To address the shortage of teachers in medical and dental colleges, the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has decided to raise the retirement age for faculty members to 75 years.
The decision was announced by PMDC Deputy Registrar Imam Bakhsh and has been officially communicated to all medical institutions across Pakistan. The move comes as a response to a major gap in faculty positions across the country. Currently, 187 medical and dental colleges require 26,018 faculty members, but only 22,146 teachers are available. This shortage is affecting medical education and healthcare training.
By increasing the retirement age, PMDC aims to retain experienced teachers for a longer period, ensuring that students receive proper education and training. This is a temporary solution until new professors and lecturers can be recruited.
Medical education experts believe that this decision will help maintain teaching standards and prevent further disruptions in learning. However, they also emphasize the need for a long-term plan to attract more professionals to medical education.
PMDC has assured that efforts are being made to recruit more qualified faculty members to fill the gap in the coming years. This step is expected to improve faculty availability and support the growing demand for medical education in Pakistan.
