# SHIFA COLLEGE OF MEDICINE in Islamabad, Pakistan



## Rehan

Shifa College of Medicine in Islamabad, Pakistan is currently accepting applications from applicants all over the world to join the medical school class of 2011.

Applications are accepted year round and information regarding what is required to apply is listed at http://www.shifacollege.edu

Many of the original forum users here are upperclassmen at Shifa College and would love to answer any questions that you have regarding the college and its application procedure.

Hope this helps!

*UPDATE: Find pictures of Shifa College of Medicine HERE*


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## Majid

Why is Shifa college more expensive for foreigners than some other recognised universities? e.g. Ayub?


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## Rehan

Majid said:


> Why is Shifa college more expensive for foreigners than some other recognised universities? e.g. Ayub?


Majid, you're right. Shifa is more expensive than other medical schools in the region, but there is a reason for that. Unlike Ayub, which is funded almost entirely by the Govt. of Pakistan, Shifa College which costs $12,000 per year, is not funded by the Govt of Pakistan at all. Being private it depends on tuition in order to raise funds to pay faculty, procure equipment for labs, and basically cover all the expenses of running a medical school.

That being said, Shifa does however have better facilities, a better student-to-microscope ratio than Govt schools, and a much more qualified faculty at its disposal. Also the fact that you'll be able to see patients under the instruction of physicians who have American and British degrees goes a long way in helping you hone your clinical sense.

As is often said, you get what you pay for. The govt schools are cheaper, but there is a difference in quality.


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## Anonymous

*URGENT!*

How come Shifa medical college is accepting applications right now? I heard that we have to apply during the summer to attend medical college in pakistan...at least for high school students. I am currently living in USA, and am in the 12th grade. This is my last semester and in June 2006, I'll have completed high school. I have already taken all the required classes which the medical colleges in pakistan look for...for example...Biology (in 9th grade) Chemistry (in 10th grade) and Physics (in 11th grade). Now that I am in 12th grade...I am taking AP Biology as well as Bio research since I have completed all the science courses.

I was hoping that I can apply early since I have already taken and passed the classes the Pak medical college require...however someone was telling me that I must complete 12th grade first before I apply...regardless of the fact that I might have taken the required subjects. For that reason...I am waiting till the summer of 2006 to apply. If someone can please give me any information regarding the procedure of applying that will be really helpful...much research I have already done on my own.

Also I heard that this year the rules have changed and now it has become even more competitive for foreign students. They changed the self-finance seats to only 4 for foreign students...and seats under technical assitance program are different for each college. Which one should I apply for or can I apply for? Self finance or Technical assistance? How difficult is it to get into medical colleges in Pakistan? 

As for me...I don't mind which medical college I get into in Pakistan. Originally I am from Lahore so I prefer medical colleges in Lahore...but it doesn't matter it can be khi, isb, multan...whatever. So do i still just submit one application? or I gotta submit different for medical colleges in Sindh and different for medical colleges in Punjab? That's what has really been confusing me. I heard from someone that I submit only one application in which I list my top choices...but after equivilance of my marks...they will let me know which medical school I am eligiable for...whether it be in Punjab, Sindh or anywhere else. Is this true? :?: 

Lolz...I am really sorry about this...I have written like an essay but this is really confusing especially since I hear so many different things from others...and different things from different websites...Also many of the medical college in Pakistan don't really have good websites...so it doesn't help much. 

Plz try to answer my questions  lolzz...I have written like a whole essay so i'll stop for now.
Thanks for any help


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## Rehan

Moazzma,

Shifa College of Medicine is accepting applications right now because it is a *private* medical college, not a government-sponsored one. The application process that you have heard about consisting of self-finance seats and technical assistance seats only applies to government run medical colleges.

And yes, you are correct in that you submit one central application through the Pakistan embassy in the US and then they will decide where you are placed.

Since I myself attend a private medical college, I don't have too much info on how the govt. school process works besides that, but I'm hoping someone else on the forum could help you out more.

Hope this helps


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## Anonymous

Oh ok...i get it now lol. Thanks


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## atenolol

Moazzma,

I tried applying to government colleges in Pakistan before I came to Shifa. It is a long process. First of all you can't just randomly apply to any govt college in any city. There is a thing called "domicile" in Pakistan, which means that you are only allowed to apply to colleges that fall under your domicile. For instance, I wanted to apply for Khyber Medical College in Peshawar, so along with Khyber, I was allowed to apply to all other govt medical colleges in NWFP (i.e. Ayub Medical, etc.). I am not sure how they determine what a foreign student's "domicile" is, it may be your choice. I chose NWFP because that's where most of my family is...but the smarter choice would be Punjab, since it has about 100000 times more medical colleges than any other province (Pakistani government has traditionally been a Punjab-friendly govt..go figure), so your options would be greatly increased. The process of sending the applications through the Pakistani embassy in Washington DC is also a long one, so you might want to get started on that early. Good luck!


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## Anonymous

atenolol,

First of all thanks for the comment...however you confused me a little. lol I have done a lot of research on applying to med schools in Pak...and talked with many who went to Pakistan and are currently studying there...some of them I know personally and few I got in contact with through some medical websites. I have never heard of anything about the "domicile" thing. No one has mentioned that before...so I am not too clear on that. I know for sure that it's a long process...and about getting the papers from Washington DC as well...but I questioned a lot of people about my college choices. Like for example, I am originally from Lahore, so mostly I prefer medical colleges in Lahore...however I don't just wanna limit myself to KMC, FJMC, AIMC, and stuff..I also want to apply to some in Multan because I might not get accepted to ones in Lahore. You see what i mean? But someone was telling me that all I need to do is apply and they'll let me know about all the colleges that I can attend anywhere in pakistan...whether in Lahore or somewhere in Khi or wherever. 
But i don't really know if that's true...I can understand that if i apply to Punjab med. colleges they'll let me know about the ones in Punjab that I can attend but what about if I wanna apply to a college in Sindh...or somewhere...JUST IN CASE i don't get into any in Punjab lol...just to be on the safe side...especially since now they limited the foreign students seats (in punjab) to only 4.
Anyway...thanks for telling me about the "domicile" thing...I'll def. try to find out about that or call up the people incharged of this whole stuff and ask them. 

-If anyone else has any other information on how many govt colleges we can apply to...or if there is any limit to the amount of govt colleges we apply for ...plz let me know...
Thanks,


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## ahsanabbas1

Asslam-o-Alikum,

I juz want to know if there is any entry test for shifa?? and when does a new semester begins there? When shud i apply? What marks can get me in after IBCC EQUIVALENCY PROCESS? (I AM A CANADIAN GR.12 STUDENT)

Looking forward for ur response..


THANKS


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## Anonymous

ahsanabbas1,
AOA, someone told me that after the equivalence process, you need to get higher than a 660 or something like that...perhaps it's 630...i'm not 100% sure, but someone who attends Shifa told me that.

I am gonna be applying to government colleges, so does anyone know how many marks I need after they deduce an equivalence of 20% of my marks...plzz let me know if anyone has any information on that...FOR GOVT. medical colleges.

Thanks


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## Rehan

Moazzma,

You're correct--you need a 660 on your equivalence certificate to be eligible to apply for medical school in Pakistan.

Not too sure about the govt school requirements though :?


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## Anonymous

lolz this sucks, no one knows abt the govt. med colleges


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## Anonymous

Rehan,
My parents have asked me to apply to Shifa since its taking applications right now...however, like i mentioned before, I am in the last semester of 12th grade (which i will complete by june of 2006)...so can I still send my applications...since they are taking right now.


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## Rehan

Yes you can apply right now. Find more information at http://www.shifacollege.edu


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## MastahRiz

Moazzma,

I wouldn't recommend that you apply right now. First of all, because Shifa's admissions are becoming more and more competetive every year, it's better that you wait until you have everything that they require for admissions. Namely, a high school diploma, three SAT II subject tests over 650 (Bio, Chem, and Physics), and an equivalency certificate with at least 660.

If you don't have even one out of those three pieces of the application, your application will most likely not make it past the secretary's office and not even be considered.

Once you have all of those things then you can apply as early as you want as long as it's before the application deadline (sometime in October).


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## Anonymous

to whom it may concern 


the most important thing before applying to any med school in pakistan is the IBCC equivalence .. u need to have atleast 660 (60% for FSc students) to be able to apply .. this is a requirement of PMDC and some colleges have increased the minimum to 70% i.e AKU ... to be able to apply to gov colleges u need to have a domiclie of the province that ur applying in . u can only get a domicile of that province that u belong to and that is determined by the address on ur NIC or POC (pak origin card) so if ur looking to apply in punjab u need a domicile from any city in punjab or the federal capital .. the application process usually starts in august or september cuz the FSc students dont get their results till late july or august ... im not sure whether they still have the entry test or not ... u cant apply at the moment cuz u cant get ur IBCC .. for that u need ur high school transcript ( to be sealed and sent to IBCC or delivered in person with seal intact) .. the best thing right now would be to register for SAT II ... my brother applied last year but he took his SAT in october and cudnt make the deadline n decided against going to pakistan ... nyways ... register for SAT II , take it asap ... as soon as u get ur transcript , apply for IBCC and then apply to shifa asap ... good luck !


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## Rehan

Thanks for the great advice Sohaib!

BTW, how about getting a buddy icon!? 

Just click on Profile up in the menu bar and give us an image.


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## Anonymous

the original green dude  ( the hulk is such a wannabe ! )


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## Anonymous

Thanks Sohaib...that helped!


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## Rehan

Moazzma,

Have you gotten your IBCC certificate yet? Be sure to get that done way before the application deadlines because Shifa and other schools won't take your application seriously without that certificate and the IBCC office has been known to take a while!


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## Anonymous

Rehan,

Thanks for being concerned...but I can't get that done until I get my FINAL transcript of high school...I already have my transcript done as of NOW...but I need to finish the last semester of 12th grade...which Inshallah, I will...by June, and then finally in June when I graduate and have my final transcript ready...I can send it for the IBCC certificate. 

But Thanks for asking =)


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## Anonymous

Infact...I wanted to send it early because I have already taken the required classes...but isn't it that we gotta send the FINAL one...at end of 12? sooo yea...I gotta wait till June for final one.


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## Anonymous

and that's gonna really suck coz once I get my final transcript in June...i'll really only have one month to get everything done and sent out since dead line is in Aug. So I better do everything quickly and carefully in that one month ...coz I got no other choice... :?


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## Anonymous

start studying for ur SAT II ... u need to focus on 2 subjects only cuz to get in u need 2 650s only ... also , if u have any relatives in ISB , send ur documents to them , if not then try and go there right after high school and get all the paperwork done personally cuz that way u can get it done faster .... good luck  



p.s. hey rehan , i have quite a collection of the questions that other shifa ppl got on their step1 and i was thinking of starting a shifa qbank or something ... i'll do something about that next week after my exam inshallah


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## maik7upurz

The Domicile thing is totally un-needed in this discussion concerning foreigners, thats only in regards to locals applying for a seat in their region of pakistan, as proof as being a citizen of that particular area. 

Concerning foreigners applying to medical schools in Pakistan, it is really quite simple if you are persistant. Sat 2 or whatever, probably even 1 are useless. I'll list the steps for you.

1. You need to graduate high school first, making sure you have taking the subjects of Biology, Chemistry, Physics and English. You will also need your transcripts, I would suggest getting at least 8 SEALED transcripts and dont bother opening them, you dont need so many but in Pakistan people lose things all the time so its best to have backups.

2. Your original High School Diploma. Make copies, get them attested, and never leave the original anywhere with anyone. They might ask to see it, thats fine.

3. Now, to gain admission, no matter where you want to go or apply to, you need an Equivalence certificate. You will need your sealed transcripts, copy of your passport, proof of Pakistan Origin (Pakistan Origin Card copy, pakistan origin visa if you have that, or NICOP (national identity card for overseas pakistanis) copy. I'm not sure if you'll need all this at the IBCC or not but you will for the next step, as well as a copy of your parents passport, I think one of your parents should be a foreign citizen as well. Head over to the IBCC, its much better if you know someone in pakistan who can be persistant as this is the HARDEST and most annoying thing to get done. Fill out the application form, make sure everything is filled in as they like to find mistakes. Hopefully after all that, you'll get your IBCC Equivalence Certificate and it should say PRE-MED.. If not, you will have to fight some more. And if your marks arent at least 660/1100 then you cant apply for med school here so fight and argue to have them raise it somehow.

2. Armed with your minimum of 60% IBCC Pre Med certificate, High School Transcript, High School Diploma, Copy of Passport, proof of pakistani originan, copy of parents passport, hope I'm not forgetting anything, you then head over to Economic Affairs Division near the president House in Islamabad to the fourth floor. You will find a dinky office, where you will request a form to apply. Fill it out properly, get it attested with copies of all your documents. Now, there is a list of ALL the medical colleges in the country, and you select 1, 2, 3 etc based on order of preference. When the deadline expires, they will then go through everyones preferences and the people with the higher IBCC marks will get first choice until all the seats in that college are filled in and so on. NWFP colleges are $5000 so they are usually filled by the better marks students. RMC is $7000, I think bahalpur is 5 or 7, KE is like 10,000$. If your selected to a college, you will receive a letter from them telling you. 

3. If you dont like the college you were put into, or you didnt get accepted, (you should be keeping in constant touch with these guys), dont fret, as many foreigners who apply back out or give up their seats and then whoever is next in line gets it. Initially I was selected for Nishtar in Multan, but it was really a weird far away place and after a week a seat opened in RMC and I took it.

Its not really that complicated once you get the hang out if =)

Now that was for SELF FINANCE FOREIGNER students of pakistani origin who hold foreign passport!

If you happen to have higher marks then 60% or you have good contacts, you can also apply for a technical assistance seat which is like $3000 or so at the most, so you could also go that way. Best of luck.


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## maik7upurz

btw, I meant sats are useless concerning GOVT med schools for Self Finance Seats unless something has changed. I know its different for private institutions.


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## Rehan

Excellent writeup!  This will definitely come in handy to lots of people applying.


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## Anonymous

maik7upurz,

GREAT JOB- FINALLY found someone who told me the same EXACT information I got after researching for 2 years =) lol...Actually this is exactly the information I received and many people on this website told me so many different things that I got confused and had to go back and research even more--which is not a bad thing...but it feels good to know that I was on the right track.
Thank you so much...any and all help is appreciated


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## maik7upurz

Yah, different people say different things because there are so many ways to get into med school in Pakistan depending on whether your going private or govt, then whether your going to go as a local or as a foreigner. I would suggest you go to shifa though because as a foreigner its totally hell in a govt medical college, but it seems their pickier lately so that they may seem more strict which may help them in getting their official long-term recognition. 

If you go for a govt school though, I would highly reccomend you fight for a college in a city your originally from or have relatives, because the dorms/hostels here are totally unfit for even trailer park citizens of america to adjust to, ie food, sanitation, facilities, people. Very low par, but you will hear most students here love them. Avoid Multan and Bahwalpur at all costs as these 2 are in very HOT and remote areas of the country, you will get depressed fast and not be able to find anything to do for fun. Lahore would be decent as you said your from the area. Many foreigners choose RMC strictly because its near Islamabad which is a Major plus for most.


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## atenolol

It's all about Islamabad. Except for the fact that it has no night life. Yeah, other than that, it's all about Islamabad. (go to Lahore).


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## Rehan

I agree with atenolol.

Islamabad is the place to be!  

And if not Islamabad, then Rawalpindi next (because you'll be close to Islamabad just like maik7upurz said)

Lahore's too dirty and crowded!


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## Anonymous

> Lahore's too dirty and crowded!


aahhh... :roll: I don't think so...
lolz...

thanks for the comments...I'll remember those when choosing the right college...and atenolol...you're like..."it's all about Islamabad. (go to Lahore)." :? lolz it's all abt isb...but go to Lahore :?: :?


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## atenolol

Yeah...Islamabad is clean and safe and pretty, but Lahore is fun. Islamabad is the place to go when youre 45 and raising kids. Lahore is the place to go in your youth. Hence, go to Lahore. #wink


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## Anonymous

*Lahore Lahore hai :!: #wink *


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## sara00

*salam friends...*

hey salam friends,



Moazzma said:


> lolz this sucks, no one knows abt the govt. med colleges


For the year 2005, (last year), the minumum IBCC marks required for government med schools for self fianance were near 750 and all those who had over 870 got into technical assistance...from what I heard its waaay easier to get into a private med school than the govnment med schools. hope this answers ur question...by the way...Lahore ...lahore hay! I totally agreeeee!  

*To shifa students:* how come ur medschool's fees are more expensive than some other private med schools? ...tell ur dean to reduce them so I can come there :wink: 

Sara


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## atenolol

I guess I should mention that since we are talking about med school, where fun shouldn't be the #1 priority, Islamabad might be a better choice. Plus, it's much easier for foreigners to adapt to since it is maintained as an "international city". Lahore is just a Rs. 400, 4-hour bus ride away anyway.


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## Anonymous

sara00,
Thanks for your comments...and getting above 870 after they deduce 20% of our marks...is kinda hard... this is so unfair lol

btw, what college are you attending? and what yr are u in?


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## sara00

hey friend,

yeah I knowww 20% reduction for US students!!! the those Inter Board corrupted commitee...not only they are soo unfair but u gotta be very careful with them...I mean when u'll be sending in ur application make sure u send in EXACTLY what they want, for example ur transcript should be in a sealed enveloppe by ur school, all ur photocopy documents need to be attested by the pak embassy in ur area or by some doctor, or lawyer, etc..

Cuz if anything is missing in ur document they wont even informe u and u'll be waiting thinking that ur marks are getting convereted and yet they are not! As a result, u'll waste soooo much time and to convert ur marks and apply to dont have much time in between, so as a friend my advice is that be verycareful and make sure everything is right when u'll be sending in ur documents to the IBCC....okay friend! by the way, if u need any help do let me know, and inshalla I'll try mybest to guide u well!  

And me...I'll be applying to pak med school this year inshalla, is just that my marks didnt get convereted on time last year so then I joined university of toronto! So currently studying BSc. :wink: 

Sara


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## Anonymous

Hey Mo,
I joined too...wazz good buddy? yar good luck with all that pak college stuff. btw, ya know what, I met someone with ur name today  not ur name but a guy whose name was *Moaz* and his brother's name was *Moazzam * and I was like "yoooo dat resembles mah buddiez name"  both broz were telling me the meaning of ur pplz name- adorable, pure, and said after holy city, Makkah Muazzamah  learned a good lesson 2night - im thinkin bout namin my daughter dat  aight imma see u later dude. tc yar Allah Hafiz


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## Anonymous

lolzz

glad you joined yaar, and you forgot something...it also means very expensive :wink:


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## Shaheera

*Hello*

Okay, now that mostly everyone has gotten the hang of how to apply(I think!), I was wondering, how is the actual environment in Islamabad. I have been there but I haven't experienced it as you guys may, as a 'student life' I mean. So, was it easy getting adapted to everything? How long did it take you to get used to it, because I heard the studies there are really different than the studies here. And just to make sure, do you need Physics, Biology, and Chemistry on the SAT Subject Tests? Is there any other subject you can substitute any of those for? Thanks.


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## Shaheera

*One more thing..*

Oops. Sorry, one more thing. Someone said that the profs at Shifa kind of 'hate' Americans? I use the word 'hate' loosely. You know what I mean. So, do they not like Canadians, too? Haha! :lol: They probably think it's the same thing? Or no? I know it's a stupid question.  I was just curious! Thanks, again.


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## Rehan

Shaheera said:


> I was wondering, how is the actual environment in Islamabad. I have been there but I haven't experienced it as you guys may, as a 'student life' I mean. So, was it easy getting adapted to everything? How long did it take you to get used to it, because I heard the studies there are really different than the studies here.


Islamabad is pretty quiet and boring--not too many exciting things happen here and its definitely not the open at all hours of the night crazy place that Lahore or Karachi are, but if you like the quiet small town atmosphere, this is the place for you. In terms of safety and adaptability, I think coming from the West, Islamabad is the best place to be---its the easiest to get adjusted to.



Shaheera said:


> And just to make sure, do you need Physics, Biology, and Chemistry on the SAT Subject Tests? Is there any other subject you can substitute any of those for?


Yes, you do need to take the SAT Subject Tests in Bio, Physics and Chemistry for Shifa College admissions. You need to get a minimum of 650 in at least two of the three tests. The third test score can be less than 650. You also need to have taken physics, chemistry, and biology in high school to qualify to do medical school anywhere in Pakistan so make sure you take those courses also.



Shaheera said:


> Someone said that the profs at Shifa kind of 'hate' Americans? I use the word 'hate' loosely. You know what I mean. So, do they not like Canadians, too?


Most of the professors and doctors that you'll meet at Shifa have done some sort of medical training either in the United States or the United Kingdom so there isn't really any Anti-American hate, per se. There may be some teasing every now and then but nothing to worry about. As a Canadian you should be more worried about the American kids making fun of you! I'm kidding of course.


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## Shaheera

*Wow!*

That was a very fast reply. I forgot to mention that earlier. This is an amazing forum you have set up. Thanks a lot! God bless.


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## Anonymous

Moazzma, I didn't get 2 talk to you about da medical forms. You said earlier you will tell me the website 4 those so yaar just e-mail dat site to me plz cuz I need to take a look at dat.
btw I lykee dat pic, BD party did rock


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## Anonymous

thx for the compliment but I am changing it  lolz. And yes I am sorry I completely forgot about e-mailing the forms to you...but I'll def. do it tonight after I finish up some of my work. good luck!


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## Anonymous

thx dude lol stay safe!


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## Wasanbaloch

This is the most helpful website iv found for this whole paki medschool thing, and bc i want to go to shifa. this has answered every question i had about this topic...thanks everyone.


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## MastahRiz

That's what we're here for friend  Glad to hear it!


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## Wasanbaloch

how would u guys recommmend studying for the SATII? taking the classes or just self study with review books?


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## MastahRiz

Wasanbaloch said:


> how would u guys recommmend studying for the SATII? taking the classes or just self study with review books?


To do really well on the SAT II's, all you need to have is discipline. If you can force yourself to study for long periods of time, and find a lot of practice material, then you'll end up in the same place as the people who take a class. All a class does is ensure you spend the time studying; there's no secrets being passed out or any answers being given away. If you can't make a schedule on your own that you'll stick to, or you just like to day dream after every few minutes, then a class is the way to go. You really can do it all on your own though, as long as you can stay focused.

If you take the courses in high school (i.e. AP/regular physics, biology, and regular chemistry), then you already know everything you need for the exams. It's just a matter of being asked the same material in more ways than one. Barron's is really good for physics, and Kaplan worked for me for biology and chemistry.

Do as many questions as you possibly can, and you can't go wrong. It's not about memorization, just practice. If you finish the practice questions in your book, then get another book and finish that one too.

Shifa's requirement used to be 700 in Physics, Biology (M), and Chemistry. They only ask for 650 now, but they get plenty of applicants who are well over the requirement.


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## Wasanbaloch

Thanks for the help everyone....


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## MastahRiz

It's what we're here for friend


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## Noshi

*realistic grade 12 marks*

Hi

I just joined after reading this discussion forum. I found some very useful stuff here. But I'm just wondering, does anyone know what kind/(%) of grade 12 marks are realistic enough to compete for Shifa College (especially since there's a 20% deduction)? 

Nosheen


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## Rehan

Noshi said:


> Hi
> 
> I just joined after reading this discussion forum. I found some very useful stuff here. But I'm just wondering, does anyone know what kind/(%) of grade 12 marks are realistic enough to compete for Shifa College (especially since there's a 20% deduction)?
> 
> Nosheen


Well Noshi,

Shifa requires a 3.0 GPA (based on a 4.0 scale) from your high school (or O/A level) transcript and in terms of the IBCC grading, I think if you have a 3.0 you will qualify for the premedical category where you need an IBCC Equivalence score of at least 660/1100.


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## maik7upurz

Rehan said:


> Well Noshi,
> 
> Shifa requires a 3.0 GPA (based on a 4.0 scale) from your high school (or O/A level) transcript and in terms of the IBCC grading, I think if you have a 3.0 you will qualify for the premedical category where you need an IBCC Equivalence score of at least 660/1100.


Hey Rehan, was just curious. Does the IBCC look at your GPA at all when they convert your marks? Or do they just use English, Physics, Biology, Chemistry when they make your overall score?


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## Rehan

Shifa College now allows applicants for admission to submit AP Test scores instead of taking the Shifa Entrance Exam or taking the SAT Subject Tests in biology, chemistry, and physics.

However, in order for your AP Test score to count, it has to be no more than 3 years old and you must have scored a 4 or higher in the subject. Even though a 3 is considered passing, Shifa only recognizes a 4 or 5 on the AP Test.

Still, it gives people who already worked hard during high school on their AP classes the option of just using those scores instead of the Shifa Entrance Exam or SAT Subject Tests.


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## kaleem

*really nervous*

realistically to get into shifa..wut gpa do i need? like i know its not a 3.0...im in my second year of college in los angeles and to tell u the truth i choked first year..i had a 2.8 overall..and now im working to get a 4.0 this semester and next semester so i can raise my gpa and apply for the 2008 semester..and i was just wondering if i still have a chance with inshallah a 3.2-3.4 gpa...cuz im not doing ne thing over here with my life and i actually want to go..but is it really competitive? 

thanx for the replies


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## Doc_Ammara

it seems like this topis is more about people interested in going to shifa?well thats a really good option in private sector.but AKU shouldnt be left anyways.thats the best uni in private sector.after that comes shifa.
anyways,there is much info about gov. medical colleges too ,so for any more info, iam here!feel free to ask your questions! i will try my best to help.


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## Rehan

kaleem said:


> realistically to get into shifa..wut gpa do i need? like i know its not a 3.0...im in my second year of college in los angeles and to tell u the truth i choked first year..i had a 2.8 overall..and now im working to get a 4.0 this semester and next semester so i can raise my gpa and apply for the 2008 semester..and i was just wondering if i still have a chance with inshallah a 3.2-3.4 gpa...cuz im not doing ne thing over here with my life and i actually want to go..but is it really competitive?
> 
> thanx for the replies


Hi Kaleem, welcome to Med Studentz #happy

Your college grades do not really play any role on Shifa's admission process. Admission is based off of your high school transcript only and your SAT Subject Tests/ AP Scores / Shifa Entrance Exam score.

