Senate body reviews MDCAT policy, calls for stakeholders consultation

The Senate Standing Committee on National Health Services reviewed the Medical and Dental Colleges Admission Test (MDCAT) policy on Tuesday, urging meaningful stakeholder consultation and the adjustment of MDCAT weightage. The committee meeting, chaired by Senator Amir Waliuddin Chishti, included Senators Syed Masroor Ahsan, Anusha Rahman, Samina Mumtaz Zehri, Shahzaib Durrani, and Saleem Mandviwalla as attendees.

Convened by Senator Anusha Rahman, the subcommittee reported on key issues regarding MDCAT and medical education policy. The report indicated that PMDC had limited medical seats to 22,300 annually, which may not sufficiently meet Pakistan’s healthcare demands and potentially contribute to a professional shortage. Concerns were also raised about the private medical sector’s insufficient representation in policy-making and the inadequacy of existing consultation mechanisms.

Around 93,000 MDCAT qualifiers were unable to secure medical college admission, highlighting a significant gap in the medical education system. The committee emphasized the necessity of structured consultations with all stakeholders rather than the predominantly email-based approach currently used. The subcommittee also discussed the discrepancy between PMDC's requirement of MDCAT for foreign medical institutions and suggested stronger regulation of substandard foreign schools, including the public disclosure of unqualified institutions.

The committee recommended expanding MDCAT testing opportunities annually and re-evaluating the current 50 percent weightage assigned to MDCAT in admissions. Furthermore, they called for policy adjustments to produce more doctors for both domestic needs and potential export, alongside stringent quality standards for medical education.

The committee urged PMDC to engage comprehensively with all stakeholders, especially private medical colleges, during policy formulation and revisions, advocating for a long-term approach to medical education expansion that prioritizes quality.