Health Desk
Islamabad: The Pakistan Medical & Dental Council (PMDC) has issued an official warning to medical graduates regarding unrecognized postgraduate medical and dental programs being offered by several universities across Pakistan.
In its notification, the council stated that these institutions have been offering postgraduate degrees and diplomas to MBBS and BDS doctors without obtaining the required accreditation under the PM&DC Act, 2022. The regulatory body emphasized that such practices are in clear violation of the law.
Universities Identified
The PMDC has named the following universities in its alert:
– Times University Multan
– NUR International University Lahore
– Gomal University
– Sohail University Karachi
– Shah Abdul Latif University Khairpur
– Khwaja Fareed University of Engineering and Information Technology
– University of Faisalabad
– University of Azad Jammu & Kashmir
– Hazara University Mansehra
– Kohat University of Science and Technology
Legal Concerns
According to the PMDC, institutions offering postgraduate medical education must first obtain formal recognition under Section 25 of the PM&DC Act, 2022. Additionally, Section 34 prohibits any institution from operating or awarding medical or dental qualifications without prior approval.
Impact on Students and Doctors
The council has cautioned that degrees obtained from these unrecognized programs will not be registered. Doctors currently enrolled in such programs may face serious professional consequences, as their qualifications will not be considered valid for registration or further career progression.
Official Directive
The PMDC has directed all listed universities to immediately discontinue these programs. It also warned that no institution is allowed to advertise, launch, or conduct postgraduate medical or dental training without proper accreditation.
The council reiterated its commitment to maintaining standards in medical education and urged students and doctors to verify the recognition status of programs before enrolling.
