there were ample scholarships available for financial assistance of needy students in government medical colleges. On this occasion, Prof Arif Tajammul suggested that an endowment fund be set up in UHS for the financial assistance of poor students. Prof Javed Akram announced that UHS would pay the fees of deserving students on the recommendation of the college principal.

The meeting also approved the formation of appellate boards to hear appeals against the decisions of Hifz-e-Quran Committee and the Medical Board to assess persons with disabilities.Shields were later awarded to the UHS Admission Team for outstanding performance.