Senate panel blocks PMDC move to extend BDS programme to five years
By: Nadeem Tanoli
Islamabad: The Senate Standing Committee on National Health Services blocked the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council’s move to increase the Bachelor of Dental Surgery programme from four years to five years, while raising serious questions about how the major change was approved and notified.
The most controversial point came when the committee chairman questioned whether PMDC had issued the notification before obtaining approval from its Academic Committee. Members also raised concern that students, parents and private medical and dental institutions had not been adequately consulted before introducing a change that would add another year of study and fees.
During the meeting, PMDC officials defended the proposal, saying dental education had changed internationally and that an additional year was needed to bring Pakistani qualifications closer to standards followed in several other countries.
PMDC President Prof Rizwan Taj told the committee that Pakistani dental graduates had faced problems with recognition abroad. According to his briefing, Saudi Arabia had refused to accept some Pakistani dental graduates, including doctors from the armed forces, because of differences in the duration of dental education.
He said many countries run five year dentistry programmes and told the committee that PMDC had formed a three member committee which recommended increasing the duration of BDS.
Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal also said Pakistani dental graduates going abroad might be required to study for an additional year before their qualifications are accepted.
However, committee members were not convinced that simply adding another year would improve the quality of dental education.
Senator Rubina Khalid said PMDC should focus on improving the curriculum, clinical training and academic quality instead of placing the cost of another year on parents.
She said families were already struggling with high medical and dental college fees and should not be forced to bear an additional year of expenses.
The chairman also questioned how such a major change involving a programme followed for decades could be decided after only a limited number of meetings.
Representatives of the Pakistan Association of Private Medical and Dental Institutions expressed strong dissatisfaction and said they had not been taken into confidence before the decision. They also told the committee that the Prime Minister had directed PMDC to consult them before making changes.
A PAMI representative further argued that Pakistan could continue with the existing four year structure by improving its curriculum and said a large number of countries also follow four year dental programmes. This was presented as PAMI’s position during the meeting and was not independently verified in the material provided.
Senator Shahzaib Durrani also questioned what would happen to existing four year BDS graduates if a five year programme was introduced and sought clarity about their future recognition.
After detailed discussion, the committee unanimously directed the Health Ministry and PMDC to retain the four year BDS programme.
It said major changes in medical and dental education should come only after proper consultation with students, parents and other stakeholders.
The committee instead called for improvements in the existing curriculum, stronger clinical training and better academic standards before any major structural change is introduced.
