KARACHI: Some 473 fellowships and 127 memberships in various disciplines of medicine and dentistry were awarded at the 51st convocation of the College of Physicians and Surgeons, Pakistan (CPSP) here on Wednesday.

In his welcome address, CPSP president Prof Zafar Ullah Chaudhry said that the college came about as there was a dearth of professors of medicine to teach at medical colleges. “There was a need to train them within the country, which brought about the founding of CPSP by the late Lt Gen W.A. Burki, our first president, over 55 years ago,” he said. “And now our training network has expanded both within the country and overseas,” he added.

“CPSP is now recognised as an institution, which has proved its worth so much so that it now stands shoulder to shoulder with the Royal colleges of the UK and Canada and its fellowship is recognised by the local academia as well as job markets of the Arabian peninsula,” he said. “Colleges of Ireland, Saudi Commission for Health Specialities, and institutions of Malaysia, China, Singapore, Thailand and other ASEAN countries also acknowledge and recognise our attainments,” he added.

“The World Health Organisation also recognises our leadership role in the health sector. We have recently redesignated our Department of Medical Education as a WHO collaborating centre for the Eastern Mediterranean region,” he said.

Prof Michael Lavelle Jones, president, Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh, UK, who was chief guest on the occasion, also commended the CPSP for its good work. “Professional development equips us with knowledge and skill to be able to help our patients. But it is always important to have an inquiring mind with a quest for new knowledge. Knowledge helps us progress,” he said.

“Medicine has come a long way along the years. To keep up with it is core to providing high-quality care to our patients. We all have the obligation to do the best we can for their sake,” he added.

Later, the chief guest decorated Dr Usama Iqbal with the Prof Zafar Ullah Chaudhry Gold Medal in Surgery while Dr Neelum Kumari was presented the Prof M. Sultan Farooqui Gold Medal for getting the highest marks in the FCPS-I exams of the CPSP. The names of seven other gold medallists were also announced. They will be awarded gold medals later at their respective convocations in Lahore and Islamabad.

Published in Dawn, February 23rd, 2017