You submit your high school transcript and then either take the SAT Subject Tests in physics, chemistry, and biology or you can show AP Scores in those subjects with a score of 4 or above in them or you can take the Shifa Entrance Exam.

Hope this helps.


----------



## kaleem

but then i wouldnt qualify because my high school grades were terrible...i didnt even have 3.0 overall...are u sure i cant send in my college? thats why i went to college and took biology chem physics and english over in college so i could qualify


----------



## Rehan

kaleem said:


> but then i wouldnt qualify because my high school grades were terrible...i didnt even have 3.0 overall...are u sure i cant send in my college? thats why i went to college and took biology chem physics and english over in college so i could qualify


In order for you to study medicine anywhere in Pakistan you are required to have an Equivalence Certificate from a government organization in Pakistan called the Inter-Board Committee Chairmen or IBCC for short.

What the Equivalence Certificate does is convert the grades you received at your American High School to a Pakistani grading system score. Your high school transcript must convert to at least 660 points out of 1100 in order for you to be eligible to study medicine in Pakistan. The score is based off of your grades in physics, chemistry, biology, English, and math classes in high school, however you may be able to submit your college coursework also for credit.

In terms of applying to Shifa, if you were to submit your college grades along with either SAT Subject Test scores or take the Shifa Entrance Exam, they may be able to accept those instead of your high school transcript. 

However you will still need to submit your high school transcript to the IBCC office to get your equivalence certificate otherwise you won't be able to apply to any school in Pakistan.

Hope this helps.


----------



## Sadaf

Well im confuse about the application deadline for shifa cuz i think i rem Rehan saying that it was March(im not sure but i was to lazy to go back and read the prior post) but i was on Shifa website and it said that the accept applications till October??? When is the deadline?? Also dose shifa take the ACT?


----------



## Rehan

Sadaf said:


> Well im confuse about the application deadline for shifa cuz i think i rem Rehan saying that it was March(im not sure but i was to lazy to go back and read the prior post) but i was on Shifa website and it said that the accept applications till October??? When is the deadline?? Also dose shifa take the ACT?


Shifa's deadline for applications for the Class of 2011 is October 2nd, 2006.

And unfortunately, no Shifa does not accept the ACT. They don't ask for an SAT 1 score either, just FYI.


----------



## Doc_Ammara

@ sadaf
you dont need to worry about the dead lines because these are for the students appyling for the session 2006-2007.but you will be applying for the next session ,so deadlines for this year session are of no use to you. am i right?


----------



## Sadaf

heyy doc ammara...yah ur right im applying next year but i just wanted to know so that i would have an idea for next YEAR...but ya im sooooo sorry about Sunday i had sumthing come up!!!! But yah i will send u an email....


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## UltraSpy

I've been reading this forum for couple of hours and I am getting some very good information. I am from Stockton, California originally and came to Pakistan to go to med school, I live in Rawalpindi and I have applied to Rawalpindi Medical College(and other govt. med schools), Foundation Medical College, and Shifa becuase i want to stay close to my family in Rawalpindi. I was kind of disappointed when i got back my equivalence results, in which they gave me a 767 out of 1100, which is above the minimum score they require. Also I am planning on taking the entrance tests because i only took SAT II Biology and i needed an addition of chem or physics inorder to avoid the entrance test. I wanted to ask the Shifa Med Students what kind of results/marks/points do you think i would need on the entrance test to get admission to Shifa considering that i only got 767/1100. 

Thank You

P.S. Also it would be appreciated if you think these marks are good enough for the government schools such as Rawalpindi Med.


----------



## Rehan

UltraSpy said:


> I've been reading this forum for couple of hours and I am getting some very good information. I am from Stockton, California originally and came to Pakistan to go to med school, I live in Rawalpindi and I have applied to Rawalpindi Medical College(and other govt. med schools), Foundation Medical College, and Shifa becuase i want to stay close to my family in Rawalpindi. I was kind of disappointed when i got back my equivalence results, in which they gave me a 767 out of 1100, which is above the minimum score they require. Also I am planning on taking the entrance tests because i only took SAT II Biology and i needed an addition of chem or physics inorder to avoid the entrance test. I wanted to ask the Shifa Med Students what kind of results/marks/points do you think i would need on the entrance test to get admission to Shifa considering that i only got 767/1100.
> 
> Thank You
> 
> P.S. Also it would be appreciated if you think these marks are good enough for the government schools such as Rawalpindi Med.


Hi UltraSpy,

I'm not sure about whether or not your equivalence score is good enough for Rawalpindi Medical College. Please read the MEDICAL COLLEGES IN PAKISTAN thread to understand the way that students apply through one govt application and the govt decides where you go.

As far as entrance into Shifa College is concerned, your equivalence score means very little to them. Shifa bases its decisions off of 1) Your high school transcript and 2) your entrance test score (or SAT Subject Tests or AP Scores) and 3) your interview.

They believe the IBCC Equivalence Score carries very little meaning or proof of someone's ability to succeed at Shifa and therefore are more interested in your exact high school grades and how well you do in a written standardized test environment.

If you have a GPA over 3.5 unweighted, I'd say your chances are pretty good for Shifa as long as you do moderately well on the Shifa Entrance exam. Moderately well means getting around 50-60%. One piece of advice though, Shifa's entrance exam gives you negative points for every question you answer wrong rather than simply just not counting it towards your positive score.

From the Shifa Prospectus:


> Each correct answer gets you +1 score, each wrong answer -0.25, and each un-answered question a 0 score.


Hope this helps, and welcome to Med Studentz #wink


----------



## UltraSpy

Thank You very much Rehan for the information. I really appreciate it. As for my unweighted GPA is about 3.8. And i got pretty good grades on my transcript. Now i just need to practice/study for the entrance test. 
Thank You once again.#happy


----------



## UltraSpy

Rehan I was wondering about the interview process of Shifa Medical College. It says in the prospectus, "Interviews are conducted by appointment after the entrance test." What does that mean, right after the entrance test or a couple of days later? Also any tips for the interview such as possible questions, formal clothes etc.


----------



## MastahRiz

If you're a foreign applicant applying from overseas, your interview will most likely be conducted over the phone, and the interviews are held a few days to a few weeks later from the date of the entrance test. I'm pretty sure they weigh in your entrance test score before deciding who to interview, because they have hundreds of candidates taking the entrance test.

Possible interview questions include how to deal with contemporary ethical scenarios related to pregnancies/abortions, counseling/rape victims, patient/doctor confidentiality, and other clinical vignettes.

Always wear formal clothes to an interview, unless otherwise specified. A shirt and tie is the standard.


----------



## queenofdamean

Hi- im currently bugging my brains out in tension over the entrance exam. Some people tell me its murder, others are like its really easy. Wats the real deal? How tough is this exam? And since i have 18days left, wat should i be studying?


----------



## queenofdamean

Also- does anyone know the conditions of the girls hostile? Is it good or should i be looking for accomodation elsewhere in islo?


----------



## Rehan

queenofdamean said:


> Hi- im currently bugging my brains out in tension over the entrance exam. Some people tell me its murder, others are like its really easy. Wats the real deal? How tough is this exam? And since i have 18days left, wat should i be studying?


Although I never took the Shifa Entrance Exam myself I've heard that if you have a semi-solid background in the sciences (physics, chemistry, biology) it isn't very hard. Most people who find it difficult are those that do not have very much experience with multiple choice question exams.

The best advice I can give though is to ignore any advice from people who say that it's very easy and just study as if its difficult so that you're as prepared as possible. You should study the Punjab Board FSc books in the science subjects because much of the test's content comes directly from there.

Also there is a book named _*Pre-Test*_ available in bookstores in Punjab which is edited by Dr. Aziz Ali Najam -- this book is another source of the Shifa Entrance Exam questions.



queenofdamean said:


> Also- does anyone know the conditions of the girls hostile? Is it good or should i be looking for accomodation elsewhere in islo?


Shifa hostels are not placed on campus but rather are houses rented out to the college and transformed into hostels. The womens' hostels are generally better than the mens' hostels but if you can afford to live somewhere else, it might be a better choice. 

However, one great thing about living in the hostel is that you live very close to the college and have college provided transportation to and from school.

Anyways, hope this helps. #happy


----------



## queenofdamean

thnx a lot! But i dun have the books from Punjab board- i have the NWFP ones. I hear they're nearly the same. I tried to search out the punjab board books but i cant seem to find them in the bazaars here- so i've just started on these. the topics are all the same- in the prospectus at least. 

I'll search out the pre-test thing! thnx a lot... and hmm the hostel thing, lets see #happy Thnx ur advice really helped btw.:happy:


----------



## purpleprism

queenofdamean said:


> Also- does anyone know the conditions of the girls hostile? Is it good or should i be looking for accomodation elsewhere in islo?



i used to live in the hostel and it was actually a nightmare. there are people always in your business and all the juice and milk the girls were supposed to get mysteriously went missing. they also were never given to us until we complained and complained and complained to the man in charge of the hostel (who never takes any girl seriously btw...i wont mention any names). oh and you get sick from the food more than twice a week. but they might have cleaned up...who knows, anything is possible.#wink

but..i heard the warden is better nowdays and i think everyone is receiving juice/milk. also, if you've had past dealings with girls trying to destroy you,#eek and you have come out alive, i think you'll be ok in the hostel. It _is_ a good way to meet people and someone always knows when tests are or has class notes. so...i guess you can weigh out the positives and negatives yourself. my advice tho, second hostel (house). not the first, and definately not the third (there are 3 houses within the confines of "girls hostel").

alrighty, hope that helped and didnt discourage you too much. just giving you all the facts.


----------



## queenofdamean

SCARY STUFF! WHO are you kiddin? 'didnt discourage you too much' SUREEEE! hahah lol thnx for telling me in advance anyways. Btw, do we get our personal rooms, or do we have to share them with the girls. If so, how many girls per room. And wats the toilett and bath facilities like?>mwah! thnx for the info sweety.


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## UltraSpy

Rehan I think I seen you today at the IBCC office today. I was going to say hello but I got scared. LOL.


----------



## Rehan

Hahaha yeah I was there, ready to blow my brains out with the level of incompetency I was witnessing. Was trying to get some paperwork done for the little sister.

Be sure to say hi if you ever see me again -- I won't bite #wink


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## Sadaf

haha...thats so funny!#laugh


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## queenofdamean

15days till the test! eeeeeekkkk!


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## queenofdamean

oh yeah- no one actually told me about the condition of the hostles, are we sharing rooms with people? how many in one room, if presumably we are. Wat about the toilets and stuff...


----------



## MastahRiz

queenofdamean said:


> oh yeah- no one actually told me about the condition of the hostles, are we sharing rooms with people? how many in one room, if presumably we are. Wat about the toilets and stuff...


You don't want to know#yes


----------



## malik_saabjee

hey guys... any special book from where ur preparng fur shifa?? im into ILMI rite now...the shifa prospectus says the test wud b only fsc-based ..


----------



## malik_saabjee

n yes.. rehan bhai... r there 50 seats or 100 seats for shifa?? the prospectus says k shifa'z got the capacity for 100 students... but the PMDC website states 50


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## Rehan

I believe there are 50 seats. Go back a few posts to see what I wrote about the books you should use.


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## Dr.Eevil

rehan consultancy services,..free of charge,.... all u wanna know about shifa !
hey so tell me ,...how is the atmosphere at shifa ? is it nice ? friendly ? fun ?


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## foxracer11373

everyone keeps talking about schools in islamabad what about karachi?? is that not a good place to go?


----------



## Rehan

foxracer11373 said:


> everyone keeps talking about schools in islamabad what about karachi?? is that not a good place to go?


Karachi has some great schools also (AKU, DOW, Sindh Medical, etc) but admission deadlines have already passed for them this year which is probably why more discussion is taking place regarding the private colleges who are still open for admission (ie Shifa).

Either way, this thread is for Shifa discussion only--feel free to post any questions about other medical colleges in the MEDICAL COLLEGES IN PAKISTAN thread.


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## foxracer11373

hey rehan if you dont mind me asking you, why did you pick shifa I mean when you were comparing other schools what about this one appealed to you the most?


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## Rehan

foxracer11373 said:


> hey rehan if you dont mind me asking you, why did you pick shifa I mean when you were comparing other schools what about this one appealed to you the most?


Well I tried for AKU but didn't get in and compared to government schools Shifa's facilities, faculty and method of doing things appealed to me a lot more.

Also talking to some current students who also happened to be from California convinced me that it was the best choice for me. If I had to do it all over again, I would have still picked Shifa.


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## malik_saabjee

Invitation to join the 'To-Be-Shifites' community on Orkut.
To view the 'To-Be-Shifites' community page, visit:
http://www.orkut.com/Community.aspx?cmm=21417896

..for dicussions regarding test preparation, test scores, interviews, etc.


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## Sadaf

Rehan said:


> I believe there are 50 seats. Go back a few posts to see what I wrote about the books you should use.


 
is that 50 foreigners seats or all together they admit 50 people??


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## malik_saabjee

No not 50 foreigners seats... i think there r 15 resereved seats for foreigners..... n 50 total... though the prospectus says with the words WE HAVE THE CAPACITY FOR 100 STUDENTS


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## Sadaf

wow..thats very competitive!!


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## malik_saabjee

r u applying for Shifa sadaf?? 
n just pray the FSC students dun pile up for the shifa test.... cuz then we'll b beaten pretty badly


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## Sadaf

Yes, im applying to Shifa and Goverment colleges in Lahore. But yah thats very true I hate it people in Pakistan are way to SMART...all they do is study all the time every other peson in pakistan these days is a doc or engineer! ughhhhh...why do the have to be so smart!


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## Dr.Eevil

yeh thats true malik,..... my bhabee (sister in law) is invigilating the entrance test!!!....yeee haaa !


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## malik_saabjee

wats ur admit card no? hav u receivd urz? mines is 700 sth... not sure... pray the applying students dont xceed 1000
n actualy... the trauma nowadayz iz... that these FSC ppl...i dun know wat's their problm... wen they know they'll b clearing the gov. entry test far more easier than us a-level or foreign degree holders..... still they'r applyng for the private colleges as well, n takng away our seats again....

like i gave the test for CMH medical kollege... me n some other a-level frndz..n there was the FSC crowd all around...n not surprisingly none of us passed.....the tests r all FSC-crap-based for every kollege.....

im just prayng it duznt happens in shifa


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## malik_saabjee

TO DR. EeVIL

entrance test for the gov. medical kolleges or shifa?


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## Dr.Eevil

shifa !!.....tehmina is a T.A in the patho department !


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## Dr.Eevil

btw just so none of u get any funny ideas,....my fourth year AT shifa ends in two weeks ....so having a bhabee invigilate shifa entrance exam will not effect me in ANY way !! haha


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## Rehan

A few things:


Nausheen, stop showing off #wink
There are 50 seats total. There are *NO SEATS RESERVED FOR FOREIGNERS*. 10 seats out of the 50 are for the children of Shifa International Hospital share holders but usually the full 10 are not used every year. Foreigners have to compete for the same 50 seats as everyone else does.
There are definitely more than 1000 applicants.
Please send all your bribes/leniency requests to Tehmina (who will be a proctor at the Shifa Entrance Exam) by clicking on her Med Studentz profile here!
_And life goes on....#happy
_


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## Dr.Eevil

r u kidding me ??? with the amount of hard work i have put into every prof; i totally shud be showing off !!! #nerd 


hehe !


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## MastahRiz

Try to stick to the topic please. Or take it to the MS Lounge. Thanks.


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## Dr.Eevil

quit playing daddy riz !


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## atenolol

Oye Riz, tu bada "daddy" bun geya.


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## MastahRiz

Nausheen,

This forum has a purpose. It's not Orkut. If the rest of your posts are going to have absolutely nothing to do with the topic, then they'll be moved or deleted as needed.

Stick to the topic or take it to the MS Lounge.

Thanks for your cooperation.

P.S.

You need not reply to this post.


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## queenofdamean

Does anyone know the approximate number of students that will be applying to Shifa this year? and Last year- wat was the highest merit? How well do people do in the entrance exam?


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## Rehan

queenofdamean said:


> Does anyone know the approximate number of students that will be applying to Shifa this year? and Last year- wat was the highest merit? How well do people do in the entrance exam?


I think there are around 1200-1300 applications for this year. Not sure about last year's entrance test results unfortunately. You may have better luck calling the Student Affairs office and asking them.


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## Dr.Eevil

there r 1100 ,...for 44 seats ,.... i was talking to the asst dean,...he told me !


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## MastahRiz

Dr.Eevil said:


> there r 1100 ,...for 44 seats ,.... i was talking to the asst dean,...he told me !


Thanks Nausheen! #wink


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## queenofdamean

why 44 seats? It says 50 seats in the website! :O


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## Dr.Eevil

queenofdamean said:


> why 44 seats? It says 50 seats in the website! :O


 
i'll ask him when i see him next ,.... he just mentioned the whole thing during a conversation, and having no reason to inquire about an entrance exam since im way past that stage ,..i didn't ask him. i'll see if i can catch him sometime soon ,...will let u know whats happening to the 6 seats .


----------



## MastahRiz

Dr.Eevil said:


> i'll ask him when i see him next ,.... he just mentioned the whole thing during a conversation, and having no reason to inquire about an entrance exam since im way past that stage ,..i didn't ask him. i'll see if i can catch him sometime soon ,...will let u know whats happening to the 6 seats .


Hey I heard something like because Shifa's previous classes have been over fifty by a lot that now for the next few years they have to make up for it by allowing less than fifty in each new class. Maybe that's where the other six seats went...


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## Rehan

Shifa's deadline for new applications has been extended until tomorrow:

Tuesday October 10th, 2006 until 3 PM.

Probably won't make much of a difference but just wanted to let everyone know.


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## UltraSpy

Thats just fabulous. We need more competition for those 44 seats. I am pretty sure atleast another 50 people applied by the extended deadline. I am gonna go and research other third world countries where I can get a cheap 5-year MBBS degree.
#angry


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## queenofdamean

Its really scary stuff. But i've heard from a friend that they are more lenient with overseas students, is that true?

What is a decent estimate for the number of overseas students they take in these 50 students? Sorry, 44.


----------



## Rehan

queenofdamean said:


> Its really scary stuff. But i've heard from a friend that they are more lenient with overseas students, is that true?
> 
> What is a decent estimate for the number of overseas students they take in these 50 students? Sorry, 44.


I don't think that they are more lenient with overseas students in terms of giving them admission when they feel they do not deserve it. They however are more lenient in accepting a foreign student who has a lower IBCC Equivalence Score because they know that the IBCC office takes up to 20% off of foreign students' scores.

Out of a class of 50 I'd say based upon their past history they'll probably take 3-5 foreign applicants -- but thats by no means some absolute rule. Just what we've seen from experience in the last few years. Before that Shifa had another person running the admissions department and his administration was much more pro-foreigners than the new administration seems to be.


Good luck to everyone who has applied!


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## queenofdamean

Thanks for being so proactive about this btw.
I just wnted to bother u a lil bit more, do u have any ideas about when the results are coming and the merit lists and stuff, cos i need to go back home and im stuck in pakistan till i get those!


----------



## queenofdamean

actually i sent the college an email myself and found out today- they said expect results within 10-12 days and the actual merit list in the final week of october.


----------



## Rehan

queenofdamean said:


> actually i sent the college an email myself and found out today- they said expect results within 10-12 days and the actual merit list in the final week of october.


Thanks for the info! #nerd


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## queenofdamean

*Migration*

Is there any migration scheme to Shifa if you're doing your 1st year MBBS from a Pakistani Med school?


----------



## malik_saabjee

hhmm... guess wat guys... i cleared the shifa test .. they calld me today.... rehan bhai... i wantd to ask u ... k how many wud they b shortlistng for the interview..... n how much does the interview counts??


----------



## maik7upurz

Migration is always a headache in pakistan, so much red tape, unless you know someone your stuck where you are.


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## queenofdamean

Okay- so its really really hard? Do you have any idea when you can apply for migration?


----------



## Rehan

malik_saabjee said:


> hhmm... guess wat guys... i cleared the shifa test .. they calld me today.... rehan bhai... i wantd to ask u ... k how many wud they b shortlistng for the interview..... n how much does the interview counts??


They've shortlisted 109 applicants for interviews. Go here for a full interview list.

Interviews count towards 5% of your total admission score.


----------



## Rehan

queenofdamean said:


> Okay- so its really really hard? Do you have any idea when you can apply for migration?


queenofdamean,

You can find Shifa's detailed Migration Policy here:

2006 Shifa Migration/Transfer Policy


----------



## malik_saabjee

Rehan bhai... im pretty confused over here....... they'v short-listed 109 students..... n this interview list is an aggregate of both the fsc equivalent marks and the entry test score.... so if the interview counts 5% to the admission procedure.... so wud they b like.... kickng off 59 students in the interview to fill up their total of 50??? but here the shifa prospectus says the interview is just a formality...


----------



## Rehan

malik_saabjee said:


> Rehan bhai... im pretty confused over here....... they'v short-listed 109 students..... n this interview list is an aggregate of both the fsc equivalent marks and the entry test score.... so if the interview counts 5% to the admission procedure.... so wud they b like.... kickng off 59 students in the interview to fill up their total of 50??? but here the shifa prospectus says the interview is just a formality...


The interview itself doesn't count for very much but it does hold 5% of the weight that is used in determining who is accepted and who is not.

There are 109 students for the interview list but they will only take approximately 45-50 students in their final class selection so to answer your question, yes, approximately half of the students who have been granted an interview will not be selected for the final class list.

Shifa also knows that many students that have been given interviews may end up going to goverment schools (government school results haven't been released yet) so that is why they have granted interviews to twice as many seats as they have available.


----------



## malik_saabjee

anyone of this forum who'z been called for interviews??


----------



## malik_saabjee

rehan bhai...i'd like to ask...that shifa has sent me a three-page list of rules n regulations.....like hair cut short...no jeans for girls... n stuff...how much do they regulate these in the college? i mean...do they realy mean by wat they'r sayng or like its just formally said


----------



## Rehan

They're pretty strict about you not wearing jeans to college (for both men and women) and will actually fine you if you do.

As long as you dress respectable and wear clean clothes you should be fine.

Don't worry about these kind of small things -- just be thankful that you've been admitted! #grin


----------



## Rehan

One of Shifa's own American graduates writes up about how he scored in the 95th percentile on the USMLE Step 1 Exam.

Read about it here!

And here's some more test scores that Shifa's latest class to graduate just scored on the Step 1.


----------



## Sadaf

malik_saabjee said:


> rehan bhai...i'd like to ask...that shifa has sent me a three-page list of rules n regulations.....like hair cut short...no jeans for girls... n stuff...how much do they regulate these in the college? i mean...do they realy mean by wat they'r sayng or like its just formally said


 
Seriously I can?t believe u guys care so much about these dum issues!! I mean really ur going to a medical school how about lets put more focus on questions like are the classes hard??? Instead of asking are the girls hott??? And maliksaabjee why do u care if girls cant wear jeans??? Also if u people are planning on going to e medical school im hoping that your not thinking that its going to be like here in the US?.party..party all its going to be is work work work?so stop worryin about the girls and start studying?no offense to anyone..lol


----------



## maik7upurz

Sadaf said:


> Seriously I can?t believe u guys care so much about these dum issues!! I mean really ur going to a medical school how about lets put more focus on questions like are the classes hard??? Instead of asking are the girls hott??? And maliksaabjee why do u care if girls cant wear jeans??? Also if u people are planning on going to e medical school im hoping that your not thinking that its going to be like here in the US?.party..party all its going to be is work work work?so stop worryin about the girls and start studying?no offense to anyone..lol


Yah, the girls are usually UGLY! Good looking girls either get married to some rich guy or something else. Girls who go to med school in pakistan are just getting a degree so they will be more attractive for marriage (they have an idea that educated means more than being educated, means being a professional) so most of them get married after med school anyway and maybe 10% practice. A few percent are supreme feminists who want to be independant and they see this as their way. But anyway, I'll say this.. Aga Khan girls are ooogly, they too busy studying to even put any make up on, and their usually on the over weight side. 

So like Sadaf says, med school girls, gross =)


----------



## Rehan

Sadaf said:


> Also if u people are planning on going to e medical school im hoping that your not thinking that its going to be like here in the US?.party..party all its going to be is work work work?



I think I can say with absolute certainty that medical school in the US is the exact opposite of party party party. #yes


----------



## malik_saabjee

im not interestd in girls wearing either shalwar kameez or jeans... i was just askng that for a friend (female) who'll be my classfellow in the badge of 2011 (SCM)... it was her question actually...

but i do really care when the shifa disciplinary committee writes that boys should not wear jeans, or casual T-shirts...n stuff like the dress should b with a tie,coat,etc. Its as if they want a uniform. 

If other private medical institutions don't enact such strictness in dress code, why should it be shifa with such rules like no jeans for boys.


----------



## malik_saabjee

I'll be glad if someone please help me out settling there in islamabad. My elder brother is coming for house job in PIMS after completng his MBBS from baqai. I'll rather live with him than the shifa hostels.. so if anyone knows any private hostels in I-8 or rented apartments... plz do let me know.


----------



## Sadia

Rehan said:


> I think I can say with absolute certainty that medical school in the US is the exact opposite of party party party. #yes


yep and the same can be said about brit med schools...thats why i'l be doing med as a second degree (inshallah)..iv had my fun #happy ....oh and with female med students being unattractive...i guess the same can be said by about any gender (med student)..one persons beauty is another persons beast....

:happy:


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## malik_saabjee

when do I get to be promoted to a full member? instead of a junior..


----------



## Rehan

malik_saabjee said:


> when do I get to be promoted to a full member? instead of a junior..


Upon reaching thirty posts -- you're almost there


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## Sadaf

Rehan said:


> I think I can say with absolute certainty that medical school in the US is the exact opposite of party party party. #yes


noo i meant you know like in the US after 12th grade u then have to get ur bachelors degree before applying to med school..and people do tend to enjoy in that time period...so thats why i said that.


