UHS approves new policy in MBBS, MPhil programmes in Punjab medical colleges

LAHORE: The University of Health Sciences (UHS) syndicate on Thursday approved the affiliation of two new medical colleges, one dental college, and 13 nursing colleges in Punjab and okayed several amendments in policies for MBBS and MPhil programmes. 

The body also approved an increase in the number of MBBS and BDS seats in 10 affiliated medical and dental colleges consequent to the approval of seat enhancement by the federal regulator.

The 72nd meeting of the syndicate was held under the chairmanship of Vice-Chancellor Professor Ahsan Waheed Rathore. This was the first meeting of the UHS syndicate after its reconstitution earlier this month.

Among the members present were Fatima Jinnah Medical University Lahore Vice-Chancellor Prof Khalid Masud Gondal, Allama Iqbal Medical College Lahore Principal Prof Nadeem Hafeez Butt, Fatima Jinnah Medical College Lahore Principal Prof Noreen Akmal, former DG Health Punjab Dr Zaid Pervaiz, Professor of Gynecology Dr Maryam Malik, UHS Registrar Professor Nadia Naseem, Professor of Microbiology Dr Sidra Saleem, UHS Nursing department’s head Professor Samina Kausar and Punjab Specialised Healthcare Department’s Additional Secretary Shahida Farrukh. 

Professor of Surgery, Dr Arshad Cheema, The Balochistan Time Editor-in-Chief Muhammad Haider Amin, and Punjab Finance Department’s Additional Secretary Saima Ali participated in the meeting through a video link.

The two new medical colleges approved by the syndicate for affiliation on the recommendations of the affiliation committee included Akhtar Saeed Medical College Rawalpindi and RLKU Medical and Dental College Lahore. Niazi Medical and Dental College Sargodha has been approved for 50 BDS seats. Among the nursing colleges, 11 are government colleges while two are from the private sector.

Changes in regulations for masters, MPhil programmes

It was also approved to amend regulations pertaining to the validity of MPhil and other on-campus masters programmes by adopting prescribed timelines for completion of degrees in the Higher Education Commission (HEC) PhD Policy. 

It was decided that the minimum time for completion of these degrees would be two years and the students who had been stuck in these programmes for the past several years for any reason would be given a few months to complete their research work and degree after which the enrolment of these students would be cancelled.

The meeting decided that the university would issue the admission schedule for MBBS, BDS, BS Nursing, Allied Health Sciences, and other programmes offered on-campus and in the affiliated institutions and no institute would be allowed to make admissions in violation of that schedule.

The members agreed on the award of a Postgraduate Diploma in Medical Writing and Journalism to those who would complete the two certificate courses in Medical Editing (CME) and Medical Journalism for Editors (CMJE).

Amendments to the regulations pertaining evaluation of PhD and MPhil theses were also approved to bring them in line with the HEC's directives, whereby the requirement of a foreign evaluator for the theses at the master’s degree level was removed to avoid delays in the process.

Originally published in The News