29 October 2004	Friday	14 Ramazan 1425

LAHORE, Oct 28: The Higher Education Commission has ignored the universities degrees - MS/MD/MDS/M.Phil - having clinical and research components and made only FCPS, MRCP , FRCS and Diplomate of American Board degree holders eligible for appointment as faculty members in medical (clinical sciences) disciplines.

The HEC has notified the revised terms and conditions in respect of all future promotions and appointments in universities.

The notification, which is yet to be circulated, is set to create crisis for the medical faculty members, postgraduates as well as those enrolled in MS/MD/MDS/M.Phil courses with different universities in the country. It is learnt that about 400 students are enrolled for these degrees with the Punjab University alone.

It is reliably learnt that the HEC has approved these revised terms and conditions without consulting the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC), a statutory body that governs medical education in the country, universities' syndicates, vice-chancellors, academic councils and principals of medical colleges.

It is also learnt that all the four provincial governments and the PMDC had given their decisions in 2001 that the MS/MD/MDS/M.Phil degrees were higher and superior degrees.

The minutes of 97th session of PMDC held on Dec 29-30, 2001, had stated: "The council considered the equivalence of MD/MS for the purpose of teaching appointments. The council was informed that the opinion of all provincial governments was sought and they did reply. The opinion of the provincial governments is that MD/MS are higher postgraduate qualifications and should continue as required qualification for posting of teachers in medical institutions in respective fields."

The meeting minutes also stated: "The council accepted the recommendation of the provincial government and decided that doctors with qualification of MD/MS will enjoy the same status for appointment on teaching positions as at present."

The council had also noted that this agenda item was dropped and it was decided that it would not be discussed in the council in future.

When contacted, officials of different universities agreed that the HEC had not consulted them before revising the terms and conditions with respect of all future promotions and appointments in universities.They said the universities had been neglected completely and the notification tantamount to make MD/MS/MDS/M.Phil degrees redundant. The HEC was supposed to issue guidelines after taking the stakeholders into confidence. Unfortunately, the decision was taken without consulting statutory bodies and heads of medical colleges and universities.

They said the notification would create a chaos and unrest among the doctors who possess the university degrees or had been enrolled in universities and waiting for their promotion, recruitment or appearance in the examination.

They expressed the fear that the notification would help the College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan (CPSP) to monopolize the medical education in the country.

They claimed that this notification would deteriorate the standard of medical education because the degree courses were being taught only in teaching hospitals, while the FCPS candidates were also being trained in private hospitals where there were no teachers. The FCPS candidates were also being examined by the consultants who did not have teaching experience of a single day.

They said the MD and MS were research-based degrees, while the FCPS had no research component.

Senior health department officials told Dawn that at present 164 professors were serving in medical colleges and university in the province. They include 54 having university degrees, 68 having foreign qualifications and 40 having FCPS degrees.

CPSP president Prof Dr Sultan Farooqui said the FCPS had been equated with the PhD and had a mandatory research component. FCPS students were required to write two research papers or dissertations before taking the examination.

Prof Farooqui said the notification would not affect many because almost 94 per cent medical graduates were already taking up FCPS, MRCP, FRCS and Diplomate of American Board examinations. "Only six per cent postgraduate degree holders were coming from the universities that include only 2.5 per cent MD and MS degree holders," he said.

He also dispelled the impression that FCPS was a diploma and not a degree. He said diploma meant conferring of some honour or privilege as a university degree.

He said the faculty members already posted in medical colleges would not be affected by this notification with regard to their promotions.

When contacted, University of Health Sciences vice-chancellor Prof Dr Malik Husain Mubbashar said MD and MS were superior qualifications than the FCPS.

He, however, said there was a need to upgrade the standard of these postgraduate degrees. He said the MD and MS candidates should be assessed by an accredited authority to award these superior degrees.

He said the university would soon hold a meeting to discuss the HEC notification.

UHS board of governors chairman Prof Dr Mahmood Ahmad Chaudhry said the university was well on its way to set strict criteria in the assessment of these scholars in future.

He said all the theses would be examined by the professors serving in foreign universities and the conveners for the MD and MS degree examinations coopted from abroad.

Prof Mubbashar said HEC chairman Prof Dr Attaur Rehman had also constituted a three-member committee to look into the problems of medical universities. The committee, which comprises UHS VC Prof Mubbashar (convener), Liaquat Medical University of Health Sciences VC Prof Dr Jan Muhammad Memon and Dow Medical University VC Prof Dr Masood Hameed, would hold its first meeting after Eidul Fitr.