ISLAMABAD:Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC) on Tuesday organized an award distribution ceremony in honor of position holder students and graduates of MDCAT and NLE tests.
Students who achieved top positions in the MDCAT at the national and provincial level, received medals, cash prizes, and certificates.
The principals of the schools and colleges of the MDCAT toppers were also part of the ceremony and appreciated for their hard work, commitment, and dedication towards excellence in education.
NLE top three position holders of Pakistan were also awarded medals, cash prizes, and certificates. The principals of the graduates’ respective medical colleges were also part of the ceremony.
Addressing on the occasion, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on National Health Services, Dr. Faisal Sultan said, “As a doctor myself, it is imperative to remember, we have a responsibility towards our patients and we took an oath to practice with integrity, humility, honesty, and compassion.”
He said, “The students who are here today are set to enter the medical profession and the NLE graduates will become part of our healthcare system. I wish all of you the very best, you are our future and the trailblazers who will make our nation proud.”
Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmood said, “MDCAT represents a major step by the PMC and the government towards shifting to a purely merit-based system and focusing on conceptual learning outcomes.”
He said, “With MDCAT as the standard to achieve, we hope schools and colleges will also improve their teaching methodology to prepare students for conceptual learning.”
President, Medical and Dental Council, PMC Dr. Arshad Taqi said, “This ceremony signifies the success of the reforms we have undertaken to improve the standard of healthcare delivery and healthcare education in Pakistan.”
He thanked the Medical and Dental Council for the guidance, the National Medical and Dental Academic Board, and the National Medical Authority for their hard work and making these examinations a reality.
For the medical and dental college admission test (MDCAT) the national top three positions were as Ayesha Aman, national 1st position holder from Quaid-e-Azam Divisional Public School and College, Gujranwala, Punjab scored 202, was awarded a gold medal and received a cash prize of 400,000 rupees.
Anmol Qamar, national second position holder from Punjab College of Science for Women, Lahore scored 198, was awarded a silver medal and received a cash prize of 250,000 rupees while Hadia Ahmad, national third position holder from Kinnaird College for Women, Lahore scored 197, was awarded a bronze medal and received a cash prize of 200,000 rupees.
For provincial gold medals, Ayesha Aman from Quaid-e-Azam Divisional Public School and College, Gujranwala, Punjab scored 202, was awarded a gold medal, and received a cash prize of 200,000 rupees.
Shayan Ahmed from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa studied at Cadet College Hasan Abdal, District Attock scored 193 was awarded a gold medal and received a cash prize of 200,000 rupees while Ahmed Sajjad Tareen from Bahria College Islamabad scored 192, was awarded a gold medal and received a cash prize of 200,000 rupees.
Sawda Aslam from Kashmir Model College Mirpur, Azad Jammu Kashmir scored 192 was awarded a gold medal, and received a cash prize of 200,000 rupees. Parkash Kumar from Higher Secondary School Chamber District Tando Allahyar, Sindh scored 192, was awarded a gold medal, and received a cash prize of 200,000 rupees.
Tanees Awan from Bahria College, NORE-1, MT Khan Road, Karachi, Sindh scored 192, was awarded a gold medal and received a cash prize of 200,000 rupees. Aiman Anwar from The City School, Quetta Campus, Balochistan scored 191, was awarded a gold medal, and received a cash prize of 200,000 rupees.
Muhammad Mujtaba from Gilgit Baltistan, studied at Uswa College, Sihala, Islamabad scored 186, was awarded a gold medal and received a cash prize of 200,000 rupees.
For National Licensing Examination (NLE), Dr. Shariq Khan Tareen, the national 1st position holder (shared) from Wah Medical College was awarded a gold medal and received a cash prize of 400,000 rupees.
Dr. Muhammad Hamza, National 1st Position holder (shared) from the Rawalpindi Medical University was awarded a gold medal and received a cash prize of 400,000 rupees. Dr. Mohammad Suleman Bajwa, national 2nd position holder from King Edward Medical University was awarded a silver medal and received a cash prize of 250,000 rupees.
Akhtar Zada, the national 3rd position holder from the Peshawar Medical College was awarded a bronze medal and received a cash prize of 200,000 rupees.
Pakistan Medical Commission also appreciated the hard work and effort of all the medical colleges that conducted the NLE Medical Step 2 Examination. The medical colleges included Jinnah Sindh Medical University, Rawalpindi Medical University, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Fatima Jinnah Medical University, Khyber Medical University, Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University, and Bolan University of Medical and Health Sciences. The Rawalpindi Medical University was especially acknowledged as the best center to conduct NLE Medical Step 2.
Vice President, PMC Ali Raza said that the ceremony marked the success of the examinations allowing the regulatory body that can ascertain a student’s capability to become a doctor through the MDCAT and a graduate’s competency and skill to be a safe doctor with the NLE.
He said that the Pakistan Medical Commission is committed to improving healthcare education and healthcare delivery in Pakistan in line with global best practices.