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## malik_saabjee

oh really..anyways sadaf do read my reply to ur comments on the top of this page

at last.. i'm a full member!


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## SalSabeel

lol, you guys have been doing a great job answering questions!! But another question..in Shifa, do you guys get time to hang out, or free time to do whatever during the day/afternoon, or is it basically studyin/cramming all day and night? Also, is Shifa 6 days a week or 5? and are the libraries there open late to study or do they shut early?? 

Thanks
#rofl

How would you guys rate Shifa when it comes to Clinicals and USMLE's? like RMC is "amazing" when it comes to the clinicals and working in the hospital b/c you can go one on one with patients and also, the graduates of RMC score really good on their USMLE's...so what's up with Shifa when it comes to these things??


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## malik_saabjee

Welcome to Medstudentz SalSabeel! I'm not the moderator though, just raising up my posts...Rehan bhai would have an answer for you.


----------



## Rehan

SalSabeel said:


> lol, you guys have been doing a great job answering questions!! But another question..in Shifa, do you guys get time to hang out, or free time to do whatever during the day/afternoon, or is it basically studyin/cramming all day and night? Also, is Shifa 6 days a week or 5? and are the libraries there open late to study or do they shut early??
> 
> Thanks
> #rofl


Shifa's one of the few medical colleges in Pakistan that runs on a Western schedule. Classes are held from 8am - 4pm Monday - Friday with a half hour break from 10:00 - 10:30 and an hour lunch break from 1pm - 2pm. There are no classes on Saturday however the two senior clinical years (4th and 5th year) students do still have to see patients on Saturdays. 

So yeah, during the week, you get home pretty late in the afternoon and there isn't a ton of free time because of the pace at which the material is covered but if you manage your time well its not the end of the world either.



SalSabeel said:


> How would you guys rate Shifa when it comes to Clinicals and USMLE's? like RMC is "amazing" when it comes to the clinicals and working in the hospital b/c you can go one on one with patients and also, the graduates of RMC score really good on their USMLE's...so what's up with Shifa when it comes to these things??


In my opinion Shifa prepares its students as well as or better than other medical colleges for the USMLE in terms of the style of questions and test formats we're given. This thread gives some USMLE Step 1 scores for some recent Shifa graduates.

In terms of clinical experience, Shifa is a private hospital and therefore has patients which are financially better off than the average patient seen at a government hospital. Patients who can pay are usually more picky about their treatment as well and aren't the most enthusiastic about having a medical student examine them. To solve this problem Shifa recently created a free charity based hospital where patients from all over Islamabad and other areas of Pakistan come for free or almost-free treatment. This allows Shifa students to also come close to obtaining the level of exposure that medical students in government colleges experience.

I've heard that in some government colleges students are just left free to wander around and learn on their own by examining patients. This for some may be the best way to learn but I personally prefer the way Shifa teaches where students are assigned patients, are required to follow up on those patients and at the end of every hospital rotation shift are required to report on their status and give a full history and condition to the doctor in charge of that patient or floor.


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## maik7upurz

For govt college I'll use RMC as an example.
RMC has hospitals which are fully "Teaching Hospitals", that is their main purpose, actually 3 of them. The good thing about this is treatment is basically free, and the patients we receive come for every kind of ailment. You will see things that you might see once in a lifetime even. I doubt the level of exposure at shifa can compare to it. 

Also at RMC we have 2 hours dedicated to clinical 4 days a week and one hour alloted for going and coming from the hospital. Students aren't free to wander around! At the start of the 2 hours there is a special classroom where the students gather, there are about 14 students per clinical batch and we have modern classrooms in the hospitals with desks and everything hah. The teacher explains the topic for the day in about 15 minutes and then we all move as a group to different rooms on the ward and examine patients with the doctor showing us everything. We are also alloted 2 beds per student in which we are supposed to take the history and stuff. 

I think the advantage at Govt. colleges is the vast array. At a private they might be able to set up a general pattern but in a govt you get involved in Orthopaedic wards at the hospital and there are always 20 patients or so there, Neurology, surgery, medicine etc.

As a foreigner though its much more difficult to gain much clincally in Pakistan and Shifa might be the better option possibly. But for local Pakistani this is the major drawback at Shifa.


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## SalSabeel

Thanks so much for the explanation!! well, inshAllah, i would like to try out for Shifa, however the competition and the high standards are starting to scare me!! What should an average/acceptable SAT 1 score be?


----------



## Rehan

SalSabeel said:


> Thanks so much for the explanation!! well, inshAllah, i would like to try out for Shifa, however the competition and the high standards are starting to scare me!! What should an average/acceptable SAT 1 score be?


Shifa does not require (nor does it ask for) the SAT 1 score for admissions.


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## SalSabeel

Aright... u guys dont seem to mind when u're bombarded w. questions #wink so here are some more...ok well b/c of the consistent repition i'm a littlleee confused!! 
-For the IBCC and the whole equivalence deal, is it bascially where the evaluate our High School grades, etc. or do we take an exam or something??
-For the Shifa Entrance test/Sat 2- If we do good on the SAT 2 and have a good GPA then we shouldnt worry about the entrance exam?? 
-At this point i'm a senior(really a junior but i'm graduating early inshAllah) so do you think that i should focus more on SAT 2 or the Entrance exam...? And what SAT 2 do you think was the easiest to get a high score on?? 
-And should we order the books you said were good to study from now, or wait?? 

Thanks a bunch!!! #cool


----------



## Rehan

SalSabeel said:


> Aright... u guys dont seem to mind when u're bombarded w. questions #wink so here are some more...ok well b/c of the consistent repition i'm a littlleee confused!!
> -For the IBCC and the whole equivalence deal, is it bascially where the evaluate our High School grades, etc. or do we take an exam or something??
> -For the Shifa Entrance test/Sat 2- If we do good on the SAT 2 and have a good GPA then we shouldnt worry about the entrance exam??
> -At this point i'm a senior(really a junior but i'm graduating early inshAllah) so do you think that i should focus more on SAT 2 or the Entrance exam...? And what SAT 2 do you think was the easiest to get a high score on??
> -And should we order the books you said were good to study from now, or wait??
> 
> Thanks a bunch!!! #cool


IBCC does not give you any sort of test -- they'll give you a score based on your high school grades.

Shifa requires EITHER 1) the SAT 2 tests in physics, chemistry, and biology OR 2) the entrance examination. You do not need to take both. One or the other only.

Study for the SAT 2 exams. You need to take all three subjects (physics, chemistry, biology) and out of those three subjects at least two of the subjects need to have a score of at least 650. I'd recommend you only sign up for one subject at a time and study only for that subject to do as well as possible on it.

The books recommended in previous posts were most likely for the Shifa Entrance Exam. If you're applying from the US, take the SAT 2 exams. Don't even think about taking the entrance exam -- you'll get killed by the local students in it since you're not used to their high school system at all.


----------



## maik7upurz

SalSabeel said:


> Thanks so much for the explanation!! well, inshAllah, i would like to try out for Shifa, however the competition and the high standards are starting to scare me!! What should an average/acceptable SAT 1 score be?


Yah, go for Shifa first, but since in the process you will have all the material needed to apply to the "govt medical school merit based lottery" you should definetly do that as a backup in case you do not get into Shifa, doesnt cost anything and requires no SAT or entry test.


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## SalSabeel

Well because I won't really know where i'm going to go till i go to pakistan next summer, what do you think we would need to take here from US? I like in Rawalpindi..and Islamabads really close so i'm assuming i can get alot of things from there, but what would the necessities be?


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## sh425

Hey there I'm from the US and interested in applying to Shifa. I'm curious to know if they look at extra-cirricular activities such as work experience. I've worked as a trained Medical Assistant at an Urgent Care.The doctors there knew I was pre-med and really let me in on a lot of information regarding the field of medicine. I had an immense amount of one on one patient interaction and am hoping that this may help my application. 

Any opinions?


----------



## Rehan

sh425 said:


> Hey there I'm from the US and interested in applying to Shifa. I'm curious to know if they look at extra-cirricular activities such as work experience. I've worked as a trained Medical Assistant at an Urgent Care.The doctors there knew I was pre-med and really let me in on a lot of information regarding the field of medicine. I had an immense amount of one on one patient interaction and am hoping that this may help my application.
> 
> Any opinions?


Hi sh425, welcome to Med Studentz!

Your experience will most likely give you an edge in the admissions process but you will still require competitive scores to be selected.

I would definitely recommend though that when you are applying you include an additional letter explaining what you did along with any letters of recommendation you have from the people you worked with.


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## sh425

If Shifa accepts AP courses in the sciences (granted one gets a 4-5 on the AP final) rather than taking the placement exam, would they accept college level sciences as an alternative for taking the entrance exam? 

The AP courses are considered to be equivalent to college level courses however college level courses in general have always been far more difficult than that of AP courses.

I was hoping that maybe they could evaluate or take into account my college credits in the sciences as an alternative to taking the entrance exam...


----------



## Rehan

sh425 said:


> If Shifa accepts AP courses in the sciences (granted one gets a 4-5 on the AP final) rather than taking the placement exam, would they accept college level sciences as an alternative for taking the entrance exam?
> 
> The AP courses are considered to be equivalent to college level courses however college level courses in general have always been far more difficult than that of AP courses.
> 
> I was hoping that maybe they could evaluate or take into account my college credits in the sciences as an alternative to taking the entrance exam...


sh425,

I believe you're a little confused. Shifa does not accept AP courses/tests as an alternative to the Shifa Entrance Exam.

Shifa only accepts the SAT-2 Subject Tests in biology, chemistry, and physics in lieu of the Entrance Exam. No AP tests or college level classes.


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## sh425

Well thanks Rehan you've been extremely helpful and as many have said earlier, this website has answered a lot!


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## Rehan

Graduates from Shifa College of Medicine in Islamabad, Pakistan are now approved by the Medical Board of California for practice and licensure in the state of California.

Look at the list, under the Pakistan section for:
_
Bahria University, Shifa College of Medicine_

Check the list: Medical Board of California - Medical Schools Recognized by the Medical Board of California


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## malik_saabjee

Great news for all Shifites and To-Be-Shifities such as me.... McDonald being opened at F-9 Park!


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## malik_saabjee

Rehan bhai, I'v paid my hostel dues finally, couldn't find an arrangement outside, so like be it this way the first year. Thanks anyways! 

And can you please explain the fooling scenario, escpecially in the hostels. And has the new administration changed its policies regarding this.


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## Sadaf

malik_saabjee said:


> oh really..anyways sadaf do read my reply to ur comments on the top of this page
> 
> at last.. i'm a full member!


oh ok i guess i just misunderstood ur prior post!!


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## maik7upurz

Ugh McDonalds is about 300 feet from my house here now, and there is another one 5 minutes away from RMC campus. After 1 week you WILL get sick of it!!!


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## malik_saabjee

Rehan bhai, can I be your cousin for the first few days of my college? Because I've been hearing pretty weird ragging stuff for the freshmen. And oh, please please, at least somehow protect me at the hostel, I'll be grateful to you my entire life. 

Actually I think I'm already on the PREY list. I only posted suggesting a welcome party for us first years at orkut, and the seniors have been replying like "YOU'LL *GET* YOUR PARTY, DON'T WORRY"


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## Rehan

Malik_saabjee,

Shifa hostel fooling/hazing is a long held time honored tradition that makes each 1st year hostelite better than his ordinary "day-scholar" counterpart. If you live in the hostel, you will be fooled. That's just the way the world works.

Don't worry, it shouldn't be too bad, unless you have very low pain tolerance. #wink

And plus, if all the American kids have to go through it too, why shouldn't you? Before you know it, you'll be a 2nd year student and anxiously looking forward to the fresh meat coming in so you can do it to them! #grin


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## maik7upurz

DID SOMEONE SAY FOOLING!!!! mwa hahaha


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## malik_saabjee

Oh boy! Guess I have to expect the worst.... 

Anyways, at least tell me how much, or to what extent can we be ragged? I mean, what's the limit, because it varies college to college.


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## Dr.Eevil

rehan ..what is this i hear ? u're giving bodyguard services to those who r on ur community ? come on malik saabjee , where's ur sense of fuunnnnn ...... we deserve to exploit the kiddy winkies once a year ...


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## maik7upurz

Dont worry some of the peoples idea here of "initiation" aka "fooling" is making you give a dandelion to a girl and say I love you or something like that. Or they make you squat down and squeeze your ear lobes. In RMC in the hostels they get pretty brutal without any mercy. They make some students put their hands on each others shoulders and walk around the market in a train fashion chanting seniors rock we are stupid or something like that. Once I heard they stuck a "cleaning tool" up someones "rear end" and there was this big controversy over expelling the student even though he was a 5th year student they probably didnt and he might have ended up giving the student some compensation. sigh, he was never the same after that day.


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## malik_saabjee

Oh well! I think I'll have to walk through the same insulting-phase just like everybody else. But at least you guys on this ValueMD (currently in Shifa), can offer some relaxation if you catch me for fooling, right?


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## Dr.Eevil

haha ! well if i come across some 1 and half foot long kid with a green hat (ref. to ur display pic) ,..i'll be sure to tell em to take it easy . 

and yeah yoseph, we pakistanies are sadly not very original ,...one of our MANY flaws...sad? yes i know .


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## zeta3d

damn,where hav i been all this time..hello malik sahab!


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## Rehan

Dr.Eevil said:


> rehan ..what is this i hear ?* u're giving bodyguard services to those who r on ur community ?* come on malik saabjee , where's ur sense of fuunnnnn ...... we deserve to exploit the kiddy winkies once a year ...


Please learn how to read. Then re-read the thread. Thanks. #grin


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## Dr.Eevil

i'll try rehan ,....it will be tough ,..but i'll try ! 
hehe


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## SalSabeel

Can anyone get some pics of Shifa, like the classes, lecture halls, random things on the campus? 

Thanks 
#happy


*Administrative Update:
*Pictures of Shifa College of Medicine, Islamabad


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## sh425

yeah that would be awsome if someone could do that!


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## MastahRiz

Sure thing, we'll go ahead and have those for you in about another week or two.


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## sh425

do most students start med school at age 18 in Pakistan?


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## MastahRiz

Yes, give or take a year.


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## sh425

I'm just a little worried because I'm working on applying to some med schools over there and if I got in somewhere I'd be starting at age 21. I just didn't want to stick out like sore thumb.


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## MastahRiz

Most foreigners are older when they start, it's not a bad thing. No one really cares.


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## atenolol

I was 21 when I started...and I don't really care, because everyone in med school is gonna be the same age in 10 years: rich.


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## rzz123

tru dat ^^ lol. well most of the places i've checked out set the age limit for med school from 17 to 25. so 21 isn't actually a bad age to start. ppl in med school are probably too stressed out with studying to care about age anyways.


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## sh425

ahh that's so true good point


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## sh425

sooo does anyone have any pictures of shifa other than the ones on their website


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## MastahRiz

#shockedOOPS. Sorry about that. I'll post some up as soon as we have classes again. We're on a short break right now.


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## sh425

sweet, thanks


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## falikkhwaja

i wanted to ask 1 thing,im currently doing my A-levels (will complete in june 07 and get the results in august 07),ive got straight A's in my O-levels and AS-levels.can i get the certificate from IBCC now and can i apply to shifa now with my last years grades.


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## MastahRiz

yeah your grades are still valid, and you can apply for the year 2008.


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## Rehan

falikkhwaja said:


> i wanted to ask 1 thing,im currently doing my A-levels (will complete in june 07 and get the results in august 07),ive got straight A's in my O-levels and AS-levels.can i get the certificate from IBCC now and can i apply to shifa now with my last years grades.





MastahRiz said:


> yeah your grades are still valid, and you can apply for the year 2008.


You can only apply for your IBCC certificate *AFTER* you receive your diploma. Check out the IBCC thread on this forum for more details.


----------



## Anjani379

If I began my medical school at Shifa, would I have to stay there for years 3-5 for the clinicals or can I come back to the US for them?


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## MastahRiz

The minimum is five years. If you want to do more clinical training after that, then you can choose to stay at Shifa even longer, but for an MBBS degree, it takes five years minimum anywhere in Pakistan.


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## sh425

what's the dresscode like for girls in shifa? If there isn't really one specifically what do most girls wear? salwar kameez, or a pant-shirt attire? Also would you say that girls and guys talk on equal grounds or is it segregated...or somewhere in between?


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## MastahRiz

Shifa classrooms are segregated. Girls sit on one side of the room and guys on the other, but outside of class people mix on a regular basis and it's not considered anything out of the ordinary.

Girls do wear shalvar-kameez regularly, under their lab coats. Some girls do wear jeans or khaki pants occasionally, but the majority of girls just stick to the ethnic dress.

Guys tend to wear pants/dress shirts regularly.


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## cooldude89

currently how may Americans in total attend Shifa from all of the 5 year batches?


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## Rehan

There's roughly about 30-40 out of roughly 300 students, making up around 10% of the school's population. There's a lot of students from other countries as well though including the middle east, the UK, and Canada.


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## farooq

I was wondering if anyone can tell me what the safety situation is like at the Shifa Campus? Are their thefts and such for example if you are going between the hostel and your classes is it possible to get your cell phone snatched, because I heard that in Pakistan its very common to get your cell phone snatched. And if you have a laptop in the hostel is can people steal it or is there security.


----------



## Rehan

farooq said:


> I was wondering if anyone can tell me what the safety situation is like at the Shifa Campus? Are their thefts and such for example if you are going between the hostel and your classes is it possible to get your cell phone snatched, because I heard that in Pakistan its very common to get your cell phone snatched. And if you have a laptop in the hostel is can people steal it or is there security.


There are no such security issues with the Shifa hostels. A van is provided for the hostels that are not located across the street to safely bring students back and forth between campus. 

Other than that, Islamabad and the area in which Shifa is located are very safe parts of Pakistan and most stories that you'll hear about Pakistan being unsafe have nothing to do with Islamabad.


----------



## farooq

Rehan said:


> There are no such security issues with the Shifa hostels. A van is provided for the hostels that are not located across the street to safely bring students back and forth between campus.
> 
> Other than that, Islamabad and the area in which Shifa is located are very safe parts of Pakistan and most stories that you'll hear about Pakistan being unsafe have nothing to do with Islamabad.


Thnx for your reply bro, I was jus wondering if there are like thefts and stuff because someone told me cell phones thefts are a huge problem everywhere in Pakistan #baffled


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## MastahRiz

No one's going to steal your cell phone out of your pocket. Leave something laying around in the open though, and yes, it'll be gone before you know it. That goes for cell phones, books, wallets, money, and anything else. Same rules as anywhere else basically...


----------



## farooq

MastahRiz said:


> No one's going to steal your cell phone out of your pocket. Leave something laying around in the open though, and yes, it'll be gone before you know it. That goes for cell phones, books, wallets, money, and anything else. Same rules as anywhere else basically...


Ye thats tru I guess


----------



## TotalNonStopAction

farooq said:


> I was wondering if anyone can tell me what the safety situation is like at the Shifa Campus? Are their thefts and such for example if you are going between the hostel and your classes is it possible to get your cell phone snatched, because I heard that in Pakistan its very common to get your cell phone snatched. And if you have a laptop in the hostel is can people steal it or is there security.


Dude, if you're so worried about your cell phone getting stolen maybe
A) you should figure out your priorities first and
B) you're not ready for medical school.

I mean seriously, are you some little baby kid that is going to go there with his mother and have her hold your hand to and from class? You've posted twice about a cell phone getting stolen or the security walking to and from the dorms. People like you shouldn't go to Pakistan for medical school because guess what? Life out there isn't going to be peachy keen and perfect so if you need 4-ply toilet paper on your ass, maybe you ought to just stay in the Western Hemisphere.

TNA, I'm out.


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## farooq

TotalNonStopAction said:


> Dude, if you're so worried about your cell phone getting stolen maybe
> A) you should figure out your priorities first and
> B) you're not ready for medical school.
> 
> I mean seriously, are you some little baby kid that is going to go there with his mother and have her hold your hand to and from class? You've posted twice about a cell phone getting stolen or the security walking to and from the dorms. People like you shouldn't go to Pakistan for medical school because guess what? Life out there isn't going to be peachy keen and perfect so if you need 4-ply toilet paper on your ass, maybe you ought to just stay in the Western Hemisphere.
> 
> TNA, I'm out.


Buddy I was jus wondering...If you didn't have the answer you didn't need to come up acting all funny wit ur crap sarcasm #roll My neighbor's brother got killed cus some guy tried to snatch his phone and he didn't give it up. I jus wanted to knw if things are like that on the campus too or if there actually is law and order. If there isn't I wouldn't take anything expensive with me like a laptop or a cell phone. Man I luv how some ppl don't answer straight forward questions but instead try to act funny wit stupid sense of humor on which only they can laugh at #roll If you didn't have the answer you didn't need to reply loser#roll


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## sh425

If farooq wants to ask questions about cellphones he has every right to. Cell phones are not an easy commodity to replace for many.


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## cooldude89

can someone please put up picture of Shifa as they said they would?


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## MastahRiz

Tomorrow, guaranteed.


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## sh425

yaaay! thank you!!!!!


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## Rehan

cooldude89 said:


> can someone please put up picture of Shifa as they said they would?


Pictures are up. #happy

You can find them here:

http://medstudentz.com/pakistan-medical-schools/338-pictures-shifa-college-medicine-islamabad.html


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## SalSabeel

ooh thanks so much for the pictures!! It's a really nice college!!! #cool hope we can get in!!!


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## Wasanbaloch

Nice pics Rehan, I visited Shifa last summer, i really liked the place. Do you know when Shifa is planning on starting its BDS program? The site says its under construction, and when I went to Shifa over the summer, the girl at the admissions office told me that the structure was still being put up. Then I called Shifa about a couple months ago, the guy had no idea what I was talking about, and kinda had no answer for me. So I thought I'd ask you since you go thier and would know best.


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## sh425

yaaay thanks so much for the pictures, it looks great!~


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## MedGrunt

excellent photography work MastahRiz.


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## maik7upurz

I believe the photography is biased. Show us the hardcore paki areas =)


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## MedGrunt

yeah there should probably be a picture of tuck shop included.


----------



## sh425

so I know that for recreational activities guys play football and the website showed 2 people playing table tennis (that was pretty sweet) what can girls do over there for recreational stuff, is there a campus gym or anything?


----------



## MastahRiz

not yet, but girls can play table tennis too, and eventually I think there will be some kind of a gym or rec hall.


----------



## Showman

AOA,

Im currently in high school in Canada, grade 12, final semester. Does anyone know what kind of marks I would need to get right now to have a hope of getting in. We go by percentages, and I don't know how GPA works. Also, how would I be able to take the entrance exam and outside of my high school courses and the entrance exam, is there any other test I have to take? Help appreciated.

Thanks


----------



## MastahRiz

Showman,

Even though you're a canadian applicant, the process is still pretty much the same. You have to go through IBCC for the equivalence score/certificate and then apply with that as well as your high school transcript. I'm not sure whether canadians take the SAT's, but if you don't, then you should find out if you can anyway, and take the SAT II subject tests in Physics, Biology, and Chemistry.

If you do take the entrance test though, it's better for you, and you won't have to worry about any other tests like SATs.

There's some other stuff scattered around here about the Shifa requirements, probably at the beginning of this thread... see if you can't dig that up as well and check it out.


----------



## Rehan

Showman said:


> AOA,
> 
> Im currently in high school in Canada, grade 12, final semester. Does anyone know what kind of marks I would need to get right now to have a hope of getting in. We go by percentages, and I don't know how GPA works. Also, how would I be able to take the entrance exam and outside of my high school courses and the entrance exam, is there any other test I have to take? Help appreciated.
> 
> Thanks


Hi Showman! Welcome to Med Studentz. 

In terms of percentages needed, you need a _minimum_ of 60% on the Pakistani F.Sc equivalence to be eligible to apply for medicine. What this means is that after your Canadian grades are converted to the Pakistani grading system (via the IBCC agency) you need to have AT LEAST 660/1100 points to be eligible. Now since the IBCC will deduct a fixed percentage off (10%) off whatever your conversion score comes out to (because they feel that the Pakistani grading system is tougher) you need to get at least 740/1100 before they deduct your 10%. I'm not sure what kind of grades you have right now, but if you go check out the IBCC website they'll give you an idea as to how they calculate and convert scores and you can then figure out what you need to score in school right now to get at least a 740.

From what I've seen is that if you have over an 820 in Equivalence along with a solid Entrance Test score (or SAT II scores) you have a good chance of being admitted.

I *would not recommend* that you take the Entrance Test however. I cannot stress enough that the best route for international students (especially those from the US/Canada) is to stick to the testing system they already know and are comfortable with. Take the SAT II tests in physics, biology, and chemistry. Do not take the entrance exam -- your chances of being admitted off of the entrance exam are very slim as you will be directly competing against at least 1200 other test-takers, most of them who have years of experience with the testing system in Pakistan.

Read back in this thread and you'll see what you need to do in terms of SAT II minimum requirements. Good luck to you.


----------



## Showman

We don't have to take the SAT's here but I'm pretty sure I can take the SAT for Bio, Chem, and Physics but what do you mean Rehan, can you please tell me what is so different about their testing system?

I went to the IBCC website, but their conversion talks about A level and O levels, I don't know how all that works. And I have English, Bio, and Chem this semester, with Bio and Chem being in the high 80's and English low 80's. I got 83 in Algebra and Discrete Geometry and am getting mid-90's in Calculus. I'm worried that my Physics mark is way too low because I only got 75.

It just sounds like its really tough to get in.


----------



## MedGrunt

hey there showman. welcome to the forum.

I would definitely suggest taking the SATs over the entrance test as well. The testing system is a little different in Pakistan in that they place a large emphasis on memorization. I took the entrance test and found it to be rather difficult. If you plan on taking the entrance test you absolutely must study(well unless you are genius type) from the local FSC books. Read the thread Any1 going to apply for MBBS this year (2007)? for some more info about entrance tests. 

In my opinion, taking the SAT IIs has a lot of advantages...
1. If you take the tests now and score well you won't have to fly out to Pakistan just for the entrance test. Which is great if you're already enrolled in school at home.
2. If you don't score well on the SAT IIs you can take them again! (Although I don't think they would like to see the same test taken 5 or 6 times...)The entrance test is a one shot deal.
3. The SAT testing style is much more familiar than Pakistan tests.
4. You wouldn't have to read the FSC books!

