Pakistan Medical and Dental Council

Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) is based in Islamabad, Pakistan.

History
Pakistan Medical and Dental Council was first constituted in accordance with the recommendation of the Health Conference held at Lahore in November, 1947 by adopting the Indian Medical Council Act 1933 with a view to regulating the Medical Education in the country. In the beginning the members of the Council were nominated by the Federal Government in consultation with the Universities and the Provincial Governments. The original nomination of the council was for a period of four years. Thereafter on the recommendations of the Council an Act called the Pakistan Medical Council Act was enacted in 1951, which gave due representation to the various sectors of the Medical Profession like Medical Faculties of the Universities, Registered Medical Practitioners, Health Departments of the Provincial Governments, Ministry of Health of the Federal Government etc.

In addition to the Council at the center following Provincial Medical Councils were also functioning in the various Provinces, under  the Provincial Legislation:


 * Punjab Medical Council, which was renamed as West Pakistan Medical Council, after the formation of one Unit in West Pakistan. The Council was dealing with the cases of registration and other meters related medical profession of Punjab and N.W.F.P Provinces.
 * Sind Medical Council for Sind and Balochistan Provinces.
 * East Bengal Medical Council, for East Pakistan Province.

The above arrangements remained in force up to 1962 when the recommendations of the Medical Reforms Commission, the Provincial Medical Councils were dissolved and the Pakistan Medical Council was constituted under the Pakistan Medical Council Ordinance, 1962, which was subsequently amended in 1972 through an Act of the National Assembly, in order to give representation to the four  provinces due to breakup West Pakistan and deletion of the word of east Pakistan. The name of the Council was also changed under this amendment at the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council and is now popularly known as PM&DC.

Status
The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council is a statutory autonomous organization constituted under the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council Ordinance, 1962. The objective is to establish a uniform minimum standard of the basic and the higher education in medicine. The composition of the Council is as follows:
 * One medical member to be elected by the National Assembly, from among its members
 * One medical member from each province to be nominated by the provincial government (generally by the secretary of the health department of the provincial government)
 * One member from each Pakistani university to be elected by the members of the university syndicate, from among the members of the medical and/or dental faculties of the university
 * Four members, one from each province, to be elected by registered Medical Practitioners, from among themselves
 * Four members to be nominated by the central government, at least of whom coming from the armed forces' medical services
 * Two members to be elected by registered dentists, from among themselves
 * One member from each Pakistani medical and dental institution to be elected by the teaching staff, from among the Professors on the staff, if such institution trains for a medical or a dental qualification recognized under this ordinance
 * One member belonging to the legal profession to be nominated by the Chief Justice of Pakistan
 * The Director-General of Health, Government of Pakistan (ex-officio)

The President and Vice President are elected by the members of the Council, from among its members. The Secretary/Registrar of the Council is appointed by the Council.

Functions
To achieve the objective for which the Council has been constituted, the Council lays down the minimum standards for the degree of M.B.B.S. & B.D.S. and the higher qualifications like MD, MS, MDS, and other postgraduate minor diplomas like DO, DLO, etc. The Council also lays down the necessary qualifications and experience for the appointment of the various categories of teachers in the Medical/Dental Colleges in Pakistan. It meets at least twice a year.

To ensure that the Regulations of the Council are followed by the various Medical/Dental Institutions in the Country, the Council inspects the Medical/Dental Colleges periodically. The newly opened institutions are inspected at the following stages:-
 * first Inspection within two years of the inspection of the new medical colleges.
 * second Inspection when the class is in third or fourth year.
 * third Inspection at the time of the final Professional Examination.

After the final inspection the Institute is either granted provisional recognition or full recognition. The Provisional Recognition is granted for specified period with certain condition for rectifying the deficiencies and inspection is again carried out by the Council after that period to see that deficiencies of the previous inspection report are rectified.

The Medical/ Dental Colleges which are fully recognized by the Council are inspected after every five years to ascertain that the standard on which the college was granted full recognition is maintained.

The delegation of PM&DC also visits various countries with a view of studying the Medical and Dental Education Systems in these Countries.

The Council also prescribed the Code of Medical Ethics for the Registered Medical Practitioners to enforce ethical practice and prevent professional negligence.

To control the mushroom growth of medical colleges in private sector, the Council has laid down the following:-

(1) Comprehensive Feasibility Report. (2) Certificate for availability of infrastructure. The site selected for the Medical/Dental College must be suitable from   academic point of view. Sustainable physical Viability, Availability of water, electricity, fuel gas, telephones, building materials, furniture and Labor for construction etc, must be ensured.

(3) Proper Building owned by the institution, proper laboratories, Museum, dissection Hall, Library etc as mentioned in the requirement of the Council.

