PAKISTAN has one of the lowest literacy rates in the world. Even among Third World and Islamic nations, Pakistan does not occupy a satisfactory position. Like in all other fields of education, in science and technology, too, there is a scarcity of qualified and experienced teachers in health sciences. It is also appropriate to mention here that given the country’s population, Pakistan has the lowest number of scientists, experts and technologists.
While on the one hand there is shortage of highly-qualified and trained persons, on the other such persons also do not get a fair deal under the present service set-up in the public sector. This absence of conducive environment has lead to the migration of brain power to the UK, USA and the Middle East where they are making significant contribution in healthcare and other fields of science, technology and commerce. Here’s a look at the misfortunes of medical teachers in Pakistan.
The career of a medical teacher in both undergraduate as well as postgraduate medical institutions of Pakistan starts as an assistant professor.
It takes years of hard work which involves undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications through highly-competitive examinations, practical training, clinical experience, teaching experience, research and publications before one becomes an assistant professor.
Medical teachers are suppose to be appointed/promoted according to the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council rules and eligibility criteria and is supposed to be the supreme statutory body to govern all matters related to the appointment/promotion of medical teachers. This is the case on paper and in advertisements by the respective institutions and the Public Service Commission (provincial and federal). But in practice, once appointed, medical teachers are faced with more than one set of regulations.
Medical teachers are specialized professionals who have to conform to the PMDC-prescribed qualifications and eligibility criteria. Unfortunately, however, the employing authorities treat them as civil servants. Often, they have to observe irrelevant restrictions without availing any of the benefits or privileges enjoyed by civil servants. The situation in autonomous bodies is even more chaotic. The heads of these institutions use their powers to suppress their subordinates rather than safeguard their interests. The PMDC rules are also not always followed while making appointments and promotions.
In addition to the PMDC, they are subjected to the so-called service rules which are often not in accordance to the PMDC rules. This duplication of rules makes the lives of medical teachers extremely difficult. At each step of promotion, they have to conform to two sets of rules and requirements which makes it very difficult to get their timely promotion in accordance with the PMDC regulations and other academic parameters.
Differential treatment, non-adherence to PMDC rules and differences in rules between federal and provincial government and various autonomous bodies gives rise to confusion and conflict. If a proper survey is conducted, you will find that the majority of medical teachers have grievances against their authorities related to their promotion, seniority and other privileges. Regretfully, there exists an environment of dissatisfaction and distrust among the most-educated section of the community. This often leads to legal battles and rivalry among colleagues which jeopardizes their professional capabilities and making working environment unpleasant.
It is high time that some healthy reforms are introduced by the people at the helm of affairs to give honour, harmony and respect to these highly-qualified professionals involved in the dual duty of providing healthcare at the specialist level and training future doctors and specialists.
I propose the following reforms to the concerned authorities for their kind consideration in the best interest of the profession at large.
A high-powered national committee comprising senior professionals, PMDC representatives, government officials and university/College of Physicians and Surgeons’ representative be constituted to look into the problems of medical teachers and come up with recommendations. Here are some suggestions:
* Recognize the medical teaching cadre as a separate entity from the clinical cadre (non-teaching) and bureaucratic service by creating a National Medical Teachers Service.
* Appointments/promotions be made strictly in accordance with PMDC rules.
* Medical teachers should get spontaneous promotions on becoming eligible to the next grade and be allowed to progress to the maximum pay grade.
* Due recognition and preference should be given to academic performance, research and publications.
* All unnecessary and irrelevant rules and regulations contradictory to the PMDC be withdrawn and a uniform policy of appointment and promotion be adopted.
* The salaries and allowances of medical teachers be revised and made appropriate to their qualifications and expertise. At present the salary of a professor is less than a manager in a multinational company or bank.
* Medical teachers should be governed by the academic councils of the respective universities/colleges and not by bureaucrats who are not competent enough to evaluate their curriculum and professional performance.
* All substandard and irrelevant qualifications be declared invalid once and for all.
* Due credit should be given to recognized overseas qualifications, experience and research work.
* As medical teachers enter the service much later than other professionals, their superannuation age should be increased to 65 years (as in the UK).
By adopting these measures, we can enhance the standards of medical education and healthcare in our medical institutions in the new millennium. This will also help attract professionals currently working abroad to return to Pakistan and enrich our teaching institutions.