Try taking the SAT IIs first and seeing how well you do on them. If you think your scores are too low then use the entrance test as a last resort!


----------



## TotalNonStopAction

We had some students rotating from Shifa at my medical school a year back and I was really impressed with their clinical knowledge and understanding of the fundamentals of medicine. Pakistani schools really do train you people to be excellent physicians.

Good luck to everyone who's applying. Unfortunately not everyone can or will get in, but you gotta keep trying and know that if you have made it, you're part of a select crowd that will receive a great education for much much cheaper than what we pay here in the US!


----------



## Showman

Alright guys, thanks a lot for the help. I guess I'm gonna go for the SATs. Oh, and when do you guys think is the best time to apply?


----------



## Sadia

do shifa just want 1 yr of physics or the full qualification (Alevel) which is 2 yrs? thank you


----------



## Rehan

Sadia said:


> do shifa just want 1 yr of physics or the full qualification (Alevel) which is 2 yrs? thank you


It's not Shifa that requires it, but IBCC. You need 1 year of physics if you graduate via the American high school method. I'm not sure whether you need 1 or 2 years if you do A-levels.


----------



## Dr.Eevil

sh425 said:


> so I know that for recreational activities guys play football and the website showed 2 people playing table tennis (that was pretty sweet) what can girls do over there for recreational stuff, is there a campus gym or anything?


hey ! erm well first of all you'll probably not get anytime for "recreational stuff",... cuz first year just goes by in a blur ,... you spend half the time figuring out what books u should be studying and the rest is obviously spent studying ! islamabad is a nice place tho, lots of places to hang out and if u have nice CR's they'll arrange trips ( i recently went to lahore with my class and it was A-mazing !! ). Trust me , once u get in, passing time will be the least of your worries .


----------



## MedGrunt

Dr.Eevil said:


> cuz first year just goes by in a blur ,... you spend half the time figuring out what books u should be studying and the rest is obviously spent studying!


WHAT? we're supposed to study in first year??? oh damn. i keep hearing something called terms. hope it's not important...

well at least we 1st years get spring break! ha. eat it.


----------



## Dr.Eevil

dude its all about the impression !! terms make that impression,... once u have THAT made , u can go sing a song in prof viva and they'll pass u [ i mean as in they'll give u really good marks even if u give em not too impressive answers cuz they'd assume its cuz of the nerves cuz in terms u did so well and u're SUCH a good student other wise too ! ]

...enjoy ur spring break , i dont mind missing out on one lousy week , i just wanna get done with the next two terms and graduate as a doctor,.... where as u sweety still have a Looooong way to go ! Eat that ! hehe


----------



## MastahRiz

always tit for tat.


----------



## maik7upurz

Tat for tit


----------



## Rehan

Keep this thread on topic please.


----------



## Showman

Rehan said:


> It's not Shifa that requires it, but IBCC. You need 1 year of physics if you graduate via the American high school method. I'm not sure whether you need 1 or 2 years if you do A-levels.


Wait, so what does Shifa look at when checking out my marks. Will they look at both grade 11 and grade 12 bio, chem, and physics...or just grade 12?...Because the IBCC asks for marks from grade 9 to 12, so how would that end up working out because that means that my grade 9, 10, and 11 marks would count in my equivilancy, no?


----------



## MedGrunt

The IBCC office will factor in your grades when giving you your equivalence score but you will have to submit your full transcript (grades 9-12) to Shifa as well.


----------



## Sadia

i know this may be cheeky, but theres no harm in asking, can someone please find out what shifa require in terms of alevels? 1 yr or 2?....if its too much no worries


----------



## Showman

How hard is it to get residency in the US once you've finished your 5 years?

And also is the cost of the books included in the tuition fees, or are they seperate?


----------



## Rehan

Showman said:


> How hard is it to get residency in the US once you've finished your 5 years?


Post this question in the Beyond Med School section. This is a discussion in itself and discussing it here would detract from the relevance of this thread.



Showman said:


> And also is the cost of the books included in the tuition fees, or are they seperate?


Tuition fee does not include books, accomodation, or anything else. If you buy books here in Pakistan, the prices are negligible for the local versions. If you want the nicer printed international versions you can always get them cheap from some student who no longer needs them.


----------



## bhains_ki_dhum

IBL IBL IBL IBL IBL IBL (just in case)


----------



## bigboi_baller

*I'm new*

Hey, I'm new here. I'm from California. I'm a high school jr this year and I want to go to Shifa after I graduate in 2008. First of all, this thread is great; its helped a lot.

But since a lot of you guys are already going there, I wanted to ask if you think I can get in. I've got a 4.2 weighted GPA and a 3.9 unweighted. My grades are as follows:

Biology A
Honors Chem A-
AP Eng 3 B+
Eng 2 Accelerated A
Algebra 1 Accel. A-
Geometry A+
Honors Algebra 2 B
Pre-Calculus A-

Eng, Math, and Sci, those are all that matter, I believe. Does the IBCC board take into account if you take Honors and/or AP courses?

Next year, I'll take Physics Honors but no math course (which won't be a problem, right?)

I took the SAT 2 in Bio in Nov and w/o studying I got a 640, I'll take it again in May. I'll probably get a 3 or 4 in my AP Eng class. I'm planning to take SAT 2 Chem is June; in my Honors Chem class the average score was 720 last year, so I should be fine. I'll have to take SAT 2 Physics in may 08. Then move to paki over the summer and apply then. How soon should I plan on getting there in order to get everything done.


So based on my grades, do I have a good chance of getting in?

Any other advice you guys could pass on. Thanks a lot.


----------



## MastahRiz

You should set aside a minimum of 2 months to get everything done after coming to Pakistan. To be on the safe side though I'd say at least 4 months. The application deadline is usually in October.

I don't think anyone knows for sure how exactly the honors/AP classes are factored into your equivalence score, but my understanding is that they do have some impact.

Your GPA is pretty good, so do as well as you can on your SAT II's and you should have a decent chance. It's always competitive though and always relative as well. It depends a lot on what the other applicants bring to the table, and that changes every year.


----------



## bigboi_baller

Thanks for the quick response, hopefully I can get a few more opinions b/c it sounds as though there is a large representation of shifa here.


----------



## MedGrunt

bigboi_baller said:


> Thanks for the quick response, hopefully I can get a few more opinions b/c it sounds as though there is a large representation of shifa here.


MastahRiz is right, focus on SAT IIs because the competition is increasing every year.


----------



## bigboi_baller

MedGrunt said:


> MastahRiz is right, focus on SAT IIs because the competition is increasing every year.



How important are grades vs SATs?

And how do my high school grades compare with other Shifa students or Pak med-students in general?


----------



## MedGrunt

Your grades are ok---that's around where they need to be so don't get senioritis and you should be alright in terms of that. SAT IIs are very important. They're a much better way to rank you against other foreigners that apply in comparison to your high school grades since every school grades differently.

But if you don't do well on SAT IIs you're gpa won't mean a thing. It won't get you in.


----------



## bigboi_baller

MedGrunt said:


> Your grades are ok---that's around where they need to be so don't get senioritis and you should be alright in terms of that. SAT IIs are very important. They're a much better way to rank you against other foreigners that apply in comparison to your high school grades since every school grades differently.
> 
> But if you don't do well on SAT IIs you're gpa won't mean a thing. It won't get you in.



They ask you to get over 650 in 2 out of 3 but what is a "good" SAT II score?


----------



## MastahRiz

An 800 will give you a competitive application. According to the Dean of Admissions, there are plenty of applicants with perfect scores on SAT II's.

I say at the very least you should have 700.


----------



## bigboi_baller

MastahRiz said:


> An 800 will give you a competitive application. According to the Dean of Admissions, there are plenty of applicants with perfect scores on SAT II's.
> 
> I say at the very least you should have 700.


Wow that sounds really competitive. Perfect scores? Thats really good.

How does shifa rank among the private colleges in Pak? 

Rehan bhai, since you seem to be the expert, what do you think of my grades?

Just on a side note, does shifa have any sports clubs? i know other schools have teams because one of my friends plays basketball for another med school.


----------



## MastahRiz

There's more competition every year at Shifa. It's hard to say how Shifa ranks as compared to the other private medical colleges, but it's definitely a step up from some of the government schools. With all the popularity Shifa is gaining nowadays though, it's kind of generally accepted that Shifa comes right after Aga Khan on the private schools list.

And yes, Shifa has sports teams, but they're not what you're used to. There's no practices, no coaches, and a game only every 3 months or so if you're on the basketball team. It's all organized by students. Most of the other teams are run in a similar way.


----------



## bigboi_baller

MastahRiz said:


> And yes, Shifa has sports teams, but they're not what you're used to. There's no practices, no coaches, and a game only every 3 months or so if you're on the basketball team. It's all organized by students. Most of the other teams are run in a similar way.


Yeah, thats exactly what my friend from faslabad told me. But games are every 3 months? That means you play only a couple of games a yr...


----------



## bigboi_baller

bigboi_baller said:


> Hey, I'm new here. I'm from California. I'm a high school jr this year and I want to go to Shifa after I graduate in 2008. First of all, this thread is great; its helped a lot.
> 
> But since a lot of you guys are already going there, I wanted to ask if you think I can get in. I've got a 4.2 weighted GPA and a 3.9 unweighted. My grades are as follows:
> 
> Biology A
> Honors Chem A-
> AP Eng 3 B+
> Eng 2 Accelerated A
> Algebra 1 Accel. A-
> Geometry A+
> Honors Algebra 2 B
> Pre-Calculus A-
> 
> Eng, Math, and Sci, those are all that matter, I believe. Does the IBCC board take into account if you take Honors and/or AP courses?
> 
> Next year, I'll take Physics Honors but no math course (which won't be a problem, right?)
> 
> I took the SAT 2 in Bio in Nov and w/o studying I got a 640, I'll take it again in May. I'll probably get a 3 or 4 in my AP Eng class. I'm planning to take SAT 2 Chem is June; in my Honors Chem class the average score was 720 last year, so I should be fine. I'll have to take SAT 2 Physics in may 08. Then move to paki over the summer and apply then. How soon should I plan on getting there in order to get everything done.
> 
> 
> So based on my grades, do I have a good chance of getting in?
> 
> Any other advice you guys could pass on. Thanks a lot.


BUMP. Rehan bhai, any advice? You seem to be the resident expert on shifa admissions.


----------



## MedGrunt

no offense, but you sound like you're just waiting for someone to tell you you're amazing and that your grades are definitely going to get you in...i wish we knew for sure what it takes to get in, but unfortunately it's all relative and depends on the applicants that you're competing against. it would be nice to have more foreigners at Shifa though.#happy 

and also asking for "any advice" is really broad. if you have any specific questions/concerns we're more than welcome to help, but without making them clear it's difficult to guess what exactly you want advice on...#confused


----------



## Rehan

bigboi_baller said:


> Hey, I'm new here. I'm from California. I'm a high school jr this year and I want to go to Shifa after I graduate in 2008. First of all, this thread is great; its helped a lot.
> 
> But since a lot of you guys are already going there, I wanted to ask if you think I can get in. I've got a 4.2 weighted GPA and a 3.9 unweighted. My grades are as follows:
> 
> Biology A
> Honors Chem A-
> AP Eng 3 B+
> Eng 2 Accelerated A
> Algebra 1 Accel. A-
> Geometry A+
> Honors Algebra 2 B
> Pre-Calculus A-
> 
> Eng, Math, and Sci, those are all that matter, I believe. Does the IBCC board take into account if you take Honors and/or AP courses?
> 
> Next year, I'll take Physics Honors but no math course (which won't be a problem, right?)
> 
> I took the SAT 2 in Bio in Nov and w/o studying I got a 640, I'll take it again in May. I'll probably get a 3 or 4 in my AP Eng class. I'm planning to take SAT 2 Chem is June; in my Honors Chem class the average score was 720 last year, so I should be fine. I'll have to take SAT 2 Physics in may 08. Then move to paki over the summer and apply then. How soon should I plan on getting there in order to get everything done.
> 
> 
> So based on my grades, do I have a good chance of getting in?
> 
> Any other advice you guys could pass on. Thanks a lot.


Your grades are solid and if you can perform on the SAT II Subject Exams as others have at your school you should be in the top tier of candidates for Shifa.

However until you can get your grades converted to an IBCC equivalence score and until you have taken the SAT 2's, it's all speculation. Unfortunately there isn't an exactly linear relationship between grades and the IBCC score. I've seen a student with grades lower than another's get a higher IBCC score. The truth of the matter is, their entire conversion system for American grades is rather vague and almost secretive. They've never provided a clear method of how they convert grades into the equivalence score (and I have asked them on numerous occasions).

So the best thing you can do is keep your grades up, get your diploma and get your equivalency score. Then take the SAT II and get 700 in at least two of the three subjects. If you can pull that off, you'll most likely get into Shifa.

Oh and it's ok if you don't take any math course next year but make sure you take an English class all four years of high school. 

Good luck.


----------



## Rehan

Shifa College will soon be releasing the admissions details and deadlines for the incoming freshman Class of 2012. I'll post some more info on here regarding dates when I get it.

Tuition is as follows: 

Foreign students: USD $12,000.00/year
Local Pakistani students and those from the Middle East: Rs. 350,000/year


----------



## desithug00000

*Question...*

Is the fee for Shifa College of Medicine $12,000 per year. Or is it $12,000 for five years altogether? And will the FSC books in Biology, Chem, and Physics will be enough to do well on the entrance exam? Lastly...those of you that are currently attending Shifa, what score did you guys have on ur IBCC certificate that proved competitive during the admission process? what would be a competitive score from the IBCC that will secure ur position in Shifa? Oh and how long is the Entrance Test for Shifa?...this last question was for you Rehan...

Thanx for all ur help guys... oh and those of you that currently attending Shifa....how do you like it there?

Take Care
Peace:happy:


----------



## MedGrunt

desithug00000 said:


> Is the fee for Shifa College of Medicine $12,000 per year. Or is it $12,000 for five years altogether?


Tuition for Shifa is $12,000 per year.



desithug00000 said:


> And will the FSC books in Biology, Chem, and Physics will be enough to do well on the entrance exam? Oh and how long is the Entrance Test for Shifa?...this last question was for you Rehan...


Read this thread: http://medstudentz.com/pakistan-med...-going-apply-mbbs-year-2007-a-3.html#post3162 for info about the Shifa entrance test. I've personally written a post about the entrance test in that thread that answers all of those questions.


----------



## zehraghaffar

when is the entry test date? anyone know plzz post it!


----------



## zehraghaffar

the entry test date is sept 9th 2007 at 9am for shifa...and the application deadline is august 31st 2007 ...the classes start the first week of dec 2007!!!


----------



## desithug00000

zehraghaffar said:


> the entry test date is sept 9th 2007 at 9am for shifa...and the application deadline is august 31st 2007 ...the classes start the first week of dec 2007!!!



are you sure these are the correct dates for the 2007/2008 school year???
i thought that the applications are due are mid october and the entry test is aruound the end of october or beginning of november!!!! 

did you get these dates from Shifa's website....or are you guessing?
i hope these dates arent true!!!


----------



## zehraghaffar

yeahh.. i got em from shifa's website..it says these dates on there..it was finally updated, so m sure its the right date,,,,m goin for it tooo n gotta get erything done by then...i was prettyyy shocked myself...

the dates ur talkin abt r from last yr..this year;s dates r on the website!!


----------



## bigboi_baller

Does anyone know if they are planning to move these dates any earlier for the 2008 admission season? If its not too much to ask, could someone attending Shifa could find out.


And any chance anyone would be willing to either link me to where I could find more pics of Shifa or put some up themselves?

And is Shifa hospital located right next to Shifa college? I went to the hospital last summer and, for those who haven't seen it, its looks just like an American hospital from inside and out. Thats one of the things that really attracted me to Shifa.


----------



## MedGrunt

bigboi_baller said:


> And any chance anyone would be willing to either link me to where I could find more pics of Shifa or put some up themselves?


We're on summer break for all of July #cool
But i'll try to add some pictures after classes start again.



bigboi_baller said:


> And is Shifa hospital located right next to Shifa college? I went to the hospital last summer and, for those who haven't seen it, its looks just like an American hospital from inside and out. Thats one of the things that really attracted me to Shifa.


Yeah Shifa hospital is connected to the medical college.


----------



## bigboi_baller

MedGrunt said:


> We're on summer break for all of July #cool
> But i'll try to add some pictures after classes start again.
> 
> 
> 
> Yeah Shifa hospital is connected to the medical college.


Enjoy the one month of summer you get! I'll enjoy my the 3 months I get before my final year of HS starts.Thats going to be something that takes getting used to, the short summer breaks.

One more year of HS! And to think, I've had senioritis since half way through my freshmen year.#laugh


----------



## MedGrunt

bigboi_baller said:


> Enjoy the one month of summer you get! I'll enjoy my the 3 months I get before my final year of HS starts.Thats going to be something that takes getting used to, the short summer breaks.
> 
> One more year of HS! And to think, I've had senioritis since half way through my freshmen year.#laugh


Yeah summer & winter vacations are each only a month long at Shifa and after the first couple of years it'll be time to do electives during those breaks #sad


----------



## bigboi_baller

MedGrunt said:


> Yeah summer & winter vacations are each only a month long at Shifa and after the first couple of years it'll be time to do electives during those breaks #sad


Are those month long breaks time where you can chill or is it more of time before a big test, so you basically spend all your break studying?


----------



## MastahRiz

yes, you can chill during those breaks.


----------



## LiLxLadie

Hey, I'm gona b takin the entrance test for shifa on Sept 9th .. i have a clear idea of what i have to study in terms of science, but does anyone know what the topics for math are? there are only a few questions on the sample exam i found online.. nd i havent gotten a prospectus as of yet.. i dont think the prospectus is online.. unless i'm mistaken? Help! pretty please...? #eek


----------



## MastahRiz

I'm not 100% sure, but I don't think the math part covers anything beyond the level of Algebra 2. It's pretty basic stuff, shouldn't be a problem.


----------



## LiLxLadie

Muchas Gracias MastahRiz


----------



## Canadienne

hey guys

I've been reading this thread for the past 2 hours and still confused! I am Canadian and we do not have SATs here what do i do? Also I heard that foreigners dont have to take the entrance exam, can someone plz lift this anxiety from meee

Thanksss


----------



## MastahRiz

If you're canadian, you can either take the SAT II's anyway, by signing up at collegeboard.com or you can go and take the entrance test. One or the other is a must for Shifa. Without one of those two things you'll have zero chance of admission.


----------



## Canadienne

zehraghaffar said:


> the entry test date is sept 9th 2007 at 9am for shifa...and the application deadline is august 31st 2007 ...the classes start the first week of dec 2007!!!


 
what if you cant take ur sat until oct 7, can i still apply?


----------



## MedGrunt

Canadienne said:


> what if you cant take ur sat until oct 7, can i still apply?


All test scores must be submitted along with the application by august 31st. You can either take the shifa entrance test or wait a year and apply with your SAT II scores for the following year.


----------



## Nausha

whts the best method to study for the chem/physics part of the shifa entrance test for a person living in the US?


----------



## MastahRiz

1. Have someone in Pakistan mail you the Fsc books that are used.

2. Use High school textbooks and SAT II prep books to prepare.


----------



## MedGrunt

Studying directly from FSc books is MUCH better than trying to study from high school books/SAT prep books.


----------



## Matiullah_26

*GUD NEWZ...*

*Greeetings...#happy *
*Shifa was previously provisionally recognized by PMDC... but by the grace of God it has got FULL RECOGNITION :happy: :happy: :happy: by PMDC n it would be officially announced on 14th August 2007... so with the independence of pakistan Shifa will also get a kind of independene cause it would be able to formulate it's own syllabus... n i'm sure it's a great reward for shifa college... btw studies, faculty, environment n teaching hospital r the strengths of shifa... now it has gained another strength( i.e. FULL RECOGNITION)... *


----------



## StarDust6

after going through these 14 pages in one sitting#baffled ...i am still a little unclear about the hostel conditions at Shifa....can anyone please elaborate? internet facilities? condition of toilets? general cleanliness?


----------



## georgebush

whats the minimum gpa required for entrance


----------



## MastahRiz

They don't say anything about it on the site anymore, but when I applied in 2004 it was a minimum requirement of 3.0 high school gpa overall for all four years.


----------



## Awaiz jameel

*need help!*

I've done my A'levels from Oman.. i gt an equivalence of 908 Mashallah, but i hv a serious entry exam phobia. is there any place i can get into wid sat scores or alternative? i hold a Pk passort so will i be considered local? are there any seats for overseas Pakistanis?
and lastly which med unis should i apply to?

thanks for all help!:happy:


----------



## medman

Awaiz jameel, hey I am pretty sure u will be considered as a local since u only have a Pakistani passport, u need a foreign passport to apply for a foreign seat.

However, u should look in to some private med schools like Shifa, or CMH or Dow.
They have a very good standard and u can directly apply to those schools.


----------



## MastahRiz

Passport doesn't matter, it's where you live that counts. If your permanent residence is outside of the country, then you're a foreign applicant.

BUT

Since you have a Pakistani passport you can choose to apply as a local, but then you're competing with a huge number of people that you weren't competing with before. Better to apply as a foreigner.


----------



## StarDust6

after going through these 14 pages in one sitting#baffled ...i am still a little unclear about the hostel conditions at Shifa....can anyone please elaborate? internet facilities? condition of toilets? general cleanliness?


----------



## MedGrunt

Stardust6,

Please read the forum rules before you start using this forum.

*You are NOT allowed to double post in this forum.


*As for your questions about hostel life....


StarDust6 said:


> after going through these 14 pages in one sitting#baffled ...i am still a little unclear about the hostel conditions at Shifa....can anyone please elaborate? internet facilities? condition of toilets? general cleanliness?


I don't live in the hostel myself but I have seen some of them. They're not anything spectacular but they're decent if you're not picky and willing to settle. They don't put much effort into maintaining the hostels so the hallways are dusty, furniture is old, paint is chipping off the walls, etc. They really don't go for any of the frills.

Generally the set up is that you share a room with one other person and the two of you have your own bathroom/shower.

It's very close to school---the guys hostels are within walking distance and there is a bus that goes to the girls hostels.

A possible advantage is that you wouldn't have to worry about cooking on your own, but then again you'ld be eating hostel food which most students don't seem particularly fond of.

The girls hostel does not have cable tv or internet access but I believe the guys hostel has both.

If you want to have a bit comfier setup I'd suggest trying to get an apartment or living with relatives.


----------



## Junnat

StarDust6 said:


> after going through these 14 pages in one sitting#baffled ...i am still a little unclear about the hostel conditions at Shifa....can anyone please elaborate? internet facilities? condition of toilets? general cleanliness?


Hey StarDust please read post#2 by Rehan in a thread, "Which School Should I choose," it has your answer. I think it's the best answer to your question since it comes from a student who goes to Shifa...hope it helps.#grin


----------



## Pride

waaaazuuuuup!! (salaam to everyone)

Just got back from the port air#happy. I went to shifa and they gave me a green paper with the requirements (will post later). Overall nice college. For some reason the net wouldnt let me login from there.


----------



## Awaiz jameel

I was just checking out Shifa's site when i came across the fact that they hold *interviews*. I'd like to know as to wat they'll be likely to ask for 40 mins?! anything u should *prepare for*? and when are the interviews held? and how does the college inform u?

I really really am thankful to everyone for their invaluable help!
God bless!


----------



## MastahRiz

Interviews are only given to approximately 150 people out of the 1500+ students that apply for the first year seats.

The 150 people are picked based on the merit of their transcripts, entrance test scores, and IBCC equivalence certificate score.


Out of the 150 people they'll select anywhere from 80 to 110 people per year for admission.

The interview questions are fairly general. It'll hardly ever take a full 40 minutes, and'll just cover stuff like why you want to be a doctor, what qualities you think a doctor should have, which of those qualities do you have, etc.


----------



## yas

hey Rehan, when do you get done...


----------



## MedGrunt

yas said:


> hey Rehan, when do you get done...


If you're asking him out on a date you should either private message him or ask in the lounge area [not in the Shifa thread].


----------



## Awaiz jameel

Hey Rizwan!
It's really very kind of you. I wholeheartedly thank you for ur guidance!!
Thanks again!#happy


----------



## LiLxLadie

hey i'm taking the entrance test for Shifa tomorrow morning.. and i need to ask a couple of things that i probably shudve asked a long time ago.. 

i) Is there negative marking? cuz i shud probly i shud know whether to risk answering a question or if i shudnt at all..

ii) How long is the test? because it says different things differnt places. the prospectus says 4 hrs but my test entrance ticket says 3 hrs . and it is apparent that both the prospectus and the entrance ticket hav been recycled from earlier years cuz dates and numbers are whited out and written by hand and stuff. any one know for sure?

iii) Should i be extremely nervous? because i am. lol


----------



## MastahRiz

This may come a little late, but yes, there is negative marking, and I think the test is four hours long.


----------



## MedGrunt

For those of you who took it, how was the entrance test?


----------



## LiLxLadie

hey thx for the reply mastahriz ... medgrunt the test wasnt too bad.. altho i thought the chem section was ridiculously hard.. but the physics section was ridiculously easy to make up for it. i didnt kno there were going to b THAT many ppl applying.. according to the entrance test ticket numbers there were around 1250 applicants.. i think i did pretty well on the test.. but seeing as there were so many ppl takin it i have no idea where i stand :/ i guess i'll find out **** enuff..


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## MastahRiz

Tests scores are usually out in about a week. Good luck.


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## StarDust6

frankly mine went quite horribly aweful#sorry im not really expecting an interview offer...but wellll....got my fingers crossed....i must say i liked how organized it was....much much better than cmh's test....and atleast the invigilators werent hitting on the chicks#dull


----------



## starlet

n one more question: for admissions are overseas applicants called for interviews aswell? n how will thy be informed?
#happy thanz again!


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## MastahRiz

They'll usually post the information up online. Since the scores from the entrance test are already out, it shouldn't be too much longer now. I'd say keep checking back everyday.


