‘Medical, dental colleges to stand disaffiliated for refusing PMC criterion’

LAHORE: Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC) has warned that any medical/dental college, which does not recognize PMC, its regulations or standards would in essence seek disaffiliation of its recognition with the regulatory body.

Earlier, purportedly, associations of certain medical and dental colleges had written to PMC showing their intention not to abide by the PMC Medical and Dental Undergraduate Education (Admission, Curriculum and Conduct) Regulations 2021, and refusing to undertake admissions in protest while rejecting the enforcement of accreditation standards of colleges and teaching hospitals.

In a statement Monday, a spokesman for the Commission clarified: “PMC has received no direct written communication from any private medical or dental college registered with PMC regarding their intent not to abide by the regulations, their refusal to undertake admissions or their refusal to accept the accreditation standards which are currently under consideration with the Academic Board comprising Vice Chancellors, Deans, senior faculty of both public and private medical and dental colleges, Higher Education Commission (HEC) and College of Physicians and Surgeons of Pakistan (CPSP) as its members.

PMC recognizes individual medical and dental colleges which it has inspected and accredited and shall only be communicating with colleges individually.

Although PMC’s doors are always open for any of its registered and accredited colleges to share their individual views that will always be responded to as part of a standard dialogue between a regulator and its registered entities.”

PMC further clarified that it is determined to continue its work towards improving the educational standards of medical and dental programs in Pakistan with the singular objective of educating and licensing competent and properly qualified doctors and dentists. “These steps are necessary to ensure that only the highest standards of healthcare are made available to all the citizens of Pakistan, which are in line with global best practices. While PMC will work with existing colleges to improve their standards, if any college fails to proactively improve its standards and deliver the quality of education required, PMC will not hesitate to take necessary action.”

“Thousands of students pay millions of rupees to private colleges for receiving promised quality education and it is the PMC's responsibility to ensure these students and their right to quality education is protected and delivered. Any college which does not wish to meet the educational accreditation standards or undertake transparent merit-based admissions giving an equal opportunity to all would be seen as violating not only the terms of its accreditation and recognition with PMC but also violating its obligation towards its students,” it concluded.