DUHS medical education conference begins

KARACHI, July 31: A two-day medical education conference began at the Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS) on Saturday.

Deans and principals from more than 60 public and private sector medical colleges and universities shared their experiences in medical education from undergraduate to postgraduate to continuing professional development levels.

The dean of Aga Khan University, Dr Farhat Abbas, emphasised on the importance of teaching and training of students so as to enable them to cope with the demands of healthcare in the future.

This, he said, was possible through improving curriculum of undergraduate medical education.

He said the medical educators must remember that the faculty development could play a critical role in curricular and organisational change. “This enlarges the scope of faculty development by moving beyond formal, structured activities, incorporating notions of self-directed learning, peer mentoring, and work-based learning.”

He observed that the faculty development could also play a critical role in promoting culture change at a number of levels.

He urged the medical educators to broaden the focus of faculty development and target various roles that clinicians and basic scientists play, including those of leader and scholar.

DUHS Vice Chancellor Prof Masood Hameed Khan said that Pakistan was very fortunate to have a very dynamic and dedicated faculty in its medical institutions. Many colleges across Pakistan were in the process of implementing curricular reforms, he added.

He said that medical educators needed to stimulate faculty development in a more global context and collaborate with international colleagues in the transformation of medical education and healthcare delivery.

Participants of the conference were of the view that it would provide a platform to exchange ideas and knowledge that might ultimately enhance their professional growth.

This, they said, would help produce the best medical graduates in the world.

In his welcome address, Dow Medical College Principal Prof Junaid Ashraf briefed the participants about the objectives of the conference.

He said that the conference would attempt to address a number of topics related to the future of the faculty development. A part of capacity building component of the conference was dedicated to “hands on workshop” and the faculty would get the chance to practice educationally relevant and important topic, he added.

He said that the DUHS took pride in being an institute with an excellence in health sciences. The vision and mission of the university was focused on three domains that include academic excellence, human resource development and community healthcare. The DUHS was one of the few institutions which had adopted the latest curriculum in medical education, he said.

Earlier, Dr Syed Moyn Ali discussed engendering problem solving skills among undergraduate learners.

Dr Lubna Baig spoke about “time to question social accountability of academic institution of health sciences”.

Dr Syed Kauser Ali discussed on evidence for admission criteria in medical education and Dr. Naghma Naseem made a presentation on capacity building of doctors and their teachers.—APP