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## MastahRiz

Interview list has been posted in the Shifa lobby... it's also online at Welcome to Shifa College of Medicine


----------



## Maria

government medical colleges are only 4 the local students..only private medical colleges intoduces seats 4 the foreign students........#roll


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## Maria

Starlet the answer 2 ur question is yes,
private colleges do call foreign students for the interview.Some of the colleges have there branches in foreign countries as well,so if u'll pass the test they'll let u know by the post.


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## MastahRiz

Government medical colleges are *not* only for local students. Lots of foreign students apply to government medical colleges each year.


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## Maria

:happy:


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## starlet

i need the contact nos. of Shifa college of med. the webpage containing the contact info is somehow nt opening up. thnanks


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## MedGrunt

SHIFA COLLEGE OF MEDICINE
Pitras Bokhari Road, Sector H-8/4, 
Islamabad - PAKISTAN
Tel. No. (92) (51) 4446801 - 30
Fax: (92) (51) 4435046


----------



## Rehan

Shifa College's phone number has changed recently.

The new # is +92-51-460-3666

Hope this helps.


----------



## rishtyameena

Does anyone know if the final list of students has been decided? And when does the new session start for first years?

(Awesome forum by the way.)


----------



## MastahRiz

*LIST OF SELECTED CANDIDATES FROM THE 2007 ADMISSION PERIOD*

Here's the list of people admitted from the applicants of 2007 take directly from Shifa's website:

Make sure you click on the thumbnail bar below to view the FULL Sized List!










You can download the original document here:

List of Selected Applicants for 2007 Admission Peroid

The new year usually starts the first Monday of January for Shifa, but there have been some rumors that it may start as early as the last week of December this year. Also something we'll update as soon as it's made public.


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## Omer Rauf

hey,, aoa. im frm pakistan,, n i got acceptences from shifa college of medicine as well as cmh med college,..any one could help me figure out where i should go and why??


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## Matiullah_26

Well i think that both r very gud colleges...#confused in private sector after AKU these are the one's which hav a standard... the teachers really workhard at shifa n r really helpful n i hope they r good at cmh tooo... the major differences b/w shifa n cmh r:
1) CMH has a better campus than that of shifa... 
2) Shifa is older than CMH n many students of Shifa hav cleared USMLE n some r working as residents at US... 
3) Most probably Shifa's syllabus is gonna be changed by next year... they r gonna follow the AKU's pattern( i.e. Module system n PBLs) 
4) CMH is run by army so they hav more funds than that of shifa...

if u ask from me i would say that if u r a gud student then shifa really suits u... but CMH is also a very gud place.... but as i personally don't know cmh that much as shifa so can't really differentiate.... but i personally like shifa n m completely satisfied( except for some restrictions )..

I WOULD SIMPLY SAY THAT IF U R FROM ISLAMABAD THEN SHIFA N IF LAHORE THEN CMH... BOTH R GUD COLLEGES N BETTER THAN ALL OTHER PRIVATES( EXCEPT AKU)#yes


----------



## Omer Rauf

Thanx *Matiullah_26..#happy

i appreciate ur reply..
well the trouble is ,,my mom in lahore n dad in islamabad..
#confusedanyway i guess i like shifa better.. btw wot were the restrictions u were talkin about??
*


----------



## Matiullah_26

yaaar they hav some stupid rules... for example u don't hav to wear jeans... u must be in white coat even outside the class... some teachers apply their own rules... but i think cmh has even more restrictions than shifa... coz there u hav to wear uniform... etc.\
btw Omer wat were ur fsc/alvl gradez/score...?
n where else did u apply...


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## MastahRiz

What Matiualla_26 means to say is that you're not *allowed* to wear jeans at Shifa and that you're supposed to wear the lab coat at all times that you're on campus.


----------



## taimur

honesly folks, not being allowed to wear jeans and having to wear lab coats in the campus is not such a big thing to worry about...........shifa is a more established med school whereas cmh is just starting out and hasnt been registered by imed


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## Omer Rauf

Well.
i did my o levels frm cadet college hasanabdal n got 8 A's#laugh, did my a levelz from Aitchison college lahore...but ended up in a bad shape.. u knw..over confodent n stuff.. got n A ,a B and a C..#sorry
anywayz,, my parentz r conviced n i m too,, so i am coming to shifa....yupeee.#cool


----------



## MedGrunt

Congratulations! Welcome to the Shifa clan #cool


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## lalaabu

*SHIFA HOSTEL*

Hi I got admission into Shifa, but I was a bit worried abt the Hostel Conditions there? originally, im from Florida, so hopefully i wont have a problem adjusting, but can someone let me know how it is there? Plus, do first yr students have to wear a lab coat, as well?


----------



## MedGrunt

lalaabu said:


> Hi I got admission into Shifa, but I was a bit worried abt the Hostel Conditions there? originally, im from Florida, so hopefully i wont have a problem adjusting, but can someone let me know how it is there?


Hi lalaabu, welcome to the forum! There's actually been several posts about the Shifa hostels throughout this thread. You can use the "Search" function up at the top, just type in shifa hostel and it'll pull up posts for you! If you still have questions after reading those posts let us know.



lalaabu said:


> Plus, do first yr students have to wear a lab coat, as well?


Yes, you're required to wear a lab coat for all 5 years (even though clinical sciences don't start until 3rd year...#baffled).

A lot of foreigners prefer to buy lab coats from home as the material they use here isn't very thick. If you decide to do that make sure you go for the long mid-thigh lab coats. Unlike in the US, here med students and doctors wear the same length lab coats.


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## Omer Rauf

thanx medgrunt


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## StarDust6

i shall go inspect the hostels with a fine toothed comb after Eid inshAllah...i am highly suspicious about their conditions...especially since administration has demanded Rs 140,000 without any details whatsoever as to what's the room rent, laundry costs, cleaning costs etc. I want a categorical breakdown...and detailssssss...afterall i AM supposed to live there for the next five years#frown


----------



## MedGrunt

Definitely check out the hostels if you get a chance. They may be a bit deserted these days because most hostelites have gone home for eid vacation.
We have term exams oct. 22nd-27th and then are on prep leave for another 3 weeks after that. If you want to see some of the rooms it would probably be best to go during terms week..


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## StarDust6

do u think they'l let me have a single room if i bribe them with extra money?#laugh


----------



## lalaabu

please let me know how the hostels are if you get a chance to visit them after Eid. Anyways, how many foreigners got accepted into Shifa this yr? plus, my friend was telling me that the girl hostels are like in rented homes?? so how do they fit so many ppl in such little amt of homes? im still a bit confzd but im hoping for the best-im going for a tour in mid November.


----------



## StarDust6

yes the hostels are in rented homes close to the campus...im not sure how many houses have been rented for girls...and as for how they fit so many people in such a small amount of houses....i can only assume that the amount of people opting for hostel isnt 'so many'...i dont know how many foreigers have been accepted...i'v heard around 20...but that could just be a rumour...and dont worry i'l let u know everything i can about the hostels once i know more myself! Hostel is the only option i'v got and im keeping my fingers crossed that its worth what they are charging!


----------



## MastahRiz

Right now there's four houses which make up the hostels for the girls. They're all on the same street, so it's easy to go from one to the other. The average house in islamabad is almost the size of a mansion, so four houses are pretty big. They have something like 8 rooms each, 2 people in each room.

If you ask me, it's definitely not worth the price they'll make you pay. The food is pretty low quality. There's no laundry service. A random woman comes by weekly and you pay her to wash your clothes and cross your fingers that she doesn't mess up your stuff. If you're like me, you'd probably want to wash your own clothes than risk having someone mess them up, which is what one of my friends there does.

You have to pay the 'hostel keeper'-guy extra if you want someone to clean your rooms or bathrooms or whatever.

The *best* option for foreigners is to live in an apartment, get a servant, get a car, and you'll be set. It's definitely more expensive yearly, but at least that way you get what you pay for. The majority of Shifa's foreign students already live in apartments. Most of the hostel students are students who came from other parts of Pakistan outside of Islamabad.

You can pay extra to get your own room, as long as they don't have way too many students who need to stay in the hostel.


----------



## Matiullah_26

TOTALLY AGREEE WITH U MastaRiz...
i would jus add that it would be difficult for foreigners to adjust but for pakistanis it iz satisfactory... n i myself live in flat... so i would recommend that first try for appartment with some other students n if not possible then u hav to go for hostel...


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## lalaabu

yeah getting an apartment is a good idea but who can i share with since im going to be new this yr. i really dont think my dad will let a girl live by herself. i mean a car wont be a prob-im going to get one anyways, but now i feel stupid-i shouldnt have paid the hostel fees and found a few ppl to share a flat with. mayb next yr ill go ahead and get a few friends together...but Stardust6 let me know how the tour goes. all ppl replying to my msg, do you all go to Shifa? if so, what yr are you guys in? was 1st yr tough? thanks for all of ur help!!


----------



## ahmad shaikh

Rehan,

Aoa & Eid Mubarik to you and all the Forum members!

Thanks for all your efforts and activeness in the forum to help ppl out.

One of my relatives must migrate from Karachi Ziauddin Medical University to Islamabad. 

We spoke with admissions at Shifa and they advised they do allow migrations depending on review of the application and available seat.

I would appreciate your help on the following:

1. I could not locate the Advance Placement/Migrating Student Application on the Shifa Website - would you be able to advise (I am currently in the US and having trouble collecting info).

2. The student has completed her 3rd year and 2nd PROF successfully. Their family is moving to ISL late this year, and she wants to continue her 4th year at Shifa or any other private institution. Can you advise how we can find out if there is a seat available in the 4th year class?

3. Do you have any idea how long Shifa will take from the time they take the application till a decision is made?

Thanks again for all your efforts and help!


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## MastahRiz

The only way to get the application from Shifa is to contact them and have them fax it or scan/e-mail the application to you, or even directly mail you the application, because it's not available online, and in actuality I'm pretty sure that no such application exists.

They do accept transfer students, but it's such a rarity that I'm pretty sure they haven't bothered to make an application or even really decide what the process is themselves.

In the last four years they've accepted one transfer student, and he tells me that he had a very hard time completing the whole process. Your best bet is to keep in touch with Shifa and tell your relative at ZMU to get all of her official transcripts and equivalence certificate ready. Shifa may even want to go as far back as O/A Level scores etc, so you might as well prepare those too, as soon as possible.

Then let the Shifa admissions department know that you have everything ready and want to get your relative into fourth year and see what they say. Time is pretty short, since 4th year will be starting early January of 2008. Not sure how long it would actually take them to process the application, but I would guess not more than two weeks max.


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## Rehan

Ahmad Shaikh:

What MastahRiz says is mostly correct. Have your relative get attested copies of all her professional exam transcripts along with any other transcripts that she can find. Shifa does indeed have a Migration/Transfer application but because their new website just went through a major overhaul, not all of the stuff is available online at the moment. 

I would just go ahead and call Shifa, get transferred to the Office of Student Affairs, and ask them to email you or snail mail the application to your relative in Pakistan.

As with most things in Pakistan, there is no substitute for showing up in person to get what you need taken care of. 

Eid Mubarak to you too and I wish you the best of luck.


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## ahmad shaikh

Thank you MastahRiz & Rehan for such a timely reply.

Is there any way you could put me in contact with the 1 student you mentioned that was able to get transferred?? It would be a BIG help so that we can get familiarized with whats to come ahead, as he has already dealt with all the red tape.

This is a major concern for us as dropping out of med school after completing 3 vigorous years of study is not something anyone looks forward to. Thanks again for your help!


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## MastahRiz

Probably not possible.

I think your best bet is to go ahead and follow up with Rehan's plan of attack. Can't go wrong with that one.


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## rishtyameena

WOW!
Everything about this forum is so impressive. I've been looking everywhere to try to get information on the female hostels for Shifa. I even asked to see them when I had to go for my interview but understandably they were too busy. I'm going after Eid again to get a tour and I'll post everything I find out here for the others who have the same concerns.
I thought about renting an apartment but like lalaabu said, my parents aren't too keen on letting me live alone. Good idea about getting a few girls together. 
I've heard that the female hostels arent as bad as the male hostels.. but it might be just a rumor. 
Also, does anyone know where exactly the female hostels are located? I've seen where some of the male hostels are. Are the female ones on the same street as the males or further away? How close to Shifa are they? 
Do all of you go to Shifa?


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## Rehan

rishtyameena said:


> WOW!
> Everything about this forum is so impressive. I've been looking everywhere to try to get information on the female hostels for Shifa. I even asked to see them when I had to go for my interview but understandably they were too busy. I'm going after Eid again to get a tour and I'll post everything I find out here for the others who have the same concerns.
> I thought about renting an apartment but like lalaabu said, my parents aren't too keen on letting me live alone. Good idea about getting a few girls together.
> I've heard that the female hostels arent as bad as the male hostels.. but it might be just a rumor.
> Also, does anyone know where exactly the female hostels are located? I've seen where some of the male hostels are. Are the female ones on the same street as the males or further away? How close to Shifa are they?
> Do all of you go to Shifa?


The girls hostels are located about 5 minutes away from Shifa in Sector I-8/4 on Street 100 (if I remember correctly). And from some pictures that I've seen of the female hostels some of them are in better shape than the male hostels.

Living in an apartment or a portion is expensive compared to the hostel but it is something that you may think of doing after your first year. I would advise spending the first year in the hostel though just to see how you like it. For some people its fine, others can't stand it -- its just personal preference.

There are users from many different medical schools in Pakistan on the board but there is also a majority of us who do go to Shifa so feel free to ask any Shifa questions you have here.


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## MedGrunt

rishtyameena said:


> WOW!
> I thought about renting an apartment but like lalaabu said, my parents aren't too keen on letting me live alone. Good idea about getting a few girls together.


It sounds like there's a few of you who would much rather live in an apartment...maybe you could arrange something together#grin



rishtyameena said:


> I've heard that the female hostels arent as bad as the male hostels.. but it might be just a rumor.


I haven't seen the male hostels(for obvious reasons) but i have heard that the buildings are in pretty bad shape. However, they definitely have some advantages over the female hostels...The girls have no internet, no cable(there's 1 tv which has 3 channels), and also have curfew. The guys have both internet and cable connections and most definitely do not have curfews.

Other contributing factors to avoid hostel life would be the not so tasty food, chipping paint, and even occasional water outages. Definitely makes living in pakistan much more depressing than necessary. #sad



rishtyameena said:


> Also, does anyone know where exactly the female hostels are located? I've seen where some of the male hostels are. Are the female ones on the same street as the males or further away? How close to Shifa are they?


The girls hostels are in sector I-8/4. They're a bit further away than the male hostels...about 5-10 minutes away from Shifa by car.



rishtyameena said:


> Do all of you go to Shifa?


A lot of the people posting in this thread are current Shifa students.


----------



## rishtyameena

Thanks for a quick answer to all my questions. You guys are definitely awesome. 
Rehan, from your posts it sounds like you've graduated? 
MedGrunt, what year are you in?
Whoever else reads this that's in Shifa, I'd love to know what year?
Thanks again.


----------



## StarDust6

ahh u guys are bursting my last tiny little bubble of hope#sad and no internet?!?! im gonna start weeping next...
i have lived independently in lahore for two years, since my family is located in another city and i did my A levels from lahore...
it wasnt exactly an apartment but more like a portion of a house with a family in the other part...but as so many people have already said so...its very expensive...not to mention the hassle of dishonest servants continuously trying to rip off poor little me...it eventually resulted in my mom travelling back and forth so frequently to deal with a multitude of issues that by the end she was practically living with me...i really dont want the same strain on both me and my family again..therefore i opted for the hostel...but they are already quite against the notion since they do not believe any hostel would be remotely satisfactory...so i guess im open to the option of renting an apartment IF i can get a few others to do so with me...

btw thank you for all the details on hostels guys...much appreciated!


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## rishtyameena

Stardust6: I've heard that the even though they don't provide services like internet and cable tv, if the girls want it they can get the services themselves. For example, if there are 5 girls that are willing to pay RS 1000 we can get the RS 5000 unlimited cable internet which would be great for the hostel. So it adds expenses but it's still possible. Like Rehan said, we may just have to wing it the first year and see how bad or reasonable the hostels are and maybe figure out something else for the other years.

By the way, does anyone know if there are any sort of girls sports teams? I know it's not the usual in Pakistan but... ANY girls that play??


----------



## MastahRiz

Negative on the sports teams.


----------



## rishtyameena

MastahRiz said:


> Negative on the sports teams.


I guess I'll have to find a different way to play soccer cuz there's no way I'm going 5 years without it.


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## MedGrunt

StarDust6 said:


> ahh u guys are bursting my last tiny little bubble of hope#sad and no internet?!?! im gonna start weeping next...


hey don't take any of the advice the wrong way. As long as you come in with the right mindset of that you're here to study it's definitely manageable. And even if internet isn't easily accessible at the hostel(although i'm sure there's some way to get around that if you're persistent) you can use the internet at the Shifa library. And there are certain advantages such as the fact that it's super close to school and much easier to get a hold of classmates. Plus there's always the shugal(fun) factor of living with a bunch of friends.#cool

If you decide to spend the first year in the hostel and don't like it you can always figure out some other arrangement after that. The best option is to check out the hostels in advance if you can because the administration no longer refunds money if you want to move out halfway through the year. Don't worry though even if you're not a big fan of the hostel life you'll have another 4 yrs that can be spent elsewhere:happy:



rishtyameena said:


> MedGrunt, what year are you in?


I'm currently a first year aka "fistula" although not for much longer I hope!


----------



## lalaabu

how is islamabad weather? should we bring sweathshirts/jackets, or does it not get that cold? plus...anything else important we need? i heard abt padlocks, but have no idea why we would need them? ppl steal in hostel?? omg im going to have to insure everything..jk. let me know..oh one more thing: how hard is it to find an apartment in Islamabad and abt how much do all expenses for living in one, cost??

Rishtyameena-im going to join Shifa this December , as well so ur not the only newcomer #happy


----------



## MastahRiz

Islamabad weather varies at the extremes. In the worst part of summer it can be as hot as 120F and in winter you can be indoors with the heaters on wearing a thick jacket and still feel cold. It rains more in summer than in winter, just to mix things up a bit. Spring and Fall seasons where the weather is really nice last only for about 1 month each.

And yeah, you should bring padlocks for your rooms. Better safe than sorry, though I haven't heard of anything like that from the girls hostel. Guys hostel on the other hand, yeah, a little bit.

It's not that hard to find an apartment, but it's definitely hard to find one for a good price. Apartment lifestyle can run you anywhere from 40 to 60 thousand a month, after bills, rent, and the occasional block party.


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## lalaabu

Thanks for all of your help MastahRiz, what year are you in?
Plus, do we get Winter Break even though we start school in December? and 40-60,000 Rs. a month....wow maybe I will get an aptmt next yr. Thanks again#happy


----------



## MastahRiz

You'll most likely get a winter break next December, not this December. They've never had classes start in December before, so my guess is that it's just something they're doing for first years, to get them into the swing of things, but they'll still end your guys' year in November of 08, leaving December for winter break.

I'm just finishing up my third year now, starting fourth in January.


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## Rehan

If you find a nice 3 bedroom apartment and split it with 2 or 3 other people it shouldn't cost you more than about Rs. 20,000 (~ $350) per person per month including rent, bills, transportation, food, etc. It might even be cheaper than that. 

If your parents can afford that, I would definitely encourage you to get an apartment because hostels are pretty dirty and run down.


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## lalaabu

i wish i had actually read this forum before paying 140,000 Rs. for a dorm, or hostel. #frown Rehan, 20,000 Rs. is nothing, but then the only prob would be who I would room with, since i dont know a SINGLE person.. well except for sum guy who is supposed to be my distant cuzn who is in 3rd yr at Shifa. ive never met him before, so pretty much NO ppl I know. oh well, at least living in hostel is an excuse to meet a few ppl before school actually starts. And yeah, I think this is the 1st yr that Shifa is starting classes on Dec 3rd-I cant wait until Orientation!! im slightly nervous, but i think ill be fine


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## Matiullah_26

me too from shifa 1st year.... 
btw RISHTYA MEENA r u from quetta???


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## MastahRiz

Guys, please keep the thread on topic. Yes, it is a Shifa thread, but specifically for college related questions.

Thanks.


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## rishtyameena

Can someone explain how the elective thing works in Shifa? As in, when do the students take them, what can we choose from or any other general advice. 

Thanks


----------



## MastahRiz

If you're a medical student at Shifa, you won't do your electives there, you do them at another hospital.

Usually only 4th year students do electives, so you don't have anything to worry about right now, but if you really want to read up on them anyway then go ahead and check out this thread here: http://medstudentz.com/beyond-med-s...search-experience-us.html?highlight=electives


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## rishtyameena

Thanks. I didn't know they were that far down the line but I guess I like knowing what I'm supposed to do ahead of time.


----------



## neilmaken

hello ppl..i am a student from rawalpindi n have been selected fr shifa..#happy 
i ws wonderin bout the medical examination before the admission...does ny one have ny info bout that???
thnx


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## MedGrunt

Medical exam? There is a medical fee that you have to pay which is supposed to be used for lab tests and bringing you up to date on immunizations.

As to whether anything is actually done after you submit the fees is a different issue.#baffled 1st year is almost done and i'm still check up free!

Maybe the students are supposed to push for the check up since the school pushes for the money---haha to keep a balance of power.#wink


----------



## lalaabu

Hey, I had a question: Is there any such thing as like a Student Council or like Class Representatives (such as President, VP, Treasurer, that sort) for each class at Shifa? If so, what is the process for applying for and becoming a representative?


----------



## MastahRiz

Two class representatives are elected at the beginning of the year for each class. There are also some other positions, like Sports Committee rep, Arts Committee, and one or two others I think.


----------



## lalaabu

So then what is the actual process for becoming a class rep? Do you have to comapaign or something?


----------



## MastahRiz

No it's just a one-day thing. Usually no more than two or three people even run, so it makes it kind of easy like that.


----------



## lalaabu

Thanks for the info MastahRiz, but I don't think that I'm going to pursue that anymore, since 1st year will already too much of a change and very hectic. It may be difficult to handle-I'd rather lay low my 1st yr. Umm what is the avrg age of a 1st yr student? Also, in Pakistan at what age do you finish your O and A Levels? Just wondering..thanks


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## MastahRiz

Average age of first year students at Shifa is 17 to 19 I guess, so that's prob also right around when everyone finishes the O/A levels.


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## rishtyameena

*Shifa Female Hostel Report*

I had quite the interesting visit to the College and Hostel these last two days. After finally convincing them that I needed to visit the hostel before I was supposed to move into it and then waiting until someone could show us the way (apparently I had come at a really bad time for them).
What follows is an extremely detailed report of an outsider's view of the female hostel. I only spent about half an hour at the hostels so the report is not infallible (therefore it is fallible?). 

The drive from the college to the female hostel takes exactly 5 minutes and passes by a fairly large market and park-sort-of-thingy. There are four houses sort of connected at the end of St. 98 (a dead-end street) in I8/4. Currently there are a total of 53 girls living there with supposedly 2 girls per room. 

Each of the four houses has a separate small kitchen (for the girls' personal use) with a stove and fridge and a common room with a TV and cushions/chairs (not cable TV, apparently the room is used for studying?).

*Curfew*
The gates close at 10 pm but I'm not quite sure what happens if you just stay out all night?

*Transportation*
There is a Shifa bus that takes the girls from the hostel in the morning to the college and brings them back at 2-3pm. Apparently every Wednesday is "shopping day" and the bus goes to different parts of the city (Jinnah market, etc) for the shopping needs of the girls. 

*Food & Water*
There is one male cook who cooks in the largest kitchen (separate from the other smaller kitchens in each house) for all the hostel members. Supposedly, all the girls decide the week's menu together depending on their tastes. There is a dining room where all the girls are supposed to eat together? From what I understood, lunch is provided at the college and not the hostels. The main kitchen closes at 10 pm and thats why the smaller kitchens in each hostel are up for use then. 
I didn't quite understand what the whole deal with the water was. They said something about every girl having their own big Nestle bottle and then every time it was emptied having to pay one of the guards/servants to go fill it. Anyone know anything about this?

*Extra Services*
No cable TV.
No sort of internet.
No real phone services. Everyone is expected to rely on their own cell phones. 
But, any student can pay for their own connection services to their room. 
A woman is available for the laundry and ironing but has to be paid Rs. 400/month.
There are 4 male guards/helpers.

*Rooms*
The rooms themselves are fairly large and are supposed to house two girls each. 
They are furnished with 2 single beds & mattresses, bed side tables and 2 study desks. 
Roommates are not assigned and you can room with whoever you like after telling the warden. Every room has a padlock on it and each roommate has a key. 
Many rooms have AC's but I think a few don't. Every room has a gas heater.

*Bathrooms*
Every room has it's own bathroom (ie. two girls per bathroom) with a sink, toilet and showerhead. The one I saw was in pretty good condition. 

*What to Bring*
Each girl is supposed to bring their own sheets, pillows and blankets.
Apparently none of the hostel dishes are allowed to be taken to the rooms so everyone is supposed to bring their own plate, glass etc if you want to eat anything in your room. 
Many girls had their own mini-fridge and microwave in their room as well as other furnishings (bookshelf, etc). [Just some ideas about what you might want.]

*Dates*
Dec 1: Hostels open for new students to move in
Dec 2: Orientation
Dec 3: Classes begin

I took a few pictures of the hostel but can't get them uploaded here. So if other girls are interested just message me and I'd be happy to share.


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## Rehan

Great post rishtyameena!

One thing I wanted to clarify is that the $400/month for the laundry/ironing is probably what all the hostels pay collectively to the lady. Paying Rs. 24,000/month for one individual would be wayyyy overpriced.

You can usually have someone do your laundry/iron your clothes for closer to Rs. 500-1000/month. 

Anyways, great post. If you would like to upload the pictures and are having some technical problem, PM me and let me know. If you're not uploading the pictures due to privacy concerns then that's perfectly ok.


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## rishtyameena

Thanks for correcting that! I put $ instead of Rs. 
It should be edited now.