(4) Adequate financial resources for the establishment of an institution, an estimation of financial viability of the project should be clearly indicated according to the level, size, type of the proposed institution, Such an institution, understandably, is to function on self financing non-profit basis in case of Private Medical/Dental College/Institution.

(5) Fulfillment of required legal formalities. (6) Organizational structure. In drawing up the organizational structure of the institution, the standard and quality of teaching and efficiency of the system must be ensured.

(7) Proposed Affiliation of the Medical/Dental College/Institution to a recognized University of Pakistan. (8) Availability of Qualified Teaching Faculty and other staff. (9) Availability of Attached Teaching Hospital @ 5 beds per annual admissions be owned by the college.

The system of recognition/accreditation through inspection by the PM&DC had also been reviewed by the National Committee on Foreign Medical Education & Accreditation (N.C.F.M.E.A.) of U.S. department of Education appointed by U.S. Secretary of Education. As result of prolonged correspondence & telephonic discussions between PM&DC and N.C.F.M.E.A since 1994 it has been decided by them at a meeting in March,1997 that standard used by PM&DC is comparable to those used to evaluate programmed leading to the M.D. Degree in U.S.A. The position of the Countries decided during meeting was as under:-

Countries determined to have comparable standard:-
Denmark, Hungry, Wales, Pakistan, Australia, Canada, Grenada,Ukraine, UK

Countries determined not to have comparable standard:-
Chile, Castorica, Poland, Spain, Thailand, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Burma, Columbia, Croatia, Greece, Honduras, Italy,  Korea, Lebanon, Norway, Romania, St. Martin, South Africa, Sweden, Antigua, Egypt, France, Ireland Netherlands, Taiwan

The system of accreditation had also been approved by the General Medical Council UK and all the colleges recognized by the PM&DC are also automatically recognized by the General Medical Council and the graduates of these colleges are eligible to sit in P.L.A.B examination for the purpose of higher education in United Kingdom. Previously the General Medical Council used to conduct inspection of medical colleges in Pakistan through their own inspection team for the purpose of recognition of medical college.

The Council is a supreme body and takes all policy decisions, it meets at least once in a year or as and when there are sufficient items for the agenda, which needs policy decisions. It acts through various Committees and Secretariat. The meetings of the Council are presided over by the President and in his absence by the Vice President.

Secretariat
The Council has an independent Secretariat headed by the Secretary. The Building of the Council is located at G-10/4, Mauve Area, and Islamabad. The building was constructed through its own resources without even a single paisa grant from the Government. The Secretary is the Chief Executive of the Council and is responsible for all Secretariat work including implementation of the decision of the Council. The Secretariat keeps a close liaison with the Federal and Provincial Governments, Health Departments, Universities, Medical Colleges and allied agencies for speedy implementation and execution of the decision of the Council. It also keeps a liaison with Council and, licensing bodies in other countries to establish close contacts and develop mutual cooperation and understanding. It also initiates exchange of Medical Education Specialist with a view to studying the system of undergraduate and postgraduate medical and dental education in various countries.

In Punjab
Following officers have been authorized to file complaint against unregistered medical practitioners:

1.       Secretary Health, Government of the Punjab.
 * All Members of Pakistan Medical & Dental Council Located in the Province.
 * Director General Health Services.
 * All the eight Directors of Health Services.
 * All medical Superintendents of the Teaching/ GHQ Hospitals.
 * All District Health Officers.

In Sindh
1.       Secretary Health, Government of Sindh.
 * All Members of the Pakistan Medical & Dental Council in the Province.
 * Director General Health Services.
 * All Deputy Directors Health Services.
 * All District Health Officers.

In N.W.F.P

 * Secretary Health, Government of N.W.F.P
 * All Members of the Pakistan Medical & Dental Council in the Province
 * Director General Health Service
 * All Deputy Directors Health Service
 * All District Health Officers/Agency Surgeons/Civil Surgeons.
 * All Assistant District health Officers.

In Baluchistan

 * Secretary Health Department, Government of Baluchistan.
 * All members of the Pakistan Medical & Dental Council in the Province.
 * Director General health Services.
 * Deputy Directors of Health Services.
 * District Health Officers.

In federal capital
In the federal Capital Area, the District Health Officers, Islamabad has been authorized to file complaint.

Funding of the council
The Council is financially independent. It does not receive any grant in aid from government. The funds are generated through its own resources which are as under:-


 * Registration fees from Fresh Doctors.


 * Renewal fees from doctors after every five years.


 * Registration of Postgraduate Foreign Qualification.


 * Inspection fees from Medical Institutes in Private Sector.