93,000 MDCAT qualifiers unable to get medical admission, Senate told

Islamabad: Around 93,000 students who qualify the Medical and Dental College Admission Test are still unable to secure admission to medical colleges, while the Senate Health Committee has questioned the annual limit of 22,300 medical seats in Pakistan.

The issue was discussed during a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination chaired by Senator Amir Waliuddin Chishti.

Senator Anusha Rahman, convener of the committee’s subcommittee, presented a report on MDCAT, medical education policy and admission issues.

According to the report, the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council has fixed the total number of medical seats at 22,300 each year. The subcommittee said this limit may not be enough to meet Pakistan’s healthcare needs and could add to the shortage of doctors.

The committee was told that about 93,000 students who qualify MDCAT are unable to get admission to medical colleges. Members said the large gap between qualified students and available seats needed serious attention.

The subcommittee recommended that the government reconsider the limit on medical seats. It said increasing the number of seats could help produce more doctors and may also reduce the cost of medical education by spreading expenses over a larger number of students.

The report also raised questions about the role of private medical colleges in making policies. Members said consultation with the private sector had not been strong enough and that discussions mainly through email were insufficient for major decisions.

The subcommittee called for structured and meaningful consultation with private medical colleges and other relevant groups before changes are made to medical education and admission policies.

The committee also discussed the requirement for MDCAT for students planning to study medicine abroad. Members recommended stronger checks on foreign medical institutions and called for a public list of institutions that do not meet the required standards.

Another concern was the difference between the FSc and A Level education systems and the multiple choice question based MDCAT examination. The report noted that this difference may increase students’ dependence on private academies for test preparation.

The subcommittee recommended that students should be given more than one chance to take MDCAT each year.

The report also called for a review of the current 50 percent weight given to MDCAT in the medical college admission process.

Senator Anusha Rahman said Pakistan needs a long term medical education policy that can produce enough doctors for the country and also create opportunities for Pakistani doctors to work abroad.

Chairman Senator Amir Waliuddin Chishti appreciated the subcommittee’s work and directed the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council to improve consultation with all stakeholders, especially private medical colleges.

He also stressed that increasing the number of medical seats must not reduce the quality of education. The chairman called for stronger regulation of private medical colleges to ensure students receive proper medical training.

The committee’s discussion placed the large gap between MDCAT qualifying students and available medical seats at the centre of the debate over Pakistan’s future medical education system.