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## MastahRiz

rishtyameena said:


> I had quite the interesting visit to the College and Hostel these last two days. After finally convincing them that I needed to visit the hostel before I was supposed to move into it and then waiting until someone could show us the way (apparently I had come at a really bad time for them).
> What follows is an extremely detailed report of an outsider's view of the female hostel. I only spent about half an hour at the hostels so the report is not infallible (therefore it is fallible?).


We're having midterms starting Monday, which last for six days straight, so that's probably why it's a bad time for the students.




rishtyameena said:


> *Curfew*
> The gates close at 10 pm but I'm not quite sure what happens if you just stay out all night?


If you stay out all night, then you can eventually get in trouble if you keep at it. Someone will have to wake up to let you in late, and they won't be very happy about that. If you stay out all night and don't come back, they usually won't notice. Someone might ask, but you can't get in trouble for being out all night as long as you're not inconveniencing them by coming back at 3am.



rishtyameena said:


> *Food & Water*
> There is one male cook who cooks in the largest kitchen (separate from the other smaller kitchens in each house) for all the hostel members. Supposedly, all the girls decide the week's menu together depending on their tastes. There is a dining room where all the girls are supposed to eat together? From what I understood, lunch is provided at the college and not the hostels. The main kitchen closes at 10 pm and thats why the smaller kitchens in each hostel are up for use then.
> I didn't quite understand what the whole deal with the water was. They said something about every girl having their own big Nestle bottle and then every time it was emptied having to pay one of the guards/servants to go fill it. Anyone know anything about this?


This is probably drinking water that they'll provide you since the tap water isn't clean enough to drink, though it is for pretty much everything else. It's best if you just walk to the nearby market and get more bottled water on your own, since you never know where the hostel guy is going to fill it up. Try it out though, and see if he brings you back a sealed bottle. If he doesn't, then I wouldn't trust it. I hate to say it, but some of those guys are very crooked and will just pocket the money you give them.



rishtyameena said:


> *Extra Services*
> No cable TV.
> No sort of internet.
> No real phone services. Everyone is expected to rely on their own cell phones.
> But, any student can pay for their own connection services to their room.
> A woman is available for the laundry and ironing but has to be paid Rs. 400/month.
> There are 4 male guards/helpers.
> Many rooms have AC's but I think a few don't. Every room has a gas heater.


You can choose to have your room outfitted with an AC but you have to pay extra, which is not just the cost of the AC, but also a huge security deposit to cover the monthly electric bill.


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## rishtyameena

Thanks for answering those questions! Makes a lot more sense now. Well sort of. I guess the more things I asked the warden about, the more I realised there's gonna be a lot of extra expenses besides the rs. 140000.


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## kuchwa

*Shifa SAT*

aslamolakum

i applied to shifa shifa for 2007 entry and got an offer.

instead of going to pakistan to take shifa admission test i tool sat in bio chem physics (630/800, 680/800, 710/800 respectively)

you have to have 650/800 or more in two subjects, out of bio chem physics in sat if u dont want to take shifa admission test. sat can be taken all around the world if i an not wrong.

hope this helps.


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## MastahRiz

Kuchwa,

you're right, SAT's can pretty much be taken all over the world.

Shifa does require only 650 in two out of those three subjects, but scores above or equal to 700 are what the average application sends in nowadays and is what we recommend that everyone shoot for, for comfort's sake at least.

Thanks for the post.


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## asb_787

i just wanted to know if shifa offers academic scholorships ,if they do then what is the criteria?


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## Jamal Khattak

Al-salam 'alaykum!

Yes they do. There is merit scholarships based on entry test score and there are merit scholarships for the students on Board, the awards are based on their performance in annual examinations.

I will mention here the merit scholarship for the students on Board from *Prospectus.

Merit Scholarship of Rs. 150,000

*For securing at least 85% aggregate in the Annual Professional Examination in any year.

*Merit Scholarship of Rs. 100,000

*For securing atleast 80% aggregate in the Annual Professional Examination in any year.

*Merit Scholarship of Rs. 50,000

*For Securing atleast 75% aggregate in the Annual Professional Examination in any year.

*Merit Citations and Awards

*Additionally, Merit Citations and Awards would be given away for Excellence in individual subjects as well as in co-curricular activities.

*Ibn Sena Gold Medal

*This is an exclusive award of high distinction and is awarded to the top student, amongst those who score at least 75% in aggregate over the 5 year period. (that is 75% of the total score of 4500 marks of all annual examinations).

*A student would be eligible for only one financial Award, in one category, at any time

[Note : This is quoted from the Prospectus [2008] of Shifa College of Medicine Islamabad]


*


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## asb_787

thanks a lot jamal for answering so quickly


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## Matiullah_26

but i think from next year onwards they won't award scholarships for students scoring 75% in prof... i 've heard that... don't know exactly ...


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## Jamal Khattak

#eek


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## MastahRiz

Matiullah_26 said:


> but i think from next year onwards they won't award scholarships for students scoring 75% in prof... i 've heard that... don't know exactly ...


Haven't heard anything like that myself. No reason to stir up any rumors around here.

Shifa has been known to change their policies without a moment's notice though.


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## starlet

been wondering if UHS is the examining body of Shifa, as in the case of most gov colleges in Punjab? If not, can someone plz state the name of the examining body? n does this make a difference?.. #confused

Best wishes!


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## Rehan

starlet said:


> been wondering if UHS is the examining body of Shifa, as in the case of most gov colleges in Punjab? If not, can someone plz state the name of the examining body? n does this make a difference?.. #confused
> 
> Best wishes!


University of Health Sciences (UHS) is the governing body for all medical colleges run by the Government of Pakistan (except for King Edward which is its own university) and does not cover any of the private medical colleges in Pakistan.

Private medical colleges must either be chartered universities themselves (which Shifa is in the process of becoming in the very near future) or be affiliated with a university. Shifa is currently affiliated with Bahria University in Islamabad and all annual professional exams are therefore conducted by Bahria.

It does not make a difference in terms of the course of study or the degree that you obtain upon graduation.


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## maik7upurz

Actually wah medical college which is private falls under UHS


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## squid

Rehan said:


> University of Health Sciences (UHS) is the governing body for all medical colleges run by the Government of Pakistan (except for King Edward which is its own university) and does not cover any of the private medical colleges in Pakistan.


 
UHS actually covers the bulk of private and public medical colleges in punjab. in the public sector KE is a university so it has it's own degree, FJMC is affliated with punjab university (correct me if im wrong here). then in the private sector for punjab shifa is with bahria university, iimc with riphah and fauji with foundation university. and army medical college (AMC) is with NUST.

here is a list of permanently and provisionally affiliated medical colleges with UHS:

Affiliated Institutes 
Graduation 
Public Sector Medical Colleges
1. Allama Iqbal Medical College, Lahore 
Programmes : M.B.B.S
2. Nishtar Medical College, Multan 
Programmes : M.B.B.S, PG Diplomas
3. Punjab Medical College, Faisalabad 
Programmes : M.B.B.S
4. Quaid-i-Azam Medical College, Bahawalpur 
Programmes : M.B.B.S, PG Diplomas
5. Rawalpindi Medical College, Rawalpindi/Islamabad 
Programmes : M.B.B.S 
6. Services Institute of Medical Sciences, Lahore 
Programmes : M.B.B.S 

Public Sector Dental Colleges
1. De` Montmorency College of Dentistry, Lahore 
Programmes : B.D.S 
2. Dental Section, Nishtar Medical College, Multan 
Programmes : B.D.S 

Provisionally Affiliated Institutes 
Graduation 
Public Sector Medical Colleges
1. Sheikh Zayed Medical College, Rahimyar Khan 
Programmes : M.B.B.S 

Private Sector Medical / Dental Colleges
1. Lahore Medical & Dental College, Lahore 
Programmes : M.B.B.S, B.D.S 
2. FMH College of Medicine and Dentistry, Lahore 
Programmes : M.B.B.S, B.D.S 
3. Wah Medical College, Wah Cantt 
Programmes : M.B.B.S 
4. Margalla Institute of Health Sciences, Rawalpindi 
Programmes : B.D.S 
5. CMH Lahore Medical College, Lahore 
Programmes : M.B.B.S 

i got this off their website: ..:: University Of Health Sciences Lahore ::..



starlet said:


> been wondering if UHS is the examining body of Shifa, as in the case of most gov colleges in Punjab? If not, can someone plz state the name of the examining body? n does this make a difference?.. #confused


yeah it makes a difference because the university or degree granting institution will be responsible for setting the yearly prof exams as well as the examination schedule. and each institute has a different format in terms of theory/mcq weightage and the min passing mark.

this is the marks scheme (weightage) for UHS Professional MBBS Examinations

http://www.uhs.edu.pk/downloads/examination_data/mbbs_marks_scheme.pdf


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## starlet

Thanks squid. Infact, it was UHS’s site that left me a lil stunned. I understand that it does not make a difference in the end as per to the degree one obtains (ofcourse=)). Yet, Rehan, I would like to know if the *course of study* at Shifa (for instance) will be different compared to the medical institutions covered under UHS (considering UHS as a fine standardized system of examination) Does a med school not being under UHS carry *any* shortcomings consequently?

Good day~#happy


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## MastahRiz

Shifa's just recently decided to change their teaching methods. They're now the same as AKU, which is module based. That's the term they're using, I'm pretty sure it just means that things won't be system based anymore, the way that other government colleges are.

No shortcomings that I can see.


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## Jamal Khattak

Yes MastahRiz is right. Shifa is introducing module system, integrated studies from our batch insha'Allah like that of AKU.


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## lalaabu

Is Shifa permanently recognized by the PMDC becuse I heard that its recognition was temporary? Also, what do you mean by AKU "module-based" teaching? Also, during classes, do u switch from one class to another or do u stay in one room and teachers alternate? Lastly, how is the social environment at Shifa, and what classes do we have first yr? Anatomy, Physiology and Biochem? or do we have to study Islamiyat and Pak Studies, as well?


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## Rehan

lalaabu said:


> Is Shifa permanently recognized by the PMDC becuse I heard that its recognition was temporary? Also, what do you mean by AKU "module-based" teaching? Also, during classes, do u switch from one class to another or do u stay in one room and teachers alternate? Lastly, how is the social environment at Shifa, and what classes do we have first yr? Anatomy, Physiology and Biochem? or do we have to study Islamiyat and Pak Studies, as well?


Shifa is permanently recognized by the PM&DC. It was provisionally recognized until earlier this year.

Students generally stay in the same lecture hall and teachers rotate but labs and dissection are held in different rooms of the college.

The module based teaching system will emphasize teaching an entire body system with relevance to the anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry behind it in the first two years and then with the pharmacology, pathology, and microbiology involved in the third and fourth years. Rather than simply learning the anatomy of the cardiovascular system at one point and then learning the biochemical markers used to identify myocardial infarction (heart attack) it will all be taught together in order to build a stronger concept regarding the system as a whole. This isn't just an Aga Khan method -- its what many schools in the West have switched to also in recent years.

You have anatomy, biochemistry, and physiology in first year. Anatomy has three components to it which are gross anatomy, embryology, and histology and separate lectures are given for all these regularly. A medical ethics class is held once a week that does discuss Islamic concepts but there is no Pakistan studies or formal Islamiyaat class.

In regards to the social environment at Shifa...that's somewhat a vague question -- perhaps you could be more specific.


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## neilmaken

i ws wondering when wud the college give us a list of first yr books n stuff...wud it be done on the day of orientation...?bt then classes r startin frm the next day...


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## MastahRiz

neilmaken said:


> i ws wondering when wud the college give us a list of first yr books n stuff...wud it be done on the day of orientation...?bt then classes r startin frm the next day...


A little searching goes a *long* way 

http://medstudentz.com/pakistan-medical-schools/573-1st-yr-mbbs-book-list.html


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## starlet

(Again, a lil thing making me uneasy!)

My parents are deeply concerned over the recent emergency/martial law imposed in Pak. Im worried if such political unrests disrupt studies/life in Islamabad particularly at Shifa. Are there any extra measures Shifa admin takes on during such times? do they recruit enough security at hostels?

Regards to everyone=)
#happy


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## MedGrunt

starlet said:


> My parents are deeply concerned over the recent emergency/martial law imposed in Pak. Im worried if such political unrests disrupt studies/life in Islamabad particularly at Shifa.


Well at the moment classes are not in session at Shifa because we're currently on preparatory leave for the upcoming exams. However, it's rather unlikely that the recent political issues will have any direct effect on the college itself. Aside from the judicial areas being shut down and maybe a couple of small protests there hasn't been anything really out of the ordinary in Islamabad--people are still going out and moving about freely. If the situation worsens there might be some sort of ripple effect but for the time being the school is business as usual.



starlet said:


> Are there any extra measures Shifa admin takes on during such times? do they recruit enough security at hostels?


Shifa probably won't be taking any extra security measures unless they have reason to suspect that the school or hostels are at risk.


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## neilmaken

@ MustaRiz...
thnks fr d quik reply bro...#happy


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## iman

Rehan,
I'm done wid my F.Sc(12th grade Pre-medical)bt i havn'e got admission anywhere yet.I am so depressed bcz all admissions are closed here in Pakistan and i had applied only for 2 clgs...wt to do plz help me out.PLZ


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## MastahRiz

All you can do is apply again next year. Better luck next time.


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## squid

iman said:


> Rehan,
> I'm done wid my F.Sc(12th grade Pre-medical)bt i havn'e got admission anywhere yet.I am so depressed bcz all admissions are closed here in Pakistan and i had applied only for 2 clgs...wt to do plz help me out.PLZ


a lot of ppl end up where you are so don't worry. i think you should apply again next yr. retake ur FSc if you think you can improve it and you definately need to apply to more than 2 colleges, u should apply to all the private ones.


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## lalaabu

Rehan said:


> Shifa is permanently recognized by the PM&DC. It was provisionally recognized until earlier this year.
> 
> Students generally stay in the same lecture hall and teachers rotate but labs and dissection are held in different rooms of the college.
> 
> The module based teaching system will emphasize teaching an entire body system with relevance to the anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry behind it in the first two years and then with the pharmacology, pathology, and microbiology involved in the third and fourth years. Rather than simply learning the anatomy of the cardiovascular system at one point and then learning the biochemical markers used to identify myocardial infarction (heart attack) it will all be taught together in order to build a stronger concept regarding the system as a whole. This isn't just an Aga Khan method -- its what many schools in the West have switched to also in recent years.
> 
> You have anatomy, biochemistry, and physiology in first year. Anatomy has three components to it which are gross anatomy, embryology, and histology and separate lectures are given for all these regularly. A medical ethics class is held once a week that does discuss Islamic concepts but there is no Pakistan studies or formal Islamiyaat class.
> 
> In regards to the social environment at Shifa...that's somewhat a vague question -- perhaps you could be more specific.


Actually what I meant by social environment was that is everything segregated, inside and outside the classroom? Also, I have heard from several people that some ppl, guys especially, like have staring problems, and that girls get very jealous very very easily. Let me know if I am wrong. Plus, how is the teaching there..I was reading that the teachers teach one thing and then test you for something else..are all exams/tests straight from the books or lecture notes??

I had one more question: Has Shifa ever been shut down due to any political reason or unrest for any number of days? because I'm slightly worried since Shifa is soo close to like all the riots/protests in islamabad. also, there is a dress code for girls, there-i heard only Shalwar Kameez..how are we supposed to wear hoodies and jackets over them in the winter, and what abt shoes?..theres no way im wearing sneakers w/shalwar kameez


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## MastahRiz

Classrooms are segregated, but outside the lecture halls everything is pretty much mixed.

People stare for the fundamental reason of what staring is intended for; interest in something that is different from themselves. I don't know about girls getting jealous, though I'd say most of them are very clever.

Tests are usually based on both, books as well as lecture notes. In a very rare occurrence you may get asked something that wasn't taught yet, but, it's nothing to stress over.

Shifa hasn't been shutdown in the four years that I've been here except for holidays.

You're right about the dress code, no one really wears hoodies or jackets to school. Girls sometimes wear sweaters or sweater-like things... I'm really out of my realm here. A lot of them do wear sneakers with shalvar/kameez or sandals. You can basically dress how you want, as long as it's conservative (jeans automatically equal *not* conservative haha). Khaki pants will fly, same with long sleeve shirts and that sort of stuff. Again, can't stress the conservative part enough. You'll get the idea within the first few days or so though, so, nothin to worry about really.


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## MedGrunt

lalaabu said:


> several people that some ppl, guys especially, like have staring problems, and that girls get very jealous very very easily.


Staring definitely happens. However, unlike normal back home staring people generally don't look away when you catch them staring at you. This won't be as big of a problem at school(people still stare but they're usually a bit more discreet) as it is when you go out. Well even then its not really a problem---just plain weird. Personally I haven't really had any issues with the girls at school.



lalaabu said:


> I had one more question: Has Shifa ever been shut down due to any political reason or unrest for any number of days? because I'm slightly worried since Shifa is soo close to like all the riots/protests in islamabad.


Not that I know of...



lalaabu said:


> also, there is a dress code for girls, there-i heard only Shalwar Kameez..how are we supposed to wear hoodies and jackets over them in the winter, and what abt shoes?..theres no way im wearing sneakers w/shalwar kameez


Like MastahRiz said you can wear khakis or basically any other types of pants that aren't too tight coupled with somewhat loose tops. You can wear long or short sleeve shirts...just make sure there are sleeves! The thing is though that the all of the girls wear shalwaar kameez on a daily basis so it's best to do the same for the majority of the year. Just hit up some of the local markets and get your school wardrobe made once you get here. Save your khakis/pants for the days when you're really just not feelin the shalwaar kameez attire...Once you get used to being here you'll be surprised by how rarely you'll end up wearing "American clothes"

In winter some girls wear sweaters/sweater-like things over their shalwaar kameez and sneakers.#eek I'd recommend that you try to get a couple of pairs of closed toed flats from home to wear with shalwaar kameez because finding decent ones over here is impossible. I'm hoping that plus thicker material shalwar kameez will suffice for winter. If it gets super cold i might be trading my white lab coat in for my thick black peacoat!


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## rishtyameena

Does anyone know the dates for next year's breaks (ie. vacation)?
When is the summer break usually? (May? June? July? August?)
Is that the only break of the year? Or do they give us a week off here and there?


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## MastahRiz

There may or may not be a spring break, which is sometime in April, for about a week.

Summer break is usually 3 or 4 weeks in July.

Winter break is four weeks in December, with classes starting again in January.

You also get a week off for Eid, and a day off here and there for things like Independence day.


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## rishtyameena

Sounds good.


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## Meds07

is it hard to adjust and make friends at shifa if you are coming from US/Canada...or do the islamabadians have simialr lifestyle/ mentality...


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## ghummank04

from what i know Islamabad is the only city in Pakistan that comes closest to western lifestyle. Islamabad is very modern city. You will find it clean and bueatiful. Since it is a capital and alot of diplomats reside their government try their best to give a good image. Traffic is pretty good too...people actualy follow rules in Islamabad. Alot of educated people live in Islamabad too. I also find Islamabad's citizens more liberal. Shifa has alot of foreingners so you wont have any problem. I think Shifa is one of the most populated college with foreign students. You will get enough support...but no place is like an ethiopian society....you will encounter all sorts of people whether its Pakistan or USA, but Islamabad has to be your best bet.


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## MastahRiz

I agree with that. Islamabad is a very easy place to get used to, especially since you can buy anything here that you can anywhere else. If you set yourself up properly here, it's easy to feel right at home.


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## maik7upurz

They are also building a metro cash and carry in islamabad, MCC | Home Its like a Sam's club, has everything!!!! Its near Sabzi Mandi past the Nescom Hospital.


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## mehr

hi all..first of all i'd just like to say u guys have done a great job creating this site..it has been really helpful.. i just wanted to know if there is a bus service at Shifa.. I'm moving to Rawalpindi from karachi and i'm not sure if we'll be able to find a driver in time..


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## MastahRiz

Sorry mehr, there's no bus service.

If you want to go ahead and make a thread regarding carpools with other shifa students, I think that might be a good idea.

Otherwise, the city taxis will have to do.


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## akifzaidi

i am looking for people to rent an appartment with. i am from lahore. you can contact me at 0321-4053371.
Akif


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## DR.MOON

Hi everyone.

Firstly, thank you so much (especially the mods/admins) for creating this wonderful forum. It has answered so many of my questions (zillion times better than ringing IBCC again & again only to get a different response every time!!) so thanks heaps for your time and effort guys - its greatly apprecited. #happy

I am an overseas Pakistani citizen and plan to go back to Pakistan and study MBBS there in Shifa (I like their quality over other medical colleges) or anything of similar standard - provided my scores are high enough! As an 'overseas Pakistani' wanting to study in Pakistan after having my Higher School Certificate marks converted by IBCC, do I need to sit for SAT tests for Shifa admission? Is this the only test one needs to worry about? Or is there any other type of test too? And even if there is SAT I & II, there is no interview for individuals in my category right? I've read the previous posts but I just wanted to clarify (always panicking like crazy! #roll ) 

Thanks in advance.


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## MastahRiz

If you're an overseas student, then yes, you do need to take the SAT II subject tests, unless you're willing to come all the way out here to take the entrance test which Shifa offers. These are the only tests you need to worry about, and you either take one or the other. You don't take the SAT II and also take the entrance test, unless you get really poor scores on the SAT II's, then you might want to consider it.

There are interviews for foreign applicants, but they're usually over the phone.


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## neilmaken

hi..im Neil Iftikhar Maken and am about to start at shifa..i wanted to know that is it tru that the first whole month wud b orientation...?
thanks in advance...


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## MastahRiz

Yes, it's true.


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## StarDust6

woah a whole month?!? is there an ATM within Shifa or somewhere nearby hostels?


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## DR.MOON

Thanks MastahRiz for your quick and useful reply 

Wow! a whole month for orientation?? That seems like a waste of time unless everything so complex there #baffled So is it possible for an overseas Pakistani to come perhaps at the end of the orientation month and not miss much? Or would they be considered 'absent'?

What are the chances of getting into Shifa with a IBBC equivalence of 64.8 with a score of say ~700 in each SAT Subject of Biology/Chemistry/Physics?? If any!! 64.8 = 713/1100 marks.


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## MastahRiz

StarDust6 said:


> woah a whole month?!? is there an ATM within Shifa or somewhere nearby hostels?


Yes, there's an ATM within the main hospital lobby.



DR.MOON said:


> Thanks MastahRiz for your quick and useful reply
> 
> Wow! a whole month for orientation?? That seems like a waste of time unless everything so complex there #baffled So is it possible for an overseas Pakistani to come perhaps at the end of the orientation month and not miss much? Or would they be considered 'absent'?
> 
> What are the chances of getting into Shifa with a IBBC equivalence of 64.8 with a score of say ~700 in each SAT Subject of Biology/Chemistry/Physics?? If any!! 64.8 = 713/1100 marks.


Your chances of getting into Shifa with those scores are pretty low I'd say, but not impossible. The minimum requirement to get into a medical college here is 660, so 713 isn't far from that. A lot of candidates will have something over 800. Your SAT scores should be at least 700 to compensate.


You would definitely be marked absent, and attendance is important at Shifa. It's better to come on time, and go to every class so that if you get sick, or if you want to take some extra time off in summer break, then you can miss those days without having to worry if your attendance is above 75% or not. Seventy five percent is the minimum requirement to be allowed to take final exams at the end of the year. If you don't make it, you take a set of late final exams called "the Supplee." This exam is harder, and the oral exams are more subjective.

PS
go to class.


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## DR.MOON

MastahRiz said:


> Your chances of getting into Shifa with those scores are pretty low I'd say, but not impossible. The minimum requirement to get into a medical college here is 660, so 713 isn't far from that. A lot of candidates will have something over 800. Your SAT scores should be at least 700 to compensate.


Thanks MistahRiz 

64.8 was my sis's marks converted by IBCC last year but she's getting new marks now (hopefully higher *fingers crossed*).

Me, on the other hand, I hadn't done Physics in my HSC (FSc equivalent) instead did Chemistry & Biology, because in Australia you dont need to do 3 sciences for med. I attempted Graduate MBBS here using my B Med Sc but have now decided to go to Pakistan... apparently you cant even apply as a 'B Sc' equivalent graduate because you havent done Physics in HSC here... WHAT??? Its so irrational! Especially when I studied Physics in uni but they still wont consider it... #angry Thats just the way things are... *sigh* So, this year I studied Physics here at HSC level (wasted a year!!) & am now waiting for my marks so I can send them to IBCC... hopefully, they'll be competent enough to get me a place in Shifa... Need lots of luck! hehe...

I havent sat for any SAT tests yet but hopefully, my background knowledge will assist in getting a reasonable SAT II score right?? *hopeful look* Which one would you say is easier though? Shifa entry test or SAT II??

Also, are 'overseas pakistanis' considered as "foreign" in the application procedure? Thats a lot of fee!! #shocked



MastahRiz said:


> You would definitely be marked absent, and attendance is important at Shifa. It's better to come on time, and go to every class so that if you get sick, or if you want to take some extra time off in summer break, then you can miss those days without having to worry if your attendance is above 75% or not. Seventy five percent is the minimum requirement to be allowed to take final exams at the end of the year. If you don't make it, you take a set of late final exams called "the Supplee." This exam is harder, and the oral exams are more subjective.
> 
> PS
> go to class.


As for classes, if Shifa is where I am going then there is no way Im missing even one class! (yes I am a #nerd ... lol)


----------



## MastahRiz

SAT II's are definitely easier than the Shifa Entrance test.

Shifa only has two types of applicants: Local, or foreign.

You'd be considered a foreign applicant, and yeah, you'd have to pay the foreign fee.


----------



## DR.MOON

MastahRiz said:


> SAT II's are definitely easier than the Shifa Entrance test.
> 
> Shifa only has two types of applicants: Local, or foreign.
> 
> You'd be considered a foreign applicant, and yeah, you'd have to pay the foreign fee.


Thanks again MastahRiz... I keep saying this but your help is greatly appreciated. #happy

Good luck to you in your studies. #happy


----------



## neilmaken

what about the ragging...will the seniors make us strip our clothes...#laugh
no seriously..will they...#eek ?


