Islamabad - Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) on Tuesday framed new regulations for the appointment and promotion of faculty in medical institutions, which is aimed at to implement medical curriculum through qualified faculty, an official said.
Under the new regulations, all the under-graduate medical and dental colleges have been directed to establish a medical education department in their colleges with fully functional department of medical education and qualified full-time faculty with at least three faculty members with effect from 31st December 2017.
As per new regulations, FCPS holder in clinical subjects and non-medical faculty are no more eligible for appointment in the basic medical science subjects.
The medical education department will play a pivotal role in steering the educational activities of the medical/dental institution. This department will have a counselling cell with at least one qualified psychologist having master degree, 18 years of education.
President PMDC Prof Dr Shabir Lehri, in a statement, told that to promote the culture of research in medical education and encourage the medical and dental faculty to conduct research and get it published, the number of mandatory original articles for promotion towards, assistant, associate and professor have been increased.
He said for assistant professor at least two research papers would be required after 31st December 2018 in relevant subject.
In case of promotion from assistant professor to associate professor, a total of five research publications in the relevant subject, of which three as assistant professor are required after 31st December 2018 and (5)years of teaching experience.
For promotion from associate professor to professor, at least three-year teaching experience as associate or 9-year teaching experience as assistant professor shall be mandatory. And at least eight research publication in the relevant subject of which three should be during last 3 years are required.
As per the notification, these regulations have been framed by the Council under section 33 (2) of PMDC Ordinance, 1962. These regulations shall come in to force from 1st August 2017.
The notification stated that these regulations shall be applicable on fresh appointments and next promotions in all medical and dental institutions recognized in Pakistan.
As per new regulations, all appointments already made as per previous PMDC regulations will not be disturbed and titles already accrued will be held. However, all future appointments and promotions will be made according to these regulations.
The statement issued by PMDC stated that medical education today is under revolutionary changes all over the world.
The decades old discipline and subject based medical curriculum is being replaced with system based integrated modular curriculum and learning environment is continuously changing in the medical/dental institutions.
In order to cope up with the rapid changes in the medical education, the faculty need to redefine their role as mentors and facilitators and need to equip themselves with the latest instructional/communication skills and techniques.
In the context of globally changing environment of medical education, the council has reviewed /reframed its regulations so that implementation of medical curriculum is ensured only by competent, capable and qualified faculty.
To ensure the improvement in the medical research by the faculty member the promotion criteria revised is as under.
New regulations will be effective for the appointment and promotions of faculty professional staff, examiners, principals, dean, administrative staff in undergraduate and post graduate Medical and Dental Institutions of the country.
