KARACHI- Sixty-six(66) interns, 69 residents and 18 fellows were awarded certificates for completing their postgraduate medical training, at Aga Khan University's (AKU) 17th graduation ceremony held here recently for Postgraduate Medical Education (PGME). So far 2198 doctors have graduated from AKU's various PGME programmes and have maintained a 100 per cent pass record at FCPS, MRCP, MRCOG, MRCGP, FRCS, MRCS and other membership examinations. Presently, over 25 per cent of AKU's clinical faculty comprises of its own PGME graduates, while around 60 per cent of the PGME graduates are practicing within Pakistan. The rest are working at various locations across the world in Australia, Europe, Far East, Middle East and North America. The list of exceptional post-graduate doctors and specialists produced by the PGME programme at AKU is extensive. Several names that stand out for their contribution to health care in Pakistan include Dr Farhat Abbas, Dean, AKU Medical College. He has been the first AKU (PGME) graduate to receive the Tamgha-e-Imtiaz from the President of Pakistan. Dr Abbas has also been named a fellow of the Pakistan Academy of Sciences. Only scientists of the highest merit, who have made outstanding contributions to the advancement of scientific knowledge, are elected as fellows of the Academy. Dr Asim Khan and Dr Muneer Amanullah, both alumni of AKU's PGME, have developed special surgical treatments for congenital cardiac surgery in Pakistan. Dr Kamran Hameed, currently Dean of Ziauddin University, is also an alumnus. He has previously served as Chair of the Department of Medicine at Aga Khan University Hospital, Kenya. Dr Gauhar Afshan initiated the training programme in pain management, a new concept in Pakistan, while Dr Syed Abdul Nasir Shah established the Family Medicine department at Fatima Memorial Hospital, Lahore. Currently he is associated with the Public Health Institute in Quetta to set up the Family Medicine department there. Dr Khalid S. Khan, Professor of Women's Health and Clinical Epidemiology at Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary, University of London, is also an alumnus and was the chief guest at the 17th PGME graduation ceremony. The graduation ceremony's formal academic procession was followed by addresses of the dean of the Medical College and the chief guest Dr Khalid S. Khan and two valedictory speech - one by a graduating intern and other by a graduating resident. The colourful event concluded with awards and certificates-giving ceremony. The AKU's Post-graduate Medical Education (PGME) programmes are aimed at producing high quality specialists as clinicians, researchers and teachers with academic leadership qualities. The residency and fellowship programmes offered in 60 distinct specialties are structured to provide rigorous training to doctors under the supervision of qualified and dedicated faculty members. AKU has been a pioneer of structured residency programmes in Pakistan and some of its fellowship programmes which include chemical pathology, cardiac surgery, endocrinology and paediatric intensive care, are still unique in the country.