----------



## MastahRiz

They like to switch it up from year to year... who knows what they have planned. Depends on how sick they are and how bad they were hazed themselves.


----------



## asb_787

i heard ke we will be without seniors for the first month ?


----------



## MedGrunt

best believe it. 5th year students will not be starting classes until February, so that they have ample time to do an elective during their winter break.


----------



## taimur

yes! woohoooooo


----------



## mjav23

*Shifa Medical School*

Hi, I'm Meetra. I'm 17 and I've lived in New York my entire life. I'm looking into going to Shifa Medical School in Islamabad, my grades are good, low 90's and high 80's and even some high 90's and I'm in the International Baccaulerate program, so I think I have a chance of getting in. My main problem is the enviroment. Although I am Pakistani, I have only been to Pakistan once. Will I really have a big culture shock in Islamabad? Am I allowed to wear jeans or american clothing in Shifa? Do I need to cover my head? I'm from a pretty conservative family, and although I am defintaly willing to give a try to the Shifa enviroment I'm not sure if I can sacrifice my living habits for the past 6 years.


----------



## MedGrunt

mjav23 said:


> Hi, I'm Meetra. I'm 17 and I've lived in New York my entire life. I'm looking into going to Shifa Medical School in Islamabad, my grades are good, low 90's and high 80's and even some high 90's and I'm in the International Baccaulerate program, so I think I have a chance of getting in. My main problem is the enviroment. Although I am Pakistani, I have only been to Pakistan once. Will I really have a big culture shock in Islamabad? Am I allowed to wear jeans or american clothing in Shifa? Do I need to cover my head? I'm from a pretty conservative family, and although I am defintaly willing to give a try to the Shifa enviroment I'm not sure if I can sacrifice my living habits for the past 6 years.


Hi Meetra. Welcome to the forum! #grin 
I've moved your post here, (http://medstudentz.com/pakistan-med...-medicine-islamabad-pakistan-21.html#post8713) because this thread has tons of info regarding Shifa. Go ahead and read through this thread and you should be able to find the answers to all of your questions. After reading it, feel free to ask anything that you might be confused about.


----------



## Dr. doctor

MastahRiz said:


> Moazzma,
> 
> I wouldn't recommend that you apply right now. First of all, because Shifa's admissions are becoming more and more competetive every year, it's better that you wait until you have everything that they require for admissions. Namely, a high school diploma, three SAT II subject tests over 650 (Bio, Chem, and Physics), and an equivalency certificate with at least 660.
> 
> If you don't have even one out of those three pieces of the application, your application will most likely not make it past the secretary's office and not even be considered.
> 
> Once you have all of those things then you can apply as early as you want as long as it's before the application deadline (sometime in October).


#shocked ok ok ok... mastahriz u sound like the ryt person to tlk to.. all the university websites tlk abt the SAT II, MCAT & AP which are all for USA students. Im in UK and wnt to apply.. theres two major problems.. firstly don't have physics at A level because it wasnt compulsary to get into med in london and secondy cnt do entrance exam bcz thts the day my results come out and also cant do alternatives cz they dnt hold them in uk...
i am doing a levels in religious studies, chemistry, biology and psychlogy

so be honest do u think i could get a plce at shifa?


----------



## Filipi

I'm really impressed at the quality of responses in this discussion forum. Without it, working out how to apply to Shifa College would be really difficult. Thanks for making it all so clear.

I'm Italian, currently resident in the UK, about to finish my UK nursing degree at City University (in July) before moving to Pakistan later this year. Having heard everything you've written, I am really keen to study medicine at Shifa College.

I am sorting out my transcripts for the IBCC equivalence and registering for the SAT II tests. I was at high school and did a nursing diploma in Brazil, so am keen to make sure people know how to equate my previous results.

- Do you have any tips of other things I should do before applying for the medicine degree at Shifa?
- In particular, is there a problem being Italian / having studied in Brazil?
- Am I also correct that it is now ok for students over 25 to join the course (I'm 27!)?

Hoping you can give me some additional useful pointers. many thanks, Filipi


----------



## MedGrunt

Dr. doctor said:


> #shocked ok ok ok... mastahriz u sound like the ryt person to tlk to.. all the university websites tlk abt the SAT II, MCAT & AP which are all for USA students. Im in UK and wnt to apply.. theres two major problems.. firstly don't have physics at A level because it wasnt compulsary to get into med in london and secondy cnt do entrance exam bcz thts the day my results come out and also cant do alternatives cz they dnt hold them in uk...
> i am doing a levels in religious studies, chemistry, biology and psychlogy
> 
> so be honest do u think i could get a plce at shifa?


Without physics there is no way you will be granted admission to any medical college in Pakistan. One year of each science (bio, chem, phys) is required in order to obtain an IBCC equivalence certificate, which states that you are eligible to apply to medical schools. Without the IBCC certificate you can't even apply.

If you still want to be admitted into Pakistan you'll have to take a year of physics first and then you can apply for the following year. After that you'll still have to do the prerequisites for each college that you want to apply to, otherwise you won't even be considered. For Shifa you have to either give the SAT IIs, MCAT, or entrance test. There are plenty of people applying every year so if you're missing even one of the required things you'll be automatically rejected.


----------



## MedGrunt

Filipi said:


> - Do you have any tips of other things I should do before applying for the medicine degree at Shifa?
> - In particular, is there a problem being Italian / having studied in Brazil?
> - Am I also correct that it is now ok for students over 25 to join the course (I'm 27!)?
> 
> Hoping you can give me some additional useful pointers. many thanks, Filipi



Welcome to the forum Filipi.

Sounds like you're on the right track in terms of getting all the IBCC stuff together and signing up for SAT IIs.

Being Italian and having studied in Brazil shouldn't be a problem in terms of admissions as long as you fulfilled all of the IBCC requirements. I'm not sure whether you speak Urdu or not, but the teachers at Shifa often switch off between english and urdu, which makes it slightly more difficult(but definitely not impossible) on non-urdu speaking students.

Yes, you are correct. There are no longer any age restrictions for applying to medical colleges in Pakistan.


----------



## Filipi

Thanks MedGrunt - that's reassuring. I better get on with learning some Urdu!!

One query re IBCC - I'm getting my school in Brazil to send original stamped transcripts of my school certificate/grades. I'm presuming it's ok to ask them to do this in English and send in a sealed envelope. They normally do them in Portuguese, but it seems more complicated to get those, translate them, have them notarised, re-seal them etc. Would English stamped transcripts be ok?


----------



## MedGrunt

If they can do it in English, definitely have that done as it would probably require extra time to process your application if it is in Portuguese. #yes

For any other questions regarding IBCC please post under: http://medstudentz.com/pakistan-medical-schools/29-ibcc-equivalence-pakistan-medical-colleges.html


----------



## WaleedDa1

Finally i have read through this whole page in 2 days. Now i hope i can get personalized help to my situation. Im currently in my junior year (11th) in high school in the U.S. I didnt want to become a doctor until the end of 10th grade. My grades are pretty descent but i just realized that i screwed up my grades in biology. I got a C in both first and second semester of Honors Biology in 9th grade. What i want to see is that if i do Biology again and get a better score, then can they just ignore the first grade. I also noticed that the requirement said that you must take all 3 science courses at the last 3 years of high school. If true, then can i just tell them that so that they ignore my 9th grade's grade and then show them a grade i got in a biology class after school from a community college? Also has anyone been able to figure out the effect of AP and Honors classes on the ibcc. i could have gotten near straight A's if i had taken the regular classes but had decided to take the harder ones knowing it would help me for college. please help me out. this site has been very helpful so far. I really want to get into Shifa


----------



## MedGrunt

Your questions are actually more related to the IBCC equivalence score as Shifa looks at your IBCC score and your overall GPA more than your individual grades.
Check out: http://medstudentz.com/pakistan-medical-schools/29-ibcc-equivalence-pakistan-medical-colleges.html

oh and welcome to the forum


----------



## WaleedDa1

haha. thanks. im thinking that by the end of senior year my gpa should be about in the 3.6 range. i can probably get it higher but i dont think itll get lower. I am taking all honors and AP courses though. do you think thatll be enough for shifa? What scores does ibcc look at and what years of high school do they look at?


----------



## MedGrunt

WaleedDa1 said:


> haha. thanks. im thinking that by the end of senior year my gpa should be about in the 3.6 range. i can probably get it higher but i dont think itll get lower. I am taking all honors and AP courses though. do you think thatll be enough for shifa? What scores does ibcc look at and what years of high school do they look at?



You'll definitely have a shot with 3.6 but the competition increases every year so the higher, the better.

And as always....IBCC answers are in the IBCC thread.


----------



## WaleedDa1

haha. u know whats really funny. i found out that one of my parents' friends are a big contributor to Shifa. I think I might ask them about it too. His sons have gone there too.


----------



## WaleedDa1

alright i just signed up for the SAT II in Chemistry and i have a month and a day to study. its on June 7th. Any tips. I just bought the princeton review book for the test.


----------



## cinderella

great thread, just one q, what is the grading system at shifa?


----------



## MedGrunt

There are tests throughout the year, but the one that really counts is the Professional Exam at the end of each school year. If you fail the Prof Exam there is a makeup test usually a month or so later known as the Supplementary Exam. You must pass 1 of these tests(either Prof or Supple) in order to move on to the next year.


----------



## cinderella

thank you.


----------



## cinderella

one more q, if a student applies towards end of june, how soon can/will they let her know about interview or acceptance etc?


----------



## US_medstudent

I posted this question in another folder but it a more appropriate question for this folder so I'm reposting it. Maybe a current Shifa student can answer it.

thanks



US_medstudent said:


> So now I was wondering what exactly is the college prospectus? Is it the same as the forms available on the website or is it actually useful info which I should request?
> 
> I'd get it if I was in pakistan but sitting here in the US and going through the process of getting and mailing a check and then waiting for a few weeks for it to arrive seems like a waste of time unless its something necessary. So any help would be appreciated.


----------



## MedGrunt

The prospectus is just a little booklet of info about Shifa. Basically just bragging about their facilities and achievements. It also has a very short section of sample questions (a couple of questions in each subject) and a topic list for their entrance exam.

Not at all necessary. If anyone is planning on taking the entrance test they might want to get it for the topic list, but even that is just listing all the topics from the FSc books.


----------



## US_medstudent

MedGrunt said:


> The prospectus is just a little booklet of info about Shifa. Basically just bragging about their facilities and achievements. It also has a very short section of sample questions (a couple of questions in each subject) and a topic list for their entrance exam.
> 
> Not at all necessary. If anyone is planning on taking the entrance test they might want to get it for the topic list, but even that is just listing all the topics from the FSc books.


 
Thanks dude..


----------



## MedGrunt

cinderella said:


> one more q, if a student applies towards end of june, how soon can/will they let her know about interview or acceptance etc?


First off, I don't know if you can start applying in June. I'm not sure on the exact date when Shifa starts accepting applications but it usually continues to accept them until late September or October. The interview list will be posted after the application deadline had passed, about a week or so after the entrance exam. The acceptance list is finalized shortly after interviews.



US_medstudent said:


> Thanks dude..


Glad to help. :7up:

P.S. it's dudette


----------



## US_medstudent

MedGrunt said:


> First off, I don't know if you can start applying in June. I'm not sure on the exact date when Shifa starts accepting applications but it usually continues to accept them until late September or October. The interview list will be posted after the application deadline had passed, about a week or so after the entrance exam. The acceptance list is finalized shortly after interviews.
> 
> Glad to help. :7up:
> 
> P.S. it's dudette


[FONT=verdana,sans-serif]I recently emailed Shifa and they told me I can apply as soon as I get all my paperwork together so I guess there accepting applications for the upcoming year.[/FONT]

[FONT=verdana,sans-serif]Sorry MedGrunt, your Speedy Gonzales icon threw me off. Not to many dudette's are familiar with the classical looney tunes characters .[/FONT]


----------



## Xero

There are going to be two entry test this time. I got that info from shifa admission office. Last time they didn't have enough space to accomodate all students!

The last date for getting the prospectus for Shifa College of Medicine is 4th August as the guy at the office told me!

Also the test is on 17th August!!


----------



## US_medstudent

Xero said:


> Also the test is on 17th August!!


Is there a test site in the US? How can foreign students take the entrance exam (without physically traveling to Pakistan)?

I know they have alternatives but you cant be sure you'll reach the bench mark on the MCAT so its a risk. Any suggestions?


----------



## MedGrunt

US_medstudent said:


> Is there a test site in the US? How can foreign students take the entrance exam (without physically traveling to Pakistan)?
> 
> I know they have alternatives but you cant be sure you'll reach the bench mark on the MCAT so its a risk. Any suggestions?


 No, there is not a test site in the US. Even though foreigners are allowed to take the entrance test, very few actually do(definitely not enough to warrant test sites within the US). Most foreigners apply through the SAT II exams. I'm not sure why someone would choose to take the MCAT exam over SAT IIs.


----------



## Xero

No theres no alternative! 
Yeah SAT II is better for u guys.


----------



## US_medstudent

MedGrunt said:


> No, there is not a test site in the US. Even though foreigners are allowed to take the entrance test, very few actually do(definitely not enough to warrant test sites within the US). Most foreigners apply through the SAT II exams. I'm not sure why someone would choose to take the MCAT exam over SAT IIs.


Yeah I wanted to take the sat II's but its not being offered anytime during the summer, the next possible date is in Oct. I waited to long to find out about the June date, didnt have enough time to review the material for all three exams at once.


----------



## Xero

US_medstudent said:


> Yeah I wanted to take the sat II's but its not being offered anytime during the summer, the next possible date is in Oct. I waited to long to find out about the June date, didnt have enough time to review the material for all three exams at once.


Well then, u will have to take the college test!! Start revising, it will only take one month. Its basically memorising the FSc books!!


----------



## MedGrunt

US_medstudent said:


> Yeah I wanted to take the sat II's but its not being offered anytime during the summer, the next possible date is in Oct. I waited to long to find out about the June date, didnt have enough time to review the material for all three exams at once.


By MCAT were you referring to the US MCAT exam or the entry tests in Pakistan? Sometimes the entrance tests are also referred to as the MCAT.


----------



## jami

MedGrunt said:


> The prospectus is just a little booklet of info about Shifa. Basically just bragging about their facilities and achievements. It also has a very short section of sample questions (a couple of questions in each subject) and a topic list for their entrance exam.
> 
> Not at all necessary. If anyone is planning on taking the entrance test they might want to get it for the topic list, but even that is just listing all the topics from the FSc books.


CAN SOMEONE POST THE LIST OF THESE TOPICS


----------



## MedGrunt

The FSc books are the topic list. Get the FSc books and study everything in them. It's much better to study directly from the FSc books rather than trying to learn the material from other texts.


----------



## US_medstudent

MedGrunt said:


> By MCAT were you referring to the US MCAT exam or the entry tests in Pakistan? Sometimes the entrance tests are also referred to as the MCAT.


I was referring to the standardized US MCAT. Flying to Islamabad from the US just for an exam is and leaving right after is a bit over the edge. Classes dont start until december so its way to long of a gap.

What if someone uses the alternatives to the admission test (ie MCAT) and doesn't get the needed 24 but instead get like a 21 or 22 and its to late to take the admission exam at shifa, are you automatically disqualified from the admissions selection?


----------



## MedGrunt

US_medstudent said:


> I was referring to the standardized US MCAT. Flying to Islamabad from the US just for an exam is and leaving right after is a bit over the edge. Classes dont start until december so its way to long of a gap.
> 
> What if someone uses the alternatives to the admission test (ie MCAT) and doesn't get the needed 24 but instead get like a 21 or 22 and its to late to take the admission exam at shifa, are you automatically disqualified from the admissions selection?


Yes, if you don't meet the requirements your application will not be considered. Shifa has so many applicants every year that it is doubtful that they would be willing to lower their standards.

Just study hard and hopefully you won't have to worry about that #cool


----------



## US_medstudent

MedGrunt said:


> Yes, if you don't meet the requirements your application will not be considered. Shifa has so many applicants every year that it is doubtful that they would be willing to lower their standards.
> 
> Just study hard and hopefully you won't have to worry about that #cool


Thanks for replying..


----------



## Rehan

You can find a list of topics for the US MCAT exam here:
List of MCAT topics - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


I would recommend the tests in the following order for students from the US applying to Shifa:

1. SAT II
2. Shifa Entrance Exam
3. MCAT


----------



## Filipi

Dr. doctor said:


> and also cant do alternatives cz they dnt hold them in uk...


I thought the same, but have now discovered that it IS possible to do both SAT IIs and MCAT in the UK, you just have to look really hard in their websites to avoid the dead-ends (one which says the nearest test-centre is Dubai!!). For SAT IIs, it often looks like the London venue (American School in London) is full, but you can book another venue (eg Durham) and usually turn up in London anyway. Next chance for SAT IIs is October though.


----------



## jami_jamilan

Xero said:


> There are going to be two entry test this time. I got that info from shifa admission office. Last time they didn't have enough space to accomodate all students!
> 
> The last date for getting the prospectus for Shifa College of Medicine is 4th August as the guy at the office told me!
> 
> Also the test is on 17th August!!


when will be the second test


----------



## Reem18

Hi my name is Tehreem 

I am interested in applying to Shifa in the future but I have some questions. For those of you who attended Shifa what was it like? What's the atmosphere like? How hard was it to get in? What is a typical day for you at Shifa??

btw I would be applying as a foreinger so what kinds of challenges or advantages would that pose for me?? 

If anyone has info regarding SHifa It would really help me out. THanks


----------



## MedGrunt

Reem18 said:


> Hi my name is Tehreem
> 
> I am interested in applying to Shifa in the future but I have some questions. For those of you who attended Shifa what was it like? What's the atmosphere like? How hard was it to get in? What is a typical day for you at Shifa??
> 
> btw I would be applying as a foreinger so what kinds of challenges or advantages would that pose for me??
> 
> If anyone has info regarding SHifa It would really help me out. THanks


Welcome to the forum Tehreem! 
There's tons of great info in this thread about Shifa and I'm certain that all of your questions have already been answered. It's a bit lengthy but if you take the time to read through this thread it will definitely be worth it. You'll get a pretty complete picture about life at Shifa as everything from the admission process to Shifa dress code has been already been discussed.

If you still have any questions after reading the thread, feel free to ask. There's a fairly large base of current Shifa students on the forum (myself included).


----------



## Xero

I'll confirm the second date for the test for u guys!


----------



## Reem18

MedGrunt said:


> Welcome to the forum Tehreem!
> There's tons of great info in this thread about Shifa and I'm certain that all of your questions have already been answered. It's a bit lengthy but if you take the time to read through this thread it will definitely be worth it. You'll get a pretty complete picture about life at Shifa as everything from the admission process to Shifa dress code has been already been discussed.
> 
> If you still have any questions after reading the thread, feel free to ask. There's a fairly large base of current Shifa students on the forum (myself included).


 
ok thanks, I am still making my way thru the entire thing but it really is helpful :happy:


----------



## Xero

*Updates!!*

Just got this information from Shifa College Website.
The schedule for the session 2008 is as follow:

*First Entrabce Test on Sunday at 09:00 PST, August, 17, 2008 *
*Second Entrance Test on Sunday at 09:00 PST, August, 24, 2008 *
*Last Date of Submission of Application is August, 4, 2008 *
*Last Date of Submission of remianing documents is August, 31, 2008 *
*Interviews will be conducted in the first week of September, 2008*
For more information visit their website:
Welcome to Shifa College of Medicine
 ​


----------



## Fareeha

hey can u pls tell me that does it conduct entry test all over i mean also in lhr or we have to go isl 4 that?


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## MedGrunt

The entrance test is conducted in Islamabad, at Shifa.


----------



## US_medstudent

I finally have all the documents and wanted to send in my application. Does anyone know what sort of bank draft is accepted by Shifa and where I can get it? I tried asking my bank (CitiBank) and they said they dont do international bank drafts anymore and Chase has a long processing time and a huge fee (almost half the amount) so if anyone could give me advice on how they paid the application fee it would be helpful.


----------



## MedGrunt

i was in Pakistan at the time, so i didn't have to deal with the bank draft issue. 

If you can't find an easy way to get a bank draft and if you happen to have family or close friends in Islamabad you could western union them the money and ask them to go pay it in person.


----------



## US_medstudent

MedGrunt said:


> i was in Pakistan at the time, so i didn't have to deal with the bank draft issue.
> 
> If you can't find an easy way to get a bank draft and if you happen to have family or close friends in Islamabad you could western union them the money and ask them to go pay it in person.


So if somone takes in the application and a $100 in person, they would accept it?


----------



## US_medstudent

I emailed them the above question and they said they accept cash so problem solved.


----------



## Xero

Yes they accept cash!


----------



## sara18

*sat2 or fsc books?*

is it better to study for the shifa entry test from the sat2 books or from the fsc books?


----------



## Xero

No SAT II books needed, the test is purely from the FSc books. Reading SAT II books will be a waste of time. Start memorising the FSc course, specially the first year books.


----------



## Filipi

Hi again! I'm now in Islamabad for a week's recce visit (I'm currently based in London, UK). I'm hoping to see if I can start medicine at Shifa this December. I'm really keen to get a sense of what studying is really like at the College, not just what the Admissions people say. Are there are current / former Shifa students around this week, up to Mon 4 Aug, who would be available to meet up? I'm staying in E7 but happy to meet anywhere convenient.

You can email me at [email protected] or ring my mobile +44 78 6870 3512 or via my colleague Imran on 0300 534 6298. Hoping to hear from you...

Many thanks,

Roberson Filipini


----------



## desithug00000

Hi everyone, I just found out that i scored a 782 on my equivalence certificate... is this score high enough to be acceptable by Shifa? And if i was to apply to other gov't med schools, would this score be competitive...A question about the SAT 2's ... do i have to take all three subjects and score 650 or better on two of them...or can i take JUST TWO AND SCORE 650 OR BETTER ON THEM... INSTEAD OF TAKING ALL 3...please clarify this for me...i am taking my Bio, and Chem SAT 2's in December...and Inshallah applying to Shifa next year!!! Make Allah Make This Transition Easy For Me..and ALL of US...Ameen


----------



## cinderella

pay in cash, their dollar rate was 60 ! lol.
i got a score of 853, mcat of 27, any current students want to give feedback on potential admission acceptance .. .. ? would be appreciated. thanks in advance.


----------



## MedGrunt

desithug00000 said:


> Hi everyone, I just found out that i scored a 782 on my equivalence certificate... is this score high enough to be acceptable by Shifa? And if i was to apply to other gov't med schools, would this score be competitive...A question about the SAT 2's ... do i have to take all three subjects and score 650 or better on two of them...or can i take JUST TWO AND SCORE 650 OR BETTER ON THEM... INSTEAD OF TAKING ALL 3...please clarify this for me...i am taking my Bio, and Chem SAT 2's in December...and Inshallah applying to Shifa next year!!! Make Allah Make This Transition Easy For Me..and ALL of US...Ameen


You have to take all 3 subjects and score at least 650 on 2 of them.


----------



## cinderella

anyone? realli need just a feedback so i can look into back up plans.


----------



## MedGrunt

cinderella said:


> pay in cash, their dollar rate was 60 ! lol.
> i got a score of 853, mcat of 27, any current students want to give feedback on potential admission acceptance .. .. ? would be appreciated. thanks in advance.


Seems like a pretty good score, but I personally don't know anyone who has gotten in off MCAT exams as most students submit either SAT II scores or take the entrance exam. I'd say regardless of your scores though you should have a backup, just in case!


----------



## cinderella

thanks medgrunt ! hopefully i get accepted, loved isl, loved the hospital although there werent any students around cuz it was summer holidays. they post the interview list online or am i relying on strictly email correspondence? i know it'll be sometime in early sept, i suppose i'll start applyin to the US med schools meanwhile.

mcat is probably less popular because students go there right after high school; i've got a bsc and a change of plans to move to pak so i was delayed a bit in my application cycle; should've applied after high school, but hopefully the bsc along with all my research gives me an edge in the app. 27 is acceptable even in US, it should be taken in shifa since their minimum is 24... keepin my fingers crossed and praying for the best for everyone out there!

MCAT is a lot tougher than the SAT IIs !! i was going to take them but there wasn't enough time, i'd have aced that with my biochem degree


----------



## MedGrunt

cinderella said:


> thanks medgrunt ! hopefully i get accepted, loved isl, loved the hospital although there werent any students around cuz it was summer holidays. they post the interview list online or am i relying on strictly email correspondence? i know it'll be sometime in early sept, i suppose i'll start applyin to the US med schools meanwhile.


They did post the interview list online last year a few days after they posted it on campus. Hopefully they will be doing the same this year.

Best of luck! #happy


----------



## cinderella

thanks.

one more q since u r answering them ; how are the dorms?


----------



## MedGrunt

not so stellar. but take a look at this post and the 2 following it for more details: Shifa Female Hostel Report


----------



## cinderella

thanks.


----------



## danny

cinderella said:


> pay in cash, their dollar rate was 60 ! lol.
> i got a score of 853, mcat of 27, any current students want to give feedback on potential admission acceptance .. .. ? would be appreciated. thanks in advance.



To score more than 30 on ur mcat is considered quite competitive...
Nonetheless, one shud always aim for something more than the average, so if you consistently score 9 (which is above average by the way) on each section of MCAT, then you would probably have a competitive edge and you actually do (9x3=27 :happy

The above scenario is based by taking US med schools in consideration. I'm assuming a score on MCAT administered by AMCC would hold more value than a "MCAT" score on exams directed by pak med schools#happy. Thus, your MCAT score, in my opinion, would definitely hold its prestige #grin

However, as medgrunt already mentioned, that one shud always have a backup plan if things don't go as planned


----------



## cinderella

thanks for ur input  back up plans are either applyin to US med schools or takin the SAT IIs (which i'm scoring 800 on the practice test; BSc has its benefits,) and reapplyin next year. will give me one more year of workin and savin up money


----------



## cinderella

one more q, is there a way to check application status? if it's complete or processed etc... ...?


----------



## MedGrunt

Nope, although it doesn't really matter if it's 'processed'...they'll wait til the application deadline to compare you to everyone else. You'll just want to call the student affairs office and confirm that they get your application. E-mail might work as well, not sure about how quick they are at responding.


