PMDC introduces new MDCAT syllabus
The new syllabus encompasses five key subjects – Biology, Chemistry, Physics, English, and Logical Reasoning – with focus on conceptual understanding and critical thinking. The PMDC encouraged aspiring students to begin their preparations following the newly issued curriculum syllabus.
The final date of the MDCAT exams was likely to be announced in a couple of days following consultations with admitting universities. The exams are likely to be held on either the last Sunday of September or the first Sunday of October 2025.
The exam will consist of a total of 180 multiple-choice questions (MCQs) — categorised as 15% easy, 70% moderate, and 15% difficult — which would be answered in three hours, said a statement, while defining the structure, weightage, and difficulty levels for the exam. "No negative marking will be applied."
According to the statement, candidates must achieve a minimum of 55% marks to qualify for admission to medical colleges and 50% marks for admission in dental colleges.
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Business Recorder
6 days ago
- Business Recorder
Medical and dental colleges in country: Senate body concerned over mushroom growth
ISLAMMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on National Health Services and Regulations Tuesday expressing serious concern over the mushroom growth of medical and dental colleges in the country has asked the relevant quarters to ensure global regulatory standards in medical education of the country. The committee meeting held here under the Chairmanship of Senator Amir Waliuddin Chishti to discuss matters related to various health issues. During the Senator Atta-ur-Rehman raised concerns, stating that previously there used to be only one or two medical colleges, but now there are several located even within a single street. He questioned what criteria are currently in place for opening a medical college or university. The officials of the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) informed the Committee that certain standards and bylaws exist. He added that new, stricter standards have been introduced because the previous ones were inadequate, and that the new laws were specifically designed to address those shortcomings. Furthermore, the Federal Minister for Health explained that students who are unable to pass the medical entry test often go to Central Asia for education. However, upon returning, their competence does not match the required standard of a qualified medical student, and in the process, their parents end up wasting a significant amount of money. The chairman committee remarked that this situation highlights a positive aspect if new medical colleges are established while meeting the required criteria, it would not only increase patient beds in hospitals but also prevent students from spending around 5.5 million rupees abroad, only to return with substandard education. The committee members discussed the consideration of a private member's Bill titled "The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (Amendment) Bill, 2025" introduced by Senator Mohammad Humayun Mohmand, in the Senate sitting held on 19th May, 2025 referred to the Committee for consideration and report. Dr Mohammed Humayun stated that just like other Councils, Parliamentarians should also be part of the PM&DC Council. The President of PM&DC, Dr Rizwan Taj, responded that Parliamentarians cannot be part of the PM&DC Council and have never been in the past. The Chairman Committee refuted this, by stating that you are mistaken Parliamentarians have, in fact, served as Council members on multiple occasions in the past. The Federal Minister, for Health Mustafa Kamal told the committee that our democratic conditions are not favorable enough to include Parliamentarians as Council members and even I am not a part of the PM&DC Council. Senator Humayun Mohmand remarked, that If you include a member from one sector in the Council, then members should be included in other Council as well. Addressing the Committee, the Minister stated his opposition to the bill. Senator Irfan-ul-Haque Siddiqui remarked that there is no fundamental issue with the bill. He emphasized the vital role of Parliamentarians in legislation and policy-making. Moreover, he stated that we sit in Committees every day to resolve issues and legislate in the House. If we are being given the opportunity to improve a system ourselves, that is a positive step. He said that It is we who legislate, we who listen to the people's issues, and if we are included, we can truly make a difference. Senator Humayun also said if you convince me that parliamentarian should not be member of council I will withdrawal the bill. Senator Talal Chaudhry was also in favour of this bill and stated that either the government should remove everyone from the council, or political members should also be included. Following this, after details deliberations the Chairman Committee recommended that further deliberations will be held in the next meeting. He stressed the importance of incorporating recommendations from both sides, ensuring that all stakeholders are heard before reaching a final decision. Dr. Mohammed Humayun also presented another bill, Consideration of a Private Member's Bill titled "The Mental Health (Amendment) Bill, 2025 introduced by Senator Mohammad Humayun Mohmand, in the Senate sitting held on 19 May, 2025 referred to the Committee for consideration and report, which proposed an amendment to a definition clause. He pointed out that the term "psychologist" had been included in the definition, while "psychiatrist" had been omitted. After which, the Chairman Committee recommended that the amendment be made and brought forward for discussion in the next meeting. A comprehensive briefing was also given by Pakistan Medical and Dental Council on the future plan of MDCAT examination and Health Services Academy. The MDCAT officials told that there are different provisions for MDCAT in the PM&DC Act. Section 9(2)(f) of the Act provides for the Council to make rules and regulations for