KARACHI: More than 500 doctors were awarded postgraduate degrees at 49th convocation of the College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan (CPSP) held on Saturday.

The programme organised late in the evening on the lawns of the CPCP was well attended by health professionals and their families.

The college awarded degrees of the Fellow of the College of Physicians and Surgeons (FCPS) and the Member of the College of Physicians and Surgeons (MCPS) to 428 and 111 candidates, respectively, serving at both civilian institutions as well those of armed forces.

Presenting the welcome address, CPSP president Prof Zafarullah Chaudhary paid tributes to founders of the college that, he said, had played a vital role in harnessing skills of young graduates and developing excellence in medical profession.

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He particularly mentioned the name of late Lt Gen Wajid Ali Khan Burki, also served as minister of health, who along with other visionaries, was instrumental in setting up the college in 1962 on the pattern of postgraduate colleges of the UK.

The college since its inception was being run in the most democratic way, he said, explaining that a 20-member council was elected every four years, which in turn elected office-bearers of the college each year from among themselves.

The institution that initially received government grant later became financially independent. “This important factor has helped greatly in the growth of the institution that today offers 73 fellowship and 22 membership programmes,” he pointed out.

“Financial independence has also led us to interact freely with international medical sciences institutions and get their approval for the college programmes.”

He said that the college that had been awarded the Golden Europe Award for Quality and Commerce Prestige last year and the Socrates Best College Award 2013 presently had about 21,000 trainees in various disciplines of medical sciences at 272 prestigious and well-equipped institutions — 187 are located in Pakistan while 85 abroad.

To young doctors sitting in the audience, he said: “All the new fellows and members of the college whether serving at the armed forces institutions or the private and public sectors should keep the CPSP vision in focus and serve the nation to the best of their abilities.”

Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Mohammad Zakaullah, the chief guest, in his brief remarks appreciated the services of the CPSP and said the institution offered affordable opportunities for postgraduate studies within the country that were earlier restricted to those who could go abroad.

Felicitating the doctors, he said: “You have chosen one of the noblest professions. Now, you are professionally, religiously, morally and ethically bound to give your best to patient.”

The Gen W. A Burki Medal for the year 2014 was awarded to Dr Zainab Liaquat Ali Dairkee while Prof Zafarullah Chaudhary Medal was awarded to Dr Kishwar Ali. The Anis and Saleem Medal went to Dr Bushra Aijaz.

Dr Muneeza Kishwar and Dr Farhan Saeed Vakani received the MCPS in Health Profession Education whereas Dr Kausar Abbas Saldera got a diploma certificate in healthcare system management.

“I think I was lucky to have the support of good teachers that helped me a lot to achieve this success. I believe the process of educating, updating and improving one’s self must never end and we should avail all learning opportunities,” said Dr Mohammad Irfan Anwar (of the Army Medical College, Rawalpindi) who received the Prof Tahir Saeed Haroon Medal in the specialty of dermatology.

Expressing her feelings, Dr Sana Khurrum, young mother and recipient of the Prof Syed Muzaffar Hassan Medal in the specialty of pathology, said that her success couldn’t have been possible without the support of her family.

“My little daughter was of six months when I was giving my exams. So, it’s a shared achievement equally contributed by my teachers at the National Institute of Blood Diseases (Karachi),” she said.

Published in Dawn, April 27th, 2015

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