MANY Pakistani parents thrust a burden on their children which is often contrary to their natural interests and inclinations. They want their children to become doctors or engineers so they can earn a better reputation and money to be able to act like status symbols. They are sent to academies and are made to take extra classes for the preparation of entrance tests. If luck does not favour them, the students have to repeat the cycle until they get a seat in medical or engineering institutions.

This obsession has resulted, for instance, in a massive number of candidates vying for limited seats in state-run medical colleges, and, in the mushroom growth of private-sector institutions to make money by filling the demand-supply gap, which works negatively towards the genuinely interested candidates.

To add to their travails, the Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC) came up with the idea of holding a licencing exam for all international and local medical graduates. There exists a precedence of taking an exit exam from international graduates in the shape of the British model of Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board (PLAB) steps 1 and 2. Also, there exists the three-step model practised in the United States for both local and international graduates.

The difference between what the PMC is suggesting and the two models cited above is of a critical nature. The British and US models come with job security and there is no need for additional exam for induction into residency specialisation programmes. In our case, both these elements are completely missing.

If such circumstances persist, an exodus of medical graduates from Pakistan is the most likely scenario. Those who cannot move abroad may switch careers.

The PMC should reconsider its decision, and the parents should do away with their obsession of having their children opt for the medical profession.

Muhammad Adeel Riaz
Multan

Published in Dawn, September 27th, 2021