Force PGs to be named as correspondence author though they themselves
need training, refresher courses in scientific writing and Editing
LAHORE: A large number of postgraduates are faced with a dilemma since they don’t get any guidance or help from their supervisors who insist that their names should be mentioned as correspondence author on papers being submitted for publication so that they can claim credit. Many of these supervisors have no time or are least interested and they themselves need training or refresher courses in scientific writing and medical editing.
Speaking at the induction ceremony of Fifth Batch of Certificate in Medical Editing the Vice Chancellor of University of Health Sciences Prof. Ahsan Waheed Rathore had also commented that course in Medical Editing should be mandatory for the supervisors so that they can help their postgraduates. Some postgraduates complain that their supervisors seldom help them in choosing the topic for their study. Since there is no proper system of getting feedback from the postgraduates about their supervisors, this problem keeps on simmering while PGs continue to suffer in silence seeking help and assistance from other sources.
The criteria for selection of supervisors by the College of Physicians & Surgeons Pakistan as well as by the medical universities also needs to be looked into. Many faculty members are keen to get themselves selected as Supervisors but once this is achieved, they are lease accessible to the postgraduates. However, there are some exceptions and those faculty members, supervisors who are conscious of their duties and responsibilities even go out of the way to help their postgraduates but these are only a few.
Medical universities also need to look into it and ensure that their supervisors are well trained and do spend time with their postgraduates helping guiding them in their academic pursuits. Once a postgraduate has finalized his/her Thesis, Dissertation and the supervisor is also acknowledged and listed as one of the authors, why the postgraduates should be forced and compelled to write the name of their Supervisor as correspondence author in future publications without any worthwhile contribution later on and why it is necessary. Good supervisors who are helpful are always remembered by their students who remain grateful to them for the rest of their life.