the conduct of admissions and examinations to be conducted by each province, Islamabad Capital Territory and Gilgit-Baltistan. Section 13(c) provides for the National Medical & Dental Academic Board to formulate the examination procedure and structure for the MDCAT to be conducted by the respective provinces for approval of the Council. Further they briefed that the MDCAT result of one province shall be valid for the entire country and shall be valid for a period of three years. Each province, GB and ICT shall give preference to the students having domicile of their respective province or territory as the case may be. The PM&DC deadline for completion of MBBS / BDS admissions for coming session is 28 February 2026. The Vice Chancellor of the Health Services Academy briefed the Committee about the institution. During the briefing, he stated that no ban had ever been imposed on the Academy. The Chairman Committee pointed out that a ban had, in fact, been imposed by the Higher Education Commission (HEC). The Vice Chancellor acknowledged this, clarifying that the ban was later uplifted. To this, the Chairman remarked, and then you should not have claimed that no ban was ever imposed. The meeting was attended by Senators Syedaal khan (Deputy Chairman Senate) Dr Mohammed Humayun Mohammed, Tallal badar, Syed Masroor Ahsan, Irfan ul Siddiqui, Fawzia Arshad, Atta Ur Rehman (Mover) and senior management from the Ministry/relevant departments. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
6 days ago
- Express Tribune
Three-year ban on new medical colleges
The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) informed the Senate Standing Committee on National Health Services on Tuesday that a three-year ban has been imposed on the registration of new medical colleges because of a shortage of teaching faculty. The committee, which met here with Senator Aamir Waleeduddin in the chair, discussed the PMDC Amendment Bill moved by Senator Humayun Mohmand. The bill proposed to include parliamentarians in the PMDC board. However, Health Minister Mustafa Kamal opposed the proposal. PMDC President Dr Rizwan Taj said that parliamentarians had never been part of the board, but the chair corrected him, stating that a senator and a MNA used to sit on the board. Irfan Siddiqui said that the inclusion of political people would not change the institution's structure. Mustafa Kamal told the committee that even he, as the health minister, was not part of the PMDC board. He maintained that Pakistan's medical professionals were still respected globally, and political involvement could undermine their reputation.
Express Tribune
07-07-2025
- Express Tribune
When a physician speaks poetry
Dekhna taqreer ki lazzat ke jo uss ne kaha Mein ne ye jana ko goya ye bhi mere dil mein he Ghalib Dr Azra Raza has over the last several years won widespread acclaim and popularity in the US as an oncologist - but more so as a literary figure who can delve into the verses of Urdu master poets with effortless ease. Her mastery of English and Urdu alike makes her a captivating speaker who can spellbind an audience in the flicker of a glowing phrase. Her recent convocation address at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver was much more than a cancer-researcher's speech - it was a testament to her rare gift of blending the rigours of human anatomy with the depth of poetry and the warmth of the human spirit. Few people can stand before a hall of graduates and make the deadliest, most daunting topics blossom into something endearing - yet Dr Raza does exactly that. In her voice, even the harshest truths about cancer bend into lessons on courage, love, and the journey of being fully alive. With her commanding yet gentle presence, she remains a speaker who must be heard - regardless of the subject. She can take the most daunting facts of life and death and breathe into them a dignity that uplifts. In her speech, she spoke of a lifetime spent in pursuit of a cure that still evades her grasp, yet she turned that unfinished quest into something luminous: "I did not attain what I had set out to seek, but in that pursuit, I swallowed the world." Such lines linger like verses that echo one's own hidden thoughts - just as many poets remind us. At the heart of her message lies a truth both fierce and tender: that love - for an idea, a calling, or a person - is what gives our struggles meaning. She urged the young graduates to go forth with their hearts on fire, to bind themselves to what they cannot live without, and to carry that love with integrity. She shared stories of patients like Andrew, who faced the horror of cancer with quiet, heroic courage - reminding us how the human spirit can shine in the darkest places. Even when she spoke of bold, cutting-edge hopes - like the 'Stentinel' device that may detect and destroy the very first cancer cell - her words never felt clinical. They glowed with the conviction that science must always serve the soul. In her telling, a stent is not just a piece of metal in a vein, but a promise that one day, no one's mother will have to stand by a hospital bed in helpless grief. To hear Dr Azra Raza speak is to feel the burden of suffering soften - because she carries it with us. She turns the hard language of medicine into the soft music of hope. She reminds us that the work is not just to fight disease, but to hold onto our shared humanity, to love what we do, and to ease one another's pain. In every line, her voice echoes one simple truth: to reduce the suffering of even one person is reason enough to dedicate a life. That is why whether she speaks of cells or souls, Dr Azra Raza remains a humanist whose every word is, in the end, a kind of healing. Uss ne jalti hui paishani pe jab haath rakha Rooh tak aa gayee taseer maseehaye ki i.e. When she placed her hand on a burning forehead, Its healing touch reached deep into the soul This couplet by Parveen Shakir beautifully captures what Dr Raza does: she does not merely treat cancer patients - she soothes the spirit, with a healer's grace that lingers far beyond the boundaries of medicine.
