Policies & Decisions
Council has approved the following assessment criteria to be applied to all foreign medical and dental colleges and programs for purposes of placement in different categories enabling graduates to follow licensing pathways to obtain licenses in Pakistan.
The inclusion of an institution’s name in any one of these A, B or C categories simply shows its verification status and the lists are dynamic. The purpose of these categorized lists is to provide pathways to foreign medical graduates for obtaining a Pakistani license to practice in Pakistan.
Many colleges in Category B or C may be under process of being inspected and accredited by an independent agency or a tier 1 international regulator. Therefore, an institution will be shifted from list B to A once it receives the two-tier verification. The same policy is applicable to institutions in list C, i.e. they need to obtain at least a 1- tier verification in order to be shifted to list B.
Category A
Category B
Category C
The Council has considered the terms Postgraduate, Additional and Alterative Qualifications as referred to under the PMC Act, 2020 and defined the same along with defining relevant terms to recognition of such qualifications.
The process of recognition of qualifications and CME’s shall be prescribed under regulations to be duly framed by the Council.
POSTGRADUATE QUALIFICATION
Pakistani Postgraduate Qualification (u/s 22 of the PMC Act, 2020)
- Granted by the College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan; and
- Training undertaken at a Medical Institution recognized by the Council for training or grant of a Post Graduate program under section 23(2) of the PMC Act, 2020.
Foreign Postgraduate Qualification (u/s 24 of the PMC Act, 2020)
- Granted by a Foreign Postgraduate Institution recognized as the Postgraduate Institution by the regulatory authority in the relevant country for grant of Post Graduate Qualifications and recognized by the Council under section 25 of the PMC Act, 2020;
- Obtained after formal, objective assessment with a certification after either a period of training or acquiring of minimum competencies equivalent to the comparable qualification granted by CPSP.
ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATION
Additional Qualification shall mean a qualification acquired in addition to a Postgraduate Qualification after completion of a structured training program under direct supervision to develop specific competencies after completion of a Post Graduate qualification which qualifies a licensed doctor to represent as a specialist in the specified area of specialization in addition to the subject of the Postgraduate Qualification.
An Additional Qualification shall not grant a right to be included in the Specialist Register if a Post Graduate or Alternative Qualification has not been obtained by the Licensee.
An Additional Qualification may be considered by an institution for credentialing of a general practitioner who does not possess a Post Graduate Qualification or Alternative Qualification subject to such licensed doctor at no time being represented as a Specialist.
Pakistani Additional Qualification (u/s 22 of the PMC Act, 2020)
- Granted by a Pakistani Medical Institution recognized by the Council for grant of Additional Qualifications under Section 23(2) of the PMC Act, 2020;
- In a subject which is part of a broader specialty in which the Council has recognized a Pakistani or Foreign Postgraduate Qualification.
Foreign Additional Qualification (u/s 24 of the PMC Act, 2020)
- Granted by a Foreign Medical Institution recognized by the regulatory authority in the relevant country for grant of an Additional Qualification and recognized by the Councilunder section 25 of the PMC Act, 2020;
- In a subject which is part of a broader specialty in which the Council has recognized a Pakistani or Foreign Postgraduate Qualification.
ALTERNATIVE QUALIFICATION
Pakistani Alternative Qualification (u/s 22 of the PMC Act, 2020)
- Granted by a Pakistani Medical Institution Institution recognized by the Council for grant of Alternative Qualifications under section 23 of the PMC Act, 2020;
- Training undertaken at a Medical Institution recognized by the Council for training or grant of a Post Graduate program under section 23(2) of the PMC Act, 2020;
- Obtained after formal, objective assessment with a certification after either a period of training or acquiring of minimum competencies equivalent to the comparable qualification granted by CPSP;
Foreign Alternative Qualification (u/s 24 of the PMC Act, 2020)
- Granted by a Foreign Medical Institution recognized by the as an institution for grant of post graduate or alterative qualifications by the regulatory authority in the relevant country and recognized by the Council under Section 25 of the PMC Act, 2020;
- Obtained after for bmal, objective assessment with a certification after either a period of training or acquiring of minimum competencies equivalent to the comparable qualification granted by CPSP;
CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION (CPE)
Continuing Professional Education (CPE) shall mean any learning in addition to and outside of undergraduate education or postgraduate training that helps a licensed medical practitioner maintain their competence and acquire knowledge of new developments and improve their performance and covers the development of knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviours across all areas of professional practice and includes both formal and informal learning activities.
A CPE activity shall be recognized by the Council subject to the fulfilment of the following conditions;
- Granted by an Institution recognized by the Council for grant of a CPE qualification/ certification; and
- Is within the domains of knowledge of relevant discipline and has clearly stated learning outcomes, instructional and assessment strategies where learning outcomes build on existing knowledge, skills and behaviours; and
- A program or opportunity which updates what a practitioner learnt at medical school and during postgraduate training, to reflect changes in practice, changes in the needs of patients and the service, and changes in society’s expectations of the way doctors work; or
- A program or opportunity which maintains and improves the quality of care a practitioner gives patients and the public and improves the ability to anticipate and respond to the changing demands of professional standards of the teams and services expected in healthcare.
CREDENTIALING
Credentialing shall be the process of reviewing a licensees qualifications and certifications, training, experience or demonstrated ability and practice history to determine what clinical privileges the licensee shall be entitled to at a hospital or medical institution.
Credentialing shall further include the process of identifying which Additional Qualifications if acquired in addition to a Postgraduate or Alterative Qualification may be considered for additional privileges to the licensee.