21/05/2025
𝗣𝗮𝗸𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻’𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 — 𝗔 𝗱𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲𝘁𝘆
In a troubling move, the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PM&DC) is reportedly planning to lower admission and competency criteria for dental colleges just to fill vacant seats.
🎯 But experts are sounding the alarm: this isn’t a solution — it’s a shortcut that puts lives at risk.
🇵🇰 Pakistan already struggles with a doctor-to-patient ratio of 0.9 per 1,000, below WHO’s recommended 1:1,000. But sacrificing quality for quantity will only worsen things.
📉 A 2023 Pakistan Medical Journal study revealed that regions with poorly trained practitioners had a 23% spike in misdiagnoses and adverse outcomes in the last 5 years.
🔬 Globally, medical councils don’t compromise on standards — even during shortages:
LCME (USA) mandates full curriculum, clinical experience, and faculty quality
GMC (UK) requires strict licensing and continued education
MCC (Canada) enforces national exams before independent practice
AMC (Australia) maintains exacting standards to protect public safety
💸 In Pakistan, where 70% of healthcare costs are paid out-of-pocket, this gamble threatens the already fragile trust in healthcare.
🔄 What happens if standards fall?
👉 Mediocrity becomes normal
👉 Professional pride erodes
👉 Malpractice grows
👉 Other professions follow suit — engineering, nursing, pharmacy
🛑 As former BMJ editor Dr. Fiona Godlee warned:
“Lowering standards in health professions is a public health hazard. It sends a signal that quality and safety are expendable — which they never are.”
The solution is not a simple headcount fix. Pakistan must invest in thoughtful expansion of medical education capacity, infrastructure improvements, faculty development, and rigorous accreditation reforms. Better career guidance and support systems can attract talented students who are ready and willing to meet global standards.
Full Editorial: https://www.dentalnews.pk/21-May-2025/pakistan-medical-education-crisis-patient-safety-warning
