The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has placed a temporary ban on establishing new medical and dental colleges and increasing student admissions for the next three to five years due to a shortage of qualified faculty.
This decision was made during a recent PMDC Council meeting, where officials raised concerns about the growing gap between medical institutions and available teaching staff.
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The rapid expansion of colleges has outpaced faculty availability, negatively affecting academic standards, clinical training, and research.
Official data reveals that Pakistan has 187 medical and dental colleges, requiring 26,018 faculty members, but only 22,146 are currently available, highlighting a significant shortfall.
The PMDC argues that without addressing this gap, the quality of medical education and healthcare services will continue to suffer.
To prevent further strain on resources, the council has decided to halt approvals for new colleges and seat expansions. This measure aims to stabilize the sector and uphold regulatory standards.
Additionally, the PMDC has reached out to the National Health Services, urging intervention to strengthen the country’s medical education system and ensure a higher standard of healthcare training.
