UHS to introduce research to MBBS, other programmes

LAHORE:The University of Health Sciences (UHS) will introduce research in its undergraduate programmes, including MBBS. The university has decided to incorporate a research component in the third and fourth years of the MBBS programme. The third-year exams will also carry a compulsory question on research. To promote research at the undergraduate level, UHS has also announced opening its doors to affiliated colleges and now students of medical and dental colleges will be able to use university laboratories for their research projects.

UHS will also chalk out a four-year comprehensive plan for biomedical and clinical research. UHS Vice-Chancellor Professor Ahsan Waheed Rathore has directed all the affiliated colleges to submit their research data within a week for the preparation of the plan.

While chairing a meeting of the principals of the affiliated colleges on Monday, Professor Ahsan Waheed Rathore apprised that a Research and Development (R&D) Centre had been established to coordinate research activities. UHS Pro-Vice Chancellor Professor Maroof Aziz, Vice-Chancellor Nishtar Medical University Professor Rana Altaf, Principal Ameer-ud-Din Medical College Professor Al-Farid Zafar, Professor Majeed Chaudhry, Professor Ayesha Shaukat, Director Medical Education Dr Khalid Rahim besides heads and representatives of 46 institutions were present in the meeting. Moreover, 16 principals participated through a video link.

UHS VC said that an eight-member advisory committee was constituted to oversee the affairs of the R&D Centre. The committee consisted of HEC Professor (Biotechnology), Prof Kauser Abdullah Malik, VC Rawalpindi Medical University, Prof Muhammad Umar, ex-VC Fatima Jinnah Medical University, Prof Aamer Zaman Khan, ex-HoD pediatrics gastroenterology, Children’s Hospital, Prof Huma Arshad Cheema, Pakistan Science Foundation Chairman Prof Shahid Mahmood Baig, Influenza virus group leader, Pirbright Institute, UK Institute, UK, Prof Munir Iqbal, Associate Director of R&D at the University of London, UK Dr Isaac John and Director R&D Centre Prof Saqib Mahmood.

Professor Rathore asserted that the university along with its affiliated colleges could produce 700 to 800 research papers annually. He added that all the UHS laboratories would be pooled up to form a centre of excellence in biomedical and clinical research so that research could be taken out of papers and put into implementation. He said that various reforms were being made in the examination system. He directed all colleges to implement faculty feedback by their students.