Workshop on Undergraduate Medical Curriculum

Curriculum development is dynamic process. It cannot remain static. It has to be changed to the requirements of modern age and local needs. Our institutions should no lag behind. They must have access to modern and more appropriate system of learning, it was stated by Dr.Sohail Altaf, Secretary Health Govt of NWFP during his address as chief guest in the inaugural session of a three days workshop on “Undergraduate Medical Curriculum” organized by Kyber Medical University (KMU), Peshawar here at Institute of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (IPM&R), Hayatabad Medical Complex Peshawar.
He while criticizing the present curriculum said that the underpracticed curriculum in our medical institutions is only stress on seeking knowledge while that of Problem Based Learning (PBL) is based on life long and self directed learning and it is also less costly. He suggested that a pilot projet may be started  for adoptation of PBL on a small scale at any one of the medical college of the province. He stressed that faculty involvement for cahnge in undergraduate curriculum is very essintial and they should be kept on board while introducing new curriculum.
Dr. Sohail Altaf said we must acknowledged the efforts of KMU and especially of its dynamic VC for changing the almost one hundred years old curriculum of undergraduate medical education.He hoped that all the participants will learn a lot from this workshop, but the real beneficiary will be our young medical students and patients of the province as well.
Earlier while talking to the inaugural session VC KMU Prof. Dr. Mohamamd Hafizullah said that the current undergraduate medical curriculum was introduced almost 100 years ago. This is a system base curriculum where all subjects are taught in isolation with  no relevance to each other. In almost all the medical schools in the developed countries the curriculum has been changed to PBL. Even in our own country some of the medical colleges have introduced this change either totally or partially like Agha Khan Univerisity, Shifa International Medical College, Rawalpindi Medical College and Peshawar Medical College.
 He said a number of workshops have been conducted both in Khyber Medical College and Ayub Medical College on the development of new curriculum, but no serious attempt has been made to implement the changes in the curriculum. KMU has taken up this challenge. First it took principals of all the public sector medical colleges on a tour of the leading medical institutions in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad.  The team specially studied their curricula and evaluation system. KMU then started the training of the faculty members in changing the curriculum.
Prof. Hafizullah said that KMU has already conducted a number of workshops both for the faculty of public and private medical colleges, engaging resource persons from Agha Khan, Shifa International and from Rawalpindi Medical College.In the last workshop a number of modules were allotted to various medical colleges for development. They have been prepared and will be discussed in this workshop. These modules will be refined hopefully and will implement in the near future. Prof. Dr. Shad Mohammad Director Academics KMU and Dr. Shiella Pinjani from Aga Khan University Karachi also addressed the workshop

Annual Health Research Symposium 2009 organized by Khyber Medical University concludes

A two day annual health research symposium 2009 organized by Khyber Medical University (KMU), Peshawar concluded here at Khyber Medical College (KMC), Peshawar. The theme of the symposium was institutionalization of health research in health academic institutions of NWFP.
Minister for Labor & Manpower Mr. Sher Azam Wazir was chief guest while Minister for population welfare Mr. Saleem Khan was guest of honour at the occasion.
Mr. Sher Azam Wazir Minister for Labor & Manpower NWFP said that activities such like that in the prevailing severe law and order situation are a great source of encouragement for all of us. He said research has a key role in medical profession and without research we can’t move forward in right direction. He urged the students and faculty to keep close eye on the new emerging menace of various diseases. Mr. Saleem Khan Minister for population welfare NWFP said that KMU has achieved a lot in a short span of time  and organizing such research oriented  activities will not only provide a broad based plat form for research in the health sector but it will also help in diagnosing and over coming on various diseases. He hoped that our new generation will give high priority to research and they should remembered that in the past research was the domain of the Muslim scholars and wherever we left research, the Muslims became backward in every walk of life. He congratulated VC KMU and his team for organizing such a brilliant and successful research symposium.
Earlier while highlighting the aims and objectives of the University, VC KMU Porf. Dr. Mohammad Hafizullah said that KMU is endeavoring to discharge the immense responsibilities and obligations assigned to it under the NWFP Parliament Act through which it was established. The university is in the process of establishing itself as a premier institution of learning in the health field of the country and internationally and is diligently pursuing to develop and oversee the development of quality human resources for health, to establish, promote and undertake high quality health research and promote the use of research in policy and decision making and practice and become a technical and information resource in the health field of the country.
It is worth mentioning here that the two days health research symposium is an integral part of health research promotions strategy of the university. To define the role of medical universities in institutionalizing health research and formulate recommendations a panel discussion of medical universities VC’s, Dean’s, senior representatives of HEC, PM&DC and CPSP was also held in the symposium. Beside panel Discussion a scientific program including free papers sessions and poster presentations were also held in the symposium. Later on in the concluding session chief guest and guest of honor awarded souvenirs and certificates to the positions holders of scientific session.

KMU Annual Health Research Symposium Inaugurates

Executive Director Higher Education Commission (HEC) Prof.  Sohail H. Naqvi said universities are leading role in community and in policy making, he was addressing as Chief Guest to inaugural session of a two days health research symposium organized by Khyber Medical University (KMU) Peshawar here at Khyber medical college (KMC), Peshawar, while VC KMU, VC Peshawar University, VC UET Peshawar, VC Agricultural University Peshawar, Registrar PM&DC and Principals of all public and private sector medical colleges of the province, faculty members, educationists, researchers and a large number of students were also present at the occasion.
Prof. Sohail H. Naqvi said Pakistan is one of the luckiest nations of the entire world which has all the resources including natural and human resources. He said knowledge and research has no boundaries and HEC is trying its best to facilitate across the board all higher education institutions to serve the nation in all walks of life. While   highlighting HEC mandat Prof.Naqvi further said that HEC is assuring quality standards for academics and research and standardizing degree programmes through out the country at graduate, postgraduate and PhD levels.
He informed the audience that HEC has sponsored more then five thousand scholars for PhD abroad while round about five thousand scholars are doing their PhD’s    with in the country. Universities are multiple roles and enhancing education is not only the responsibility of the public sector but private sectors can also playing a pivotal role in enhancement of education, he added. Prof. Sohail H. Naqvi said introducing educational and research cultural in the academic institutions is one of the main objectives of HEC. He hoped future of Pakistan is bright and we have a lot of expectations from the new young generation of Pakistan.
Earlier, during his welcome address VC KMU Prof. Dr. Mohammad Hafizullah said that KMU has achieved a lot in a short span of time after its inception in 2007. While highlighting KMU achievements he said, KMU has established Institute of Public Health and Social Sciences and Institute of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, and further more KMU has   also started new courses in public health, physiotherapy, nursing and vision sciences. He said establishment of Institute of Basic Medical Sciences and introducing PBL mode of instruction at graduate level are over new commitments which will be soon materialized. About change in evaluation and examination system VC KMU said SEQ’s and MCQ’s system will be adopted gradually at graduate level.
Dr. Tasleem Akhtar consultant R&D KMU, Prof. Malik H. Mubbashir VC University of Health Sciences Lahore and Prof. Aamir Aziz Counselor College of Physicians and Surgeons also addressed the symposium. Later on VC KMU presented KMU souvenir and shields to guests speakers as well.