----------



## cinderella

thank you.


----------



## US_medstudent

MedGrunt said:


> Nope, although it doesn't really matter if it's 'processed'...they'll wait til the application deadline to compare you to everyone else. You'll just want to call the student affairs office and confirm that they get your application. E-mail might work as well, not sure about how quick they are at responding.


My application was hand delivered through someone and I emailed them asking if it was submitted and if everything was complete, they emailed me back the next day and gave me an application number. So their pretty good with emails.


----------



## Sidra

i have several questions. =\

1. how does the college get in touch with you to inform you whether you're going to be called for an interview or not? do they give ads in newspapers, call you, email you?

2. how hard are the interviews? what do they usually ask? 

3. how's the hostel environment? and the housing facilities?

4. does any ragging take place? if so, how bad is it?? =[

i'm VERY nervous. any help will be appreciated. thanks a lot in advance guys.


----------



## Sidra

no internet? =\
what if you want to keep in touch with your family & friends abroad?


----------



## cinderella

u can get ur own internet and pay for it monthly.

one question i still got...electricity situation in the hostels.. ? load shedding etc etc? just a fear, someone please say there is no elec shortage in the dorms.


----------



## US_medstudent

cinderella said:


> one question i still got...electricity situation in the hostels.. ? load shedding etc etc? just a fear, someone please say there is no elec shortage in the dorms.


My friend at Shifa told me theres no electricity for 6 hrs daily, its suppose to get better next year.

The school and hospital have generators so it isnt an issue for them but the dorm situation doesnt look to good...


----------



## cinderella

that sucks; my cousin is at AIM and said their dorms have generators, one would assume shifa would as well. anywho, electricity isnt too much of a problem after a while, there are those charging lights and fans available, pretty cheap and pretty good, it would be pretty easy to adjust.


----------



## cinderella

just an update, entrance test dates and last day to apply have been changed, from the college website:


* Entrance Test Date Change *


*First Entrance Test on Sunday at 09:00 PST, August, 24, 2008 *
*Second Entrance Test on Sunday at 09:00 PST, August, 31, 2008.*

*Last Date of Submission of Application is August, 11, 2008 *
*Last Date of Submission of remianing documents is August, 31, 2008. *

*Interviews will be conducted in the first week of September, 2008. *


----------



## US_medstudent

thanks for the update....


----------



## Xero

cinderella said:


> just an update, entrance test dates and last day to apply have been changed, from the college website:
> 
> 
> * Entrance Test Date Change *
> *First Entrance Test on Sunday at 09:00 PST, August, 24, 2008 *
> *Second Entrance Test on Sunday at 09:00 PST, August, 31, 2008.*
> *Last Date of Submission of Application is August, 11, 2008 *
> *Last Date of Submission of remianing documents is August, 31, 2008. *
> *Interviews will be conducted in the first week of September, 2008. *



I received the letter yesterday! First 800 applicants will take the test on 24th and the rest on 31st!


----------



## Sidra

thanks cinderella. =]

can anyone please answer my other questions?


----------



## MedGrunt

Sidra said:


> i have several questions. =\
> 
> 1. how does the college get in touch with you to inform you whether you're going to be called for an interview or not? do they give ads in newspapers, call you, email you?
> 
> 2. how hard are the interviews? what do they usually ask?
> 
> 3. how's the hostel environment? and the housing facilities?
> 
> 4. does any ragging take place? if so, how bad is it?? =[
> 
> i'm VERY nervous. any help will be appreciated. thanks a lot in advance guys.


A little searching goes a long way. Read through this thread and you'll find the answers to all of these questions, several of them are just within the last page or so. The search function at the top of the site is a really useful tool -- just type in a keyword and it'll pull up everything about it.

If you have any questions or are confused about anything after reading the thread, feel free to ask.


----------



## Sidra

thank youuuu. found the answerssss. siiiighs.
i applied to Shifa as an overseas candidate. i'm REALLY nervous. =[


----------



## cinderella

so am i, hopefully a bunch of people from this site get in, that way at least we could have some sort of a starting support group


----------



## danny

cinderella said:


> so am i, hopefully a bunch of people from this site get in, that way at least we could have some sort of a starting support group



Not a bad idea :happy:

And for those of you who are afraid to get ragged on the very first day... i say stay in group and return the favor unto them #laugh


----------



## Xero

Guys plz answer the other thread http://medstudentz.com/pakistan-medical-schools/994-whos-giving-shifa-test-year.html


So that we can know how many ppl are competeting!! And yeah a group will help. M amazed, foreign universities have a whole first week dedicated to the new comers. To help them familiarize with the university enviornment. Even the Seniors help. But here in Pakistan, on first day u get ragging which continues for a few days. Most ppl are absent on their first day to avoid ragging! 
SIGHS** Its Pakistan, and everything is the other way round here!!


----------



## danny

Xero said:


> Guys plz answer the other thread
> * Whos giving Shifa test this year??*
> 
> 
> So that we can know how many ppl are competeting!! And yeah a group will help. M amazed, foreign universities have a whole first week dedicated to the new comers. To help them familiarize with the university enviornment. Even the Seniors help. But here in Pakistan, on first day u get ragging which continues for a few days. Most ppl are absent on their first day to avoid ragging!
> SIGHS** Its Pakistan, and everything is the other way round here!!



We all have different cultures, ours a way too extreme, every time.
But seriously, you can easily avoid being ragged. Just don't give them the opportunity. I was only asked for Rs.10/- and i believe i got away easy as some of my friends were watered down from head to toe, some were forced to give the seniors a treat at mcdonalds while others were just ripped off from their dignity but after a week or so, we were all friends again. So yeah, it isn't really that bad and don't let this get in your way of thinking.

:happy:


----------



## MedGrunt

Xero said:


> M amazed, foreign universities have a whole first week dedicated to the new comers. To help them familiarize with the university enviornment. Even the Seniors help.


There is a foundation module aka orientation at Shifa for first year students. It's length varies, but i think it was about 2 weeks long last year.


----------



## Xero

and this foundation module is for ragging?? Lolz
Anywayz thnxguys, do keep updating the applicants number.


----------



## kishmish

Hey I want to goto SHIFA

I live in the States, and I have not taken Chem,Bio, or Physcis in HS ...but I am taking them all at college, Will they accept those?

And hmm I heard you can take the SAT II instead of the entrance test SHifa? is that true?


----------



## cinderella

kishmish said:


> Hey I want to goto SHIFA
> 
> I live in the States, and I have not taken Chem,Bio, or Physcis in HS ...but I am taking them all at college, Will they accept those?
> 
> And hmm I heard you can take the SAT II instead of the entrance test SHifa? is that true?


u can take the SAT IIs in bio, chem and physics, but no, u can't take bio/chem/phys at the college level and get in, they require it in high school for the equivalence certificate.


----------



## kishmish

Since I don't have those courses from HS, I can't get in?

Because it requires us to take the SAT II anyways ? Thats that it says on the website...


The requirements said that I need to take Bio, CHem, and Physics, and instead of the placement test I can do the SAT II?


----------



## cinderella

as far as i know, u can't get an eq certificate if u don't have bio, chem and physics.
without the eq certificate u can't get into med school.
follow it up with the school just to be sure.


----------



## MedGrunt

kishmish said:


> Hey I want to goto SHIFA
> 
> I live in the States, and I have not taken Chem,Bio, or Physcis in HS ...but I am taking them all at college, Will they accept those?


YES! If you never took the courses in high school but are now taking them at the college level those will be accepted in order to make your equivalence certificate.

However, if you ever took them in high school and just got poor grades those scores will be used, regardless of what classes you take after.



kishmish said:


> And hmm I heard you can take the SAT II instead of the entrance test SHifa? is that true?


True. In fact most foreign applicants apply via SAT II scores rather than taking the entrance exam. The entrance exam is based strictly off of FSc textbooks so you would have to study those texts on your own and would still be at a disadvantage because you'd be competing against 1000+ students who studied the FSc texts during school. If you can, applying via SAT IIs is definitely the easier way for foreign students.


----------



## Faiha

I was told that the shifa entrance exam is more a level based than Fsc based
Im studying from my A level books!!
Should i be studying from Fsc ones??


----------



## MedGrunt

I'm not sure how similar the A level books are to FSc ones, but the exam is based on FSc. Yes, if you can i'd suggest studying directly from there.


----------



## Faiha

I dont have any Fsc books 
Are you taking the Shifa entrance exam aswell
Becasue my sister told me to study from A level books because the exam is more A level based and may people who had only studied from Fsc books found it difficult


----------



## coolblue_one

at the bottom of the page, in the prospectus of al shifa, where they have outlined the syllabus, there is a note written in fine print and it says that the portion is from course/books prescribed by BISE for Intermediate(i.e. fsc)


----------



## kishmish

MedGrunt said:


> YES! If you never took the courses in high school but are now taking them at the college level those will be accepted in order to make your equivalence certificate.
> 
> However, if you ever took them in high school and just got poor grades those scores will be used, regardless of what classes you take after.
> 
> 
> 
> True. In fact most foreign applicants apply via SAT II scores rather than taking the entrance exam. The entrance exam is based strictly off of FSc textbooks so you would have to study those texts on your own and would still be at a disadvantage because you'd be competing against 1000+ students who studied the FSc texts during school. If you can, applying via SAT IIs is definitely the easier way for foreign students.


I asked two other people and they said it shouldn't be a problem, and they should be able to accept them. But when I emailed Shifa Admissions, they said no. It seemed as if they were confused about my question, because even before when I called them I got no clear answer.
here is the email:


> Salam
> I am living in the United States, but I want to enroll at Shifa College of Medicine.
> 
> I completed High School in 2007, but I never took Physics and Chemistry in HS. And I saw on the requirement list that it says you need to take Bio, Physics, and Chemistry in HS as a requirement for your college. But I completed those classes at a college that I am enrolled at now. Will you still be able to accept them or they must have been at a High School level?
> 
> Thank you.


Reply:


> We need Bio Chemistry and Physics at High levels than you need to submit the equivalence certificate alone with the high school certificate. That Equivalence certificate must be of pre-medical. and pre-medical group is a combination of physics, chemistry and Biology.
> 
> Many Thanks
> 
> Aneela Iqbal


Me:


> Thank you for replying, but my question is still not cleared.
> 
> I didn't take those classes at High school, but I am taking them in college in the States. Can I apply after I have taken these classes at college? Will you accept them?


Reply:


> Dear Mahwish
> 
> We will not consider your college diploma but your high school is our requirements.


Can someone please confirm for me? it would help.


----------



## MedGrunt

Faiha said:


> I dont have any Fsc books
> Are you taking the Shifa entrance exam aswell
> Becasue my sister told me to study from A level books because the exam is more A level based and may people who had only studied from Fsc books found it difficult


Well in that case I suppose you'll have to make do with the A level books. I'm a 2nd year at Shifa and while they did ask some questions that required thinking they were definitely FSc based.



kishmish said:


> I asked two other people and they said it shouldn't be a problem, and they should be able to accept them. But when I emailed Shifa Admissions, they said no. It seemed as if they were confused about my question, because even before when I called them I got no clear answer.


Basically you need an IBCC equivalence certificate from the IBCC office to apply to medical schools in Pakistan. In order to get this certificate you need 1 year of each of the sciences. So whether or not it will be accepted in lieu of taking it during high school is more of an IBCC topic rather than directly related to Shifa. If IBCC makes you an equivalence certificate, Shifa will accept it. You should contact the IBCC office for confirmation about your situation.

Inter Board Committee of Chairmen, Islamabad


----------



## Faiha

Whats considered to be a good quivelance out of 1100??


----------



## MastahRiz

Faiha said:


> Whats considered to be a good quivelance out of 1100??


I'd say 950+ is decent.


----------



## Bilalzafar

i applied to shifa this year and i wanted to ask what are the main things i should prepare for the entry test???and like i also wanted to know what the estimated score on the entry should be to be on the merit list???


----------



## MedGrunt

Bilalzafar said:


> i applied to shifa this year and i wanted to ask what are the main things i should prepare for the entry test???and like i also wanted to know what the estimated score on the entry should be to be on the merit list???


study the fsc textbooks. there's a list of important topics in the Shifa prospectus, but they generally just list all of the topics in the fsc books.


----------



## kishmish

Thanks Guys for your help.

Id love to goto Shifa, but it seems like I won't be able to get an average of 70% of the equivalence since they deduct 20% of all of our grades. :/


----------



## MastahRiz

Regardless of the score, if you're over the minimum requirement, you should apply anyway.


----------



## Faiha

kishmish said:


> Thanks Guys for your help.
> 
> Id love to goto Shifa, but it seems like I won't be able to get an average of 70% of the equivalence since they deduct 20% of all of our grades. :/


 
Awwww im sure you have as good as chance as anyone else here
If it makes you feel any better im kid of screwed for the entrance exam im studying so much stuff ive never even done before
Goodluck
Inshallah we will all do great


----------



## kishmish

Thanks guys, I will apply..

And Faiha, lucky for me I can get away with just doing the SAT II ...instead the entrance test...

My options are limited to Islamabad, so I really want to look towards Shifa...

lets see though..

InshaAllah..


----------



## MedGrunt

MastahRiz said:


> Regardless of the score, if you're over the minimum requirement, you should apply anyway.


He's right because even if your IBCC score is low but you have good SAT II or entrance exam scores you still have a shot of getting in.


----------



## Faiha

kishmish said:


> And Faiha, lucky for me I can get away with just doing the SAT II ...instead the entrance test...
> 
> My options are limited to Islamabad, so I really want to look towards Shifa...
> 
> lets see though..
> 
> InshaAllah..


Balh your so lucky i have to the entrance exam thing
My options are limited to the islamabad pindi area so its just shifa or like NUST
And Shifa really is my first option


----------



## Xero

There r other colleges in islamabad u can look forward to,

ISLAMABAD MEDICAL COLLEGE
ISLAMIC INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL COLLEGE
FOUNDATION UNIVERSITY MEDICAL COLLEGE
MARGALL DENTAL COLLEGE
ete etc

They r all private


----------



## kishmish

Oh thanks for the list

I always thought Foundation College was govt.
And Margalla is only dental college?

Faiha, never heard of NUST :/ iTs a med college?


----------



## Xero

Yes margalla is only for dentistry!
NUST is not a medical college itself, it selects 40 studentz and they study in AMC (Army).


----------



## MedGrunt

Hey guys, try to keep the posts in this thread on topic -- related directly to Shifa. For more general discussions please post in threads like http://medstudentz.com/pakistan-medical-schools/876-admissions-jan-2009-a.html.

Thanks.


----------



## cinderella

hey MedGrunt, since u live off campus, if u don't mind me asking, how much does it cost to live off campus? can u please tell me the breakdown of rent, food, utilities, transportation and any other expenses? thnks.


----------



## MedGrunt

The cost of everything really depends on what type of lifestyle you're used to. 

Some food is ridiculously cheap, such as daal & roti (which you can get at the school cafeteria for about 20 rupees), obviously once you get into meat dishes it gets more expensive. It depends a lot on how often you go out to eat at restaurants and how often you eat at home. Prices in restaurants are not too far off from US prices. I know some people that live in the hostel but dislike the food so much that they order food from other places almost every day.

For transportation within the city, you can either take taxis or buy yourself a car. Once again it depends on how much you're willing to spend. Taxis are pretty cheap, you can get to most places in the city for less than 150 rupees. It costs me 100 rs to get to school in a taxi and i live about 20-25 minutes away. Disadvantage to the taxi system is that it's hard to go out at night, because it's not too safe for girls to take taxis alone at night. If you buy yourself a reliable, cheap car it makes it easier to get around, but of course adds extra hassles of having to get the car serviced/fixed when things go wrong.

If you live in an apartment, it's a pretty good idea to get a servant as it's hard to get things done around here without one. Not impossible but it makes paying bills, laundry, dealing with random problems/people, etc. much easier. How much you pay them varies according to how long you want them to come everyday/what you need them for. You can have a full time servant that lives with you for about 6,000/month + room & board.

Utilities [phone, electric, gas, water] comes out to about 3,000/month at my place, but we don't use the landline very often.

Rent for a 3br apartment costs at the cheapest 30,000/month, for a decent sized place. Some people choose to live in portions [basically 1 floor out of a 2 story house, which also usually have 3 or 4 br]. The price varies a lot according to where the apartment/portion is and how nice it is. The apartments are generally nicer than portions because they're newer and better maintained but really either one is suitable.


----------



## cinderella

medgrunt, u r a life saver. i officially present u with the lifesavers award (very prestigious)









the admissions people are very nice, but still inefficient. i'm still trying to figure out exactly how the phone-interview will go; they keep sayin 'check ur email, it'll be sent out today' everyday...for the past three days....tonight hopefully i'll know, i'll just refuse to hang up till she tells me !!


----------



## MedGrunt

cinderella said:


> medgrunt, u r a life saver. i officially present u with the lifesavers award (very prestigious)


haha, glad to help :7up:


----------



## cinderella

here's a question for u current shifa-ites. so far, we've confirmed that
a) they are not very efficient i.e the whole interview process.
b) teachers will pick on students :|
c) lots of students cheat and no one will do anything about it
d) they don't have the hang of the module system :|
e) electricity problems..totally sucks.

can you guys please give a couple of reasons (positive reasons) to go to pak for med school, just to lighten up our spirits?


----------



## MastahRiz

1. cost
2. no pre-med
3. samosas.


----------



## cinderella

already got a bachelors yaar, forget the premed.
cost is a good enough reason. samosas. how about tikkas  i love tikkas. usmania in isl is my favorite place to eat strictly cuz i used to go there as kid 
thanks  feeling much better, haha.


----------



## MedGrunt

cinderella said:


> here's a question for u current shifa-ites. so far, we've confirmed that
> a) they are not very efficient i.e the whole interview process.
> b) teachers will pick on students :|
> c) lots of students cheat and no one will do anything about it
> d) they don't have the hang of the module system :|
> e) electricity problems..totally sucks.
> 
> can you guys please give a couple of reasons (positive reasons) to go to pak for med school, just to lighten up our spirits?


None of that stuff is a very big deal. You'll get really annoyed with their inefficiency in the beginning, but after a while you'll get used to it(aside from the occasional flare up). Yeah the teachers will pick on students, but they tend to be fair about it unless you give them a really good reason to mess with you specifically -- just chalk it up to entertainment and enjoy.

The module system thing is an issue, but hopefully it'll be better next year because you'll be starting off with that, we were forced to switch to that system halfway through. 

Electricity problems suck. Since Ramadan started there haven't been any outages in isb, but not sure if that'll continue afterwards. :?



cinderella said:


> usmania in isl is my favorite place to eat strictly cuz i used to go there as kid


I love Usmania.


----------



## cinderella

one question, i asked it before but didn't get a confirmed answer; do the dorms, or hostels as we like to call them over there, have generators? my cousin goes to AIM, and he said their electricity never goes out ... i hope that's the case at shifa as well.


----------



## Xero

There was no loadshedding here in Islamabad for the last 6 days!!!!


----------



## MastahRiz

cinderella said:


> one question, i asked it before but didn't get a confirmed answer; do the dorms, or hostels as we like to call them over there, have generators? my cousin goes to AIM, and he said their electricity never goes out ... i hope that's the case at shifa as well.



Sorry, that's a negative. No hostel generators as of yet.



MedGrunt said:


> I love Usmania.


Biggest understatement on this site.


----------



## cinderella

^crap. that's not a big deal i think, u get used to it once u r there; and they have those charging fans and lights etc etc.

q, how long does it take after the interview process to get the final accepted list up?


----------



## WANABEE

Hello MedGrunt, by your posts on this website i have figured out that you are studying in SHIFA. Is it right? and if it is then can you tell me that in which year you are studying and are you satisfied with the faculty of shifa. Just asking because many people in Pakistan believe that Shifa is not up to the standard of other Pakistani Medical Schools.


----------



## MedGrunt

WANABEE said:


> Hello MedGrunt, by your posts on this website i have figured out that you are studying in SHIFA. Is it right? and if it is then can you tell me that in which year you are studying and are you satisfied with the faculty of shifa. Just asking because many people in Pakistan believe that Shifa is not up to the standard of other Pakistani Medical Schools.


Hey Wanabee, welcome to the forum.

Yeah, I'm a 2nd year student at Shifa. In terms of faculty, I'd say I'm fairly satisfied -- no major complaints that I think I wouldn't be experiencing elsewhere. Shifa isn't as old as many of the other medical colleges in Pakistan but so far it's graduates have been pretty successful in the USMLE exams. Granted a fair amount of self motivation is required, but can't argue with the results.

This year Shifa implemented a new modular system, which is definitely still being adjusted and undergoing many modifications, but aside from that I'd say the education system is running fairly smoothly(although this is Pakistan and nothing is actually 'smooth'). Anyways, I've never felt that I might be better off at a different Pakistani med school.


----------



## king khan

MedGrunt said:


> Hey Wanabee, welcome to the forum.
> 
> Yeah, I'm a 2nd year student at Shifa. In terms of faculty, I'd say I'm fairly satisfied -- no major complaints that I think I wouldn't be experiencing elsewhere. Shifa isn't as old as many of the other medical colleges in Pakistan but so far it's graduates have been pretty successful in the USMLE exams. Granted a fair amount of self motivation is required, but can't argue with the results.
> 
> This year Shifa implemented a new modular system, which is definitely still being adjusted and undergoing many modifications, but aside from that I'd say the education system is running fairly smoothly(although this is Pakistan and nothing is actually 'smooth'). Anyways, I've never felt that I might be better off at a different Pakistani med school.


medgrunt i need your honest opinion!!!!i am completely confused!!#baffled if i hav to make a choice between shifa fauji and govt colleges of nwfp wht shud i go for??? i hav got admsn in shifa but hav not submitted dues due to this very reason! and i hav a day or two more at max!!! do u think is shifa worth the money their asking for and are the fascilities and faculty at par with any other private or govt med college? if i ask u to point out a few weak points abt shifa wht wud they be?
#grin


----------



## neelam86

hi everyone 
im neelam and i live in France but i'd like to do my training in pakistan at the Shifa Hospital 
i told someone of my family living in there and they told me that I had to fill forms for my admission. but i wanted to know if you guys knew where i can find one of these forms on internet plz???
help me plzzzz because i need it before 16th october! thank you very muchhhhhhh


----------



## MastahRiz

Are you talking about an internship/elective or admission as a medical student? Admissions are currently closed for this year. Where'd you get the Oct 16th deadline?

http://www.shifacollege.edu/med/index.php


----------



## zdog

DESPERATE!


hey guys, first things first. The reason I want to go to pakistan is because I have the chance to able to practice back in my home state of california. That is my goal.

I graduated high school (3.75 GPA), I attended the University of California Santa Cruz, (1 semester), Transferred out and I am now currently at Xavier University School of Medicine In the Caribbean in a premed program. I want to go to shifa however I dont know if they will accept credits from Xavier? I did not take Physics in High School, Im taking it right now and I will be done with it in April of 2009. 

Do you guys know if they will accept credits from this Caribbean Medical School, cuz I mean if they accept lousy high school credits why wont they accept Pre-medical credits at a medical school. 

I would really appreciate some feedback. 

p.s. do all students need to write an entrance exam including foriegn students?

Thanks, Please reply back.


----------



## neelam86

MastahRiz,

Asalam waleykoum. I thank you for your post but i have already found the form to fill.
I also received by mail the confirmation (to practise my training for one month this summer 2009) by Miss Nadia KHALID of Shifa Hospital. I'm in my 4th year of medical school. But now i'm waiting for the confirmation of my faculty to let me go to Pakistan! I hope i'll can inshAllah
Lots of thanks
Khuda Hafiz
tc


----------



## MastahRiz

zdog said:


> DESPERATE!
> 
> 
> hey guys, first things first. The reason I want to go to pakistan is because I have the chance to able to practice back in my home state of california. That is my goal.
> 
> I graduated high school (3.75 GPA), I attended the University of California Santa Cruz, (1 semester), Transferred out and I am now currently at Xavier University School of Medicine In the Caribbean in a premed program. I want to go to shifa however I dont know if they will accept credits from Xavier? I did not take Physics in High School, Im taking it right now and I will be done with it in April of 2009.
> 
> Do you guys know if they will accept credits from this Caribbean Medical School, cuz I mean if they accept lousy high school credits why wont they accept Pre-medical credits at a medical school.
> 
> I would really appreciate some feedback.
> 
> p.s. do all students need to write an entrance exam including foriegn students?
> 
> Thanks, Please reply back.


I'm 99% sure they won't care about pre-med credits from Xavier. They don't accept your high schools classes as 'credits' btw, they are just pre-reqs that you have to have taken.

You don't have to take an entrance exam for Shifa.


----------



## studentofmed

tomorrow begins my second week at shifa. Our group is supposed to give a presentation on evidence-based medicine (EbM) on the web and comment on the authenticities of various websites and their pros and cons. to the shifis on board, how exactly are we supposed to go about presenting this information? and how exactly do you grade the authenticity of a source anyway? Your input would be much appreciated.


----------



## MastahRiz

I think what they're looking for is a short list of what you consider the best ones. It's impossible to make any sort of assessment on "the web" (like it's just one thing), so what I would do is throw a list together of a few sites like

Ask Dr. Wiki, Pub Med, Epocrates, WebMD, and Wikipedia (and yes, Wikipedia IS an actual source and does not have a million people just making up phony stuff in their articles).

Pros would be the citation of sources, the extent of the material, the detail in which it's covered (general knowledge as opposed to medical detail), and up-to-date information as opposed to information which is outdated, to name a few.

You can grade the authenticity of a website by the sources that it cites- medical texts and journals should probably be ranked as most authentic.


----------



## studentofmed

very nicely put. thank you.


----------



## neelam86

Hi everyone
its neelam again
I was just wondering how r the doctors and the medical employees in shifa, i'm little scared about the fact that i dont speak very well english, and not at all urdu (i'm pathan)...do you think its a big pb, as an elective...?
btw, i heard that the hospital rented rooms for foreigner electives for 16000Rs/month, is that true?
and how does it like? i have lots of questions about my future elective ship, i'm lost and