16. What is the PTAP and the Self-Finance application process and what is the difference between them?To apply under the Pakistan Technical Assistance Program (commonly referred to as
PTAP), You have to visit the Economic Affairs Division (a.k.a.
EAD) website and download the application form for foreign students who wish to study in Pakistan. The form is taken down and reposted every year. You will need to print and fill out
five copies of this form. You also need to attach the following
with each copy of the application:
- Certificates/Marks Sheet of HSSC/equivalent examination (high school diploma, high school and/or community college transcripts, AP Student Score Report)
- Equivalence Certificate from the Inter Board Committee of Chairmen (IBCC) Islamabad where applicable i.e. in case of foreign qualification.
- Recent Photograph (4 copies per copy of the application)
- Copy of foreign Passport of the applicant
- Proof of Pakistani Origin i.e. Pakistani Passport/National Identity Card/Registration Form etc.
Once you have all the copies of the application with all the necessary items for each form, you have two options. You can either submit it all to your local Pakistan Consulate or Embassy, or you can go to Islamabad (or send it to a relative or someone you know in Pakistan) to submit it by hand at the Economic Affairs Division office. They should give you some sort of receipt as confirmation. The deadline for submission of the application is usually August 31 or September 1.
To apply under the Self-Finance Scheme (a.k.a.
SFS), you have to visit the Higher Education Commission?s website, download the application for students who wish to apply under the self-finance scheme, fill it out
and make five copies as required on the form, and attach the appropriate documents/items
to each copy of the application. These items are as follow:
- A copy of a foreign passport of the applicants and parents
- Copies of all educational documents (high school diploma, high school and/or community college transcripts, AP Student Score Report)
- Equivalence Certificate from the IBCC
- Proof of Pakistani Origin (if applicable)
- Medical certificate from a government physician or a registered medical practitioner that the applicant is not suffering from any disease and is fit for study abroad
- A No Objection Certificate (NOC) issued by the home country for studying in Pakistan (not applicable to those who are Pakistani or whose parents are/were Pakistani citizens)
Once you have all copies of your application complete, you have two options to submit it. You can either submit the applications to your local Pakistan Consulate or Embassy, or go to Islamabad (or sent it to someone you know there) to submit it by hand to the Higher Education Commission?s office. They should give you some sort of receipt as confirmation. The deadline for submission of the application is usually August 31 or September 1.
The
applications, required documents, and application deadlines for admissions under both these schemes are subject to change from year to year, so it?s best to visit the Economic Affairs Division and Higher Education Commission website from time to time during the year in which you wish to apply to keep up with such changes and to get a hold of the latest application.
The differences between these two programs are practically minimal except when it comes down to financial cost and which sector of the Pakistani government will be processing your application. The Economic Affairs Division processes PTAP applications while the Higher Education Commission processes SFS applications. The yearly tuition for a student admitted under PTAP is approximately $200 (U.S.) versus anywhere from $5,000-$10,000 (U.S., dependant on which city the medical college is located in) for a student admitted under the SFS. There is no difference in the type or quality of education one will receive in one program versus the other. All educational facilities will be the same. In theory, the goal of PTAP, as defined by an EAD publication, is to earn goodwill of friendly countries to project the image of Pakistan, share knowledge and expertise, renew the contacts of expatriate Pakistanis with Pakistan through education of their children in Pakistan. The main purpose of the SFS, as defined by the same publication, is to earn foreign exchange for the country as these students pay substantially high fees. The application requirements for both schemes vary only slightly, and most who are eligible to apply under one can apply under the other, with those attaining the highest IBCC marks receiving first preference under PTAP (as the yearly tuition is less for the same educational benefits), if they have applied under both schemes.
17. How much does school in Pakistan cost?The cost of tuition at medical schools in Pakistan varies depending on whether you choose to attend a government college or a private college. Most private colleges charge foreigners between $8000-$12,500 per year just for tuition. Local students usually pay approximately half of that.
Government colleges charge foreigners who have been admitted under the Self-Finance program approximately $5,000-$10,000 per year (depending on which city you study in) however students from abroad who have been admitted under the Pakistan Technical Assistance Program pay the same tuition fees that local students do (around $300-$400 per year!).
18. Is there any sort of ranking system for schools in Pakistan?There is no formally recognized central ranking system of the medical colleges in Pakistan. Any ranking that you hear regarding a college being #1 in all of Pakistan is most likely without merit.
19. Can I transfer between medical schools in Pakistan?Transferring between medical colleges in Pakistan, or migration as it is called here, does happen but it is usually a very burdensome and long process and must be approved by both the college you are leaving and the college you are transferring to.
20. What is the structure of the curriculum? When do I begin seeing patients?Medical college in Pakistan is a 5 year long program with the first two years only having classroom instruction, anatomy dissections, and lab experiments. The subjects studied are gross anatomy, embryology, histology, physiology, and biochemistry.
Clinical rotations (patient interaction) begins in the third year of study along with the subjects of pharmacology, general pathology, and forensic medicine. In fourth year students study otolaryngology, ophthalmology, community medicine, and special pathology. Final year is completely clinical with students seeing patients a majority of the time and studying surgery, pediatrics, obstetrics/gynecology, and medicine.
21. Am I allowed to do my clinical rotations somewhere outside of Pakistan?No, your core clinical rotations must be completed at the hospital(s) affiliated with your medical college in Pakistan. Pakistan medical colleges differ from the Caribbean system where students do their first two years of study at their medical school and then go to the US or other countries for their clinical rotations.
22. If I've already completed some or all of a college degree abroad do I still need to show my high school grades?Yes, you do. Irrespective of the fact that you may have already completed your undergraduate (Bachelor's) degree, you must still show your high school/secondary school transcript to the IBCC in order to obtain an Equivalence Certificate. Your score will depend upon your high school/secondary school grades, not your college ones.
23. I never took physics/chemistry/biology! Can I still get into a medical school in Pakistan?No, you cannot. You must have completed one year of all three subjects prior to entering medical school in Pakistan. If you have not taken these courses you will have to take those first.
24. What is the difference between government run and private run medical colleges?This is a very broad question but to sum it up, government colleges usually offer much more patient contact/interaction but facilities of a lesser quality as compared to private medical colleges. They also provide very little direct teacher-student interaction (class sizes are usually 250 students/class). Government colleges are also much cheaper for local students and sometimes also cheaper than some private colleges for foreign students. Government colleges have a strong alumni base in Pakistan and abroad due to the number of years that they have been in operation.
Private colleges are generally more expensive and offer less patient interaction than government colleges (although many still do offer adequate amounts) but have nicer facilities, smaller class sizes (50-100/class) and more technology involved in teaching. Most private colleges are less than 20 years old and do not have a large alumni base in Pakistan or abroad.
25. What is an entrance test for medical colleges and who has to take it?If you are applying to a private medical college in Pakistan you will most likely have to take an entrance exam unless you take another exam which the college deems acceptable. Many private colleges will allow you to instead of taking the entrance exam submit scores from the SAT Subject Tests in biology, physics, and chemistry.
Government schools on the other hand require an entrance test from all local students and do not require any entrance examination or SAT Subject Test scores from foreign applicants.
The entrance exams usually cover biology, physics, and chemistry in equal portions and then attribute a small section to English and mathematics. Books are available in bookshops all around Pakistan that have previous exam questions in them along with study guides. Also in the past students have told us that they found the F.Sc textbooks for biology, chemistry and physics to be the most helpful. These too are available at local bookstores.
26. If I've done some college after high school, or have done part of medical school elsewhere, can I finish medical school sooner in Pakistan than if I hadn't?Even if you have completed a 4 year degree after your high school or secondary school education, you will still be required to complete the full MBBS 5 year course. You cannot receive any advanced standing or course credits, no matter where you studied or what degree you received.
If you have completed part of a medical school curriculum elsewhere you are advised to get in touch with the medical college in Pakistan that you are interested in and request information from them regarding international migration.
27. I've heard that you can bribe people there and easily pass -- is this true?It is absolutely not true. Foreigners are notorious for imagining Pakistan to be a country still stuck in the Dark Ages and usually arrive with a very inaccurate set of preconceived notions regarding the Pakistani educational system.
Anyone believing that obtaining a medical degree in Pakistan is an easy task is setting themselves up for disappointment.
28. What is the USMLE and what does it mean to me?The USMLE or the United States Medical Licensing Exam is a test given by all medical graduates (American or foreign) before they are allowed to apply for a residency position and practice medicine anywhere in the United States.
Pakistani graduates will take the very same examination that American medical graduates are required to take. Most US graduates give Step 1 of the USMLE near the end of their second year of med school and Step 2 close to graduation whereas most Pakistani graduates give Step 1 and Step 2 after graduation.
It is important to attend a medical school in Pakistan which is approved by the WHO so that upon graduation you will be eligible to take the USMLE.
29. On average, how hard do you have to work, and how many hours a day do you have to study to pass in a medical school in Pakistan?This question has no generalized answer as it is highly dependent upon the individual. The best advice is to realize the study schedule which works best for you and to be consistent in following it.
Some students do better cramming at the last minute whereas others need to study weeks before to do well. From our experience, those who study consistently and pay attention in class consistently perform better than those who wait until the last minute.
30. But this one auntie told my mom something different from what you have written here -- what do you have to say about that? We've always suspected that that auntie had it out for you. Don't listen to her. #wink
All jokes aside however, there are tons of false rumors circulating about regarding Pakistan medical schools and the method of applying, hostel life, school quality, accreditation information, etc, etc. We continuously hear the most bizarre rumors from people who have been misled by family and friends who mean well but honestly do not know the facts. One of the most common ones is that a certain school allows you to graduate from Pakistan in 4 years rather than 5. All we can say is that if such a place exists, we'd love to go there. #happy