Medical Education in Pakistan: Challenges & Way Forward

There have been many conceptual and practical drawbacks in how the medical education has been developed in Pakistan. Though there has been expansion in the medical education sector since the creation of this country, the doctors available for the existing population are not sufficient thus affecting the overall quality of medical care. To understand this particular issue, associated factors are required to be analyzed. Medical education in Pakistan is affected by the growth of the private medical colleges, mal-distribution of resources, traditional curricula that focus on theoretical knowledge more than the practical training and absence of uniform admission processes in the public and the private sectors. To keep pace with socio-economic development and the quality of medical education, there is a need for re-evaluation of every facet at each and every level: creation of strong and efficient accreditation system; promotion of equality in the distribution of resources; curriculum redesigning with stricter implementation of guidelines provided by Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC) and improvement in the teaching and assessment methodologies for graduates in the medical profession; thus providing optimum healthcare delivery ensuring competence concomitantly and bringing positive change in the system.