Medical training dissertations are up for sale in Peshawar

Health Diary

PESHAWAR: The College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan (CPSP) and the deans of the Medical Teaching Institutes need to take urgent notice of increasing irregularities in the training of post-graduate Trainee Medical Officers (TMOs) leading to fellowship of the college (FCPS).

Lax supervision and disinterest on the part of the supervising Professors and dishonesty on part of the trainees has led to a situation where there is rampant abuse and even outright fraud in fulfilling requirements for sitting part-II of the FCPS examination in various specialties.

The PGMI not only shares major blame in this sorry state of affairs but its own officers allegedly are also part of these corrupt practices.The CPSP is the primary organization responsible for post-graduate training and certification of doctors across Pakistan leading to the once coveted FCPS diploma.

Like every other field in this country, corruption and other irregularities have taken root here as well. This is jeopardizing the whole concept of specialist training and is one of the reasons for the declining standards of specialists in Pakistan.

After a candidate passes the part-I of the FCPS examination, he or she is assigned to a clinical unit in approved hospitals under mentorship of a CPSP approved supervisor. The candidate is thereafter called a Trainee Medical Officer (TMO).

Starting in a clinical unit, a TMO has to develop a research proposal under guidance from his supervisor. Once the CPSP grants its approval, the TMO starts working on this proposal and collects data. The TMO is required to write a 100-page or so dissertation and submit it to the CPSP for final approval. This is to be done within the training period of the TMO. A TMO cannot sit for the part II or final of the FCPS exam unless the requirement of writing a dissertation has been met and approved by the college.

The News has reliably learnt that a number of corrupt practices are taking place in fulfilling the requirement of writing this dissertation or thesis. Many supervisors do not take any interest in ensuring that proper and honest research is conducted. There is no mechanism in place where verification of authenticity of data could be done.

Most dissertations are retrospective studies. In the absence of proper record keeping in the Medical Teaching Institutes of Pakhtunkhwa, it is anybody’s guess as to where the data is obtained from or whether it is authentic or not.

Many TMOs are not bothered to collect data themselves or write the dissertation. A not-so-secret industry has come into being to fulfill the needs of these unscrupulous under-training specialist doctors.

According to insiders, a non-medical officer of the Post-Graduate Medical Institute (PGMI) in Peshawar started the practice. For a fee starting from about Rs20,000, this particular officer ‘helps’ the TMOs with writing their thesis. All the TMOs have to do is to provide real or fake data and the requisite money and a dissertation is written for them. It is needless to say that most of the discussion in the dissertation is plagiarized from other published work.

Some medical doctors have also jumped into the fray to benefit from this lucrative business. Sources say that rates vary depending upon the complexity of the job. The highest rate is reserved for those jobs where neither data nor any other material is supplied by the TMO. Fictitious data is used, discussion plagiarized and a ready-made dissertation is handed to the TMO. The dissertation is submitted to the CPSP, the FCPS-II examination taken and if passed, a specialist doctor is ready to serve the masses.

A doctor who obtained the FCPS diploma and now works at the Hayatabad Medical Complex in Peshawar was asked about this practice of buying dissertations. He admitted on condition of anonymity that his dissertation was written by a PGMI officer based at the Lady Reading Hospital for Rs40,000!

The Higher Education Commission (HEC) introduced the concept of plagiarism screening in Pakistan. it professionally screens articles for plagiarism and red flags are raised if more that 19 percent similarity index is met. It is surprising and unfortunate that the College of Physicians and Surgeons does not do any plagiarism screening. This is alarming given the huge trust that the public puts in the doctors certified by the CPSP.

Some senior doctors concerned at this state of affairs have written to the PGMI requesting it to take notice. The PGMI unfortunately has almost always turned a blind eye to such concerns. A senior doctor on the condition of anonymity said that personal letters were written to the PGMI after noticing plagiarized articles but no reply was received.

Senior faculty concerned at the dismal state of affairs have many a times suggested to the CPSP to at least publish the submitted dissertations on its website so that these can are open to review. The CPSP for reasons best known to it refused to do so. To some, this might suggest that the CPSP could be aware of the situation but does not want to tackle it. Instead it wants to keep it under wraps.

It is in interest of the public that the CPSP and PGMI Peshawar take urgent notice of the situation. They should at their own level constitute inquiries to look into these allegations of irregularities and if found true take strict action. Perhaps they can also request investigative agencies such as FIA to help probe the matter.

The CPSP should introduce mandatory plagiarism screening for all the dissertations that it receives from the TMOs. It should also pay heed to the suggestions to publish the same on its website so that they are available for the medical fraternity to review. The reputation of the CPSP is at stake here and it must take cognizance of the situation.