The University of Health Sciences (UHS) will conduct the Post Graduate Entrance Test for admission to Ph.D., MPhil, and Masters degree programs in July this year, the 24NewsHD TV channel reported on Friday. 

According to the UHS spokesperson, the classes for these programs will start in September while the degree will be completed in any case within the stipulated time.

These decisions were taken in the 189th meeting of the UHS Advanced Studies and Research Board (ASRB), held on Thursday under the chairmanship of Vice-Chancellor Professor Ahsan Waheed Rathore. Heads of various teaching departments and senior faculty of medical colleges participated in the meeting.

The Board approved the establishment of a Professional Skills Development Center for the training of health professionals, students, and supervisors, which will conduct professional workshops for them. The Center will be managed by the Department of Special Initiatives, under the supervision of the Vice-Chancellor himself.  A medical teaching component will also be included in the MPhil curriculum to produce good medical teachers.   

Like MS and MD programs, the board has made it mandatory for MPhil students and supervisors to attend workshops on biostatistics, communication skills, IT, and research writing.  On this occasion, Vice-Chancellor Prof. Ahsan Waheed Rathore said that in the future such research would be allowed which directly benefited the people and the community.  He said that he didn't approve of the research done and that the paper was published for promotions only. UHS VC questioned what was the use of a degree if an MPhil didn't know how to teach.  He stressed that the university wanted to produce graduates who would become the hallmark of UHS.  

In the meeting, the thesis reports and the panel of examiners were approved for two Ph.D., six MPhil, and six MS students. The research synopses of students of MD, MS, MDS, MPhil, and MHPE programs were also reviewed. UHS Director Medical Education Dr. Khalid Rahim gave a briefing on switching MPhil programs from the annual to the semester system.