Frontier Medical College, Abbottabad Pakistan

"Medicine is the noblest of profession". Well said and known fact. Doctors deal with suffering humanity; patients come with pain, agony and disability and after kind and humane efforts of medical professionals and the mercy of Allah they return healthy & comfortable. In response doctors achieve respect, prayers and blessings.

Perhaps that is why medicine is still the most sought after profession. After passing matriculation examination, the best students securing highest marks select pre-medical group in F.Sc. to join a medical college.

In Pakistan, every year, over 25,000 students pass F.Sc. premedical examination in First Division, securing over 60% marks and apply to get admission in a medical college. About 4000 get admission in public sector medical college and the remaining 21000 do not succeed. Out of these unsuccessful candidates every year about 600 who can afford, go abroad to Russia and other former Soviet republics, China, Philippines and Caribbean States for medical education and over Rs.3 billion of foreign exchange of Pakistan is spent on these students. For about a year they have to learn the local language and in most cases these medical educational institutions are not recognized by Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) with the result that the time and money of the students are wasted. Establishment of standard medical colleges in Pakistan benefits such Pakistani students, saves the Govt. of Pakistan valuable foreign exchange and helps to overcome the shortage of doctors in the country.

The number of doctors registered in Pakistan at present is about 120,000. It is estimated that about 30,000 Pakistani doctors are working aboard, leaving 90,000 for a population of about 160 millions making a ratio of one doctor for 1770 persons. The doctor/population ratio recommended for developing countries by W.H.O is around 1 doctor for 1,000 population. At this ratio the requirement of doctors in Pakistan for 160 millions populations is 160,000 doctors. This shows that we require another about 70,000 doctors in the country to fulfill our own needs, what to say of those doctors who go to work abroad. This shortage appears very difficult to overcome.