KARACHI, March 10: Experts in medical education have expressed dissatisfaction with the "quality and quantity" of doctors being produced and suggested teamwork at all levels of health profession and other sectors had to be evolved.

They were speaking at a workshop on 'Improving Medical Education: Charting the Path', at Department of Medical Education, College of Physicians & Surgeons Pakistan CPSP Karachi, during Joint Conference between CPSP and Bangladesh College of Physician and Surgeons BCPS.

It was facilitated by Dr Sabri, Director Health Services, WHO EMRO, Dr Sameen Siddiqui, Regional Advisor Health Policy and Planning, WHO EMRO, Dr Lubna Baig, Prof of Community Medicine, KMDC, Dr Syeda Kauser Ali, Director DME and Dr Syed Moin Ali, Assistant Professor DME, CPSP.

The experts felt that doctors alone could not improve health status, as it is joint effort of all concerned departments. Chairman, Pakistan Medical & Dental Council PM&DC Dr Hayat Zafar said Pakistani medical and dental degrees are acceptable both in the USA and UK by regulatory bodies in these countries.

He said so far Pakistan had produced 97,305 medical and dental doctors of which 92,109 MBBS and 5,196 BDS graduates are registered with PMDC. He said 16,201 medical and dental specialists were also produced, of 15,867 are in various medical specialties and 334 in dental specialties. Besides local produced doctors, PMDC has registered 2,349 MBBS and 311 BDS foreign doctors, working in Pakistan.

Every institution, intending to establish a medical/dental college must apply for inspection to PMDC prior to advertising for admission in first year class. After proper inspection, NOC is issued, he added.

Dr Hayat Zafar said PMDC closed many medical institutions, which were not being properly run. These include Vohra Medical College, Karachi, Rajput Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad and Ravi Medical College, Lahore.

He said PMDC's system of accreditation has been approved by General Medical Council of UK and NCFMEA, USA. PMDC has become member of International Association of Medical Regulatory Authorities AIMRA, which supports medical regulatory authorities worldwide in protecting public interest by promoting high standards for physician education, licensure and regulation and facilitates ongoing exchange of information among medical regulatory authorities.

Dr. Jamshed Talati of Aga Khan University said education system be refined to fit intellectual needs of students. He spoke of research at AKU on learning styles.

Dr. Feroz Quader of Dhaka Medical College Hospital said National Quality Association Body supervises quality of medical education in Bangladesh. A large number of medical professionals and experts from Pakistan and Bangladesh attended lecture on Medical Education in Pakistan: Challenges and Achievements, by Vice Chancellor of Ziauddin Medical University Prof. Naeem Jafary. - PPI