KMU launches Modular Curriculum System in Colleges

F.P. Report

PESHAWAR: Khyber Medical University, (KMU) Peshawar has launched Modular Curriculum System as per requirement of World Federation of Medical Education (WFME) in five affiliated medical colleges of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on pilot basis. This decision has been taken after conducting a series of meetings of Principals of affiliated medical colleges. These meetings were held under the chairmanship of Prof. Dr. Arshad Javaid, Vice Chancellor Khyber Medical University, Peshawar.

It is worth mentioning that present curriculum taught in Pakistan is a discipline based model, inherited from British India, and is generally centered around old-fashioned methods of teaching and passive learning rather than didactic teaching and adult learning. The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has chalked out the outlines of medical curriculum but surveyed faculty has declared that it does not consider the health needs of Pakistan, lacks integration of basic with clinical sciences and is a source of stress for medical students. Since, medical education needs to be constantly updated in response to our social needs and requirements of the medical practice; a robust curriculum needs constant revision and reforms in the light of changing social circumstances.

The reality of possible closing of some of the doors of foreign employment for Pakistani doctors after the implementation of Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduate (ECFMG) announcement, in 2023, makes the curriculum issue to be taken as urgent and treated as a priority on a now or never basis, so this was the challenge which paved the way for launching modular curriculum system in affiliated medical colleges of KMU. It is also important to highlight that KMU being, the only medical university of the province, has a mandate and responsibility to spearhead the curricular reforms by initiating the process, sensitizing the stakeholders, providing guidance, developing capacity, supervising the process, developing assessment process and ensuring compliance in all the constituent and affiliated medical schools.

Realizing the importance of the matter KMU has been made a Central Curriculum Committee with membership from all the constituent and affiliated medical schools. To follow the integrated curricular system, meeting national and international requirements, modules have been prepared by various medical schools. These have been standardized and a pilot testing have been planned for the current session 2017 in five medical schools which include Khyber Medical College, Peshawar, Khyber Girls Medical College, Peshawar, KMU Institute of Medical Sciences, Kohat, Rehman Medical College, Peshawar and Northwest School of Medicine, Peshawar.

It is expected that the successful implementation of the pilot program will pave path for the Integrated modular curriculum to be adopted in all the constituent and affiliated colleges of KMU by 2023, making its graduates to be at par with International standards and able to work anywhere across the globe in line with the decision taken by WFME the international body representing all medical teaching institutions, medical teachers, students and medical doctors in all aspects of their education.