We must enhance the credibility of our Degrees-Prof. Ahsan Waheed Rathore
LAHORE: University of Health Sciences has taken some revolutionary measures and introduced structured training programme for MS, MD, M. Phil and all other postgraduate degrees. Only medical graduates are now being inducted in these programmes so that they have medial background while pursuing their postgraduate studies in their respective fields. This was stated by Prof. Ahsan Waheed Rathore, Vice Chancellor of UHS while speaking at the formal induction ceremony of Certificate in Medial Editing Batch-6 on February 28th 2024. This programme is being run by the UHS in collaboration with Pakistan Association of Medical Editors which has also been recognized by Eastern Mediterranean Association of Medical Editors (EMAME).
Prof. Ahsan Waheed Rathore Vice Chancellor University of Heath Sciences chairing the induction ceremony of CME Batch-6 and CMEJ Batch-2 on first
day of the First Contact session on February 28th 2024.
Prof.Maj.Gen. Muhammad Aslam former VC UHS, Prof. Jamshed Akhtar former President of PAME, Mr. Shaukat Ali Jawaid Chief Editor of Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences who are member of the core committee of this CME programme besides Prof. Noshina Saleem from University of Punjab who is one of the faculty members of Advanced CME course (CMJE) was also present on this occasion.
Prof. Akhtar Sherin one of the facilitator for the CMEJ Batch-2 photographed
with the candidates after concluding the session on March 2nd 2024.
Prof. Ahsan Waheed Rathore said that we must enhance the credibility of our degrees. These steps have been taken to ensure that only people with medical background enter these programmes. Universities are required to produce knowledge hence curriculum of all disciplines has been updated. Those getting admission in PhD, he opined, must work full time and complete their training in three years. Not only that people must do PhD at a younger age rather than when they are going to retire. Only then credibility of our degrees will be recognized, he added. Those who wish to have extension in their training programme will have to pay double the fees.
Participants of CMEJ Batch-2 photographed with Prof. Akhtar Sherin and
Mr. Shaukat Ali Jawaid on March 2nd on last day of the First Contact
session at UHS campus.
Similarly nursing curriculum has also been changed and structured. ISLET test has been made compulsory for all Allied Health Sciences programmes and they are all required to pass ISLET test. In order to improve their spoken English, special arrangements have been made. These CME programmes, he further remarked, have been made compulsory for all university examinations including MS and MD. How to make a presentation is an art and skill which these postgraduates are supposed to learn?
Participants of CMEJ Batch-2 photographed with Prof. Hanan, Prof. Noshina
and Prof. Jamshed Akhtar on the first day of the First Contact session
on February 28th 2024.
Prof.Maj.Gen. Muhammad Aslam in his address on this occasion commended the introduction of structured training programme for all postgraduates programmes by the UHS. He further advised that all postgraduates must develop a reading habit. Faculty members are supposed to be good authors and good reviewers. They should not depend on text books for knowledge but benefit from diverse sources for contents. Fake editors have become editors of journals with no training and important information in our journals is missing. That is why they do not get enough citations and do not enjoy Internaitonal recognition. Once the postgraduates get training in medical editing, it will also improve the grace of their love letters apart from their scientific writing, he jokingly remarked. He urged all the newly inducted healthcare professionals in CME Batch-6 as well as CMEJ Batch-2 who were also present on this occasion to enjoy the process of learning.
Prof. Ahsan Waheed Rathore Vice Chancellor of University of Health Sciences presenting Certificates to some of the facilitators of CME courses during the formal induction ceremony on February 28th 2024. Picture shows from
(L to |R) Prof. Jamshed Akhtar, Prof. Amjad Wyne and
Prof. Nadia Naseem receiving the certificate.
Earlier Prof.Nadia Nasim Pro Vice Chancellor of UHS who is also the focal person for these CME programmes in her welcome address gave the background of these courses and shared highlights of all the previous five batches. In collaboration with Department of Mass Communications at University of Punjab we have included Health Journalism and use of Media and Communication in CMEJ for which she particularly thanked Madam Noshina Saleem and Prof. Mian Abdul Hanan Ahmad. The programme she said was initiated in 2019 and so far one hundred sixty-two faculty members from all over the country have qualified. Sixteen candidates have registered for the CME Batch-6 while there are eight candidates in the CMEJ programme Batch-2. She thanked all the facilitators, mentors for their valuable contributions in ensuring the success of these programmes.
Participants of the CME Batch-6 and CMEJ Batch-2 photographed alongwith
Prof. Ahsan Waheed Rathore VC UHS and members of the core committee of the CME courses Prof.Major Gen. M. Aslam, Prof. Jamshed Akhtar,
Prof. Nadia Naseem, Mr. Shaukat Ali Jawaid and others.
Mr. Shaukat Ali Jawaid Advisor for CME at UHS pointed out that during the first two batches we had focused on Editors of various biomedical journals. The result was now all the journals which are being edited by the CME qualified editors have been recognized by Higher Education Commission as well as Pakistan Medical & Dental Council. Previously there were only three medical journals from Pakistan which enjoyed Impact Factor but now nine more journals have earned IF which is yet another accomplishment of joint efforts by UHS and PAME. The curriculum of the programme is constantly being revised and updated as it is living document and necessary changes, improvements are being constantly made to meet the current requirements.
Prof. Jamshed Akhtar pointed out that UHS must start some programme to train the faculty in grant writing so that they can solicit funding and research grants from different sources. Prof. Ahsan Waheed Rathore commented that we have established a Research & Development department at the University, DRAP has recognized our Clinical Trials unit and we are soon going to start a clinical trial to get the safety and efficacy of Nasal spray for Covid. Later the candidates who had passed CME Batch-5 were presented certificates. Appreciation certificates were also presented to the Mentors present, Facilitators and support staff including Prof. Nadia Nasim, Mr. M. Atif Director Media who is also one of the facilitators for the CME course, Director IT Dr. Maham Javed and all others who are responsible for logistics and arrangements for the courses. The formal inaugural session concluded with a group photograph.
First Contact Sessions
The first contact session for both CME Batch-6 as well as CMEJ Batch-2 were held for four days from February 28th to March 2nd 2024. The facilitators included Mr. Shaukat Ali Jawaid Chief Editor Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences and Secretary of EMAME, Prof. Jamshed Akhtar former President PAME and Editor Pakistan Journal of Surgery, Prof. Akhtar Sherin Chief Editor Khyber Medical University Journals, Prof. Javed Akram former VC UHS and President of Pakistan Society of Internal Medicine, Prof. Noshina Saleem, Prof. Mian Abdul Hanan Ahmed, Prof.Nadia Nasim Pro VC UHS and Focal person for CME Courses at UHS, Mr. Muhammad Atif Director Media and Communications at UHS and Mr. Waqas Latif Biostatistician and Data Analyst at UHS. There were two mandatory tests in each course during the first contact session.
Dates for the second contact session of CME Batch-6 and Internship for the CMEJ Batch-2 are being worked out. All the CME Batch-6 candidates will also be communicated their respective Mentors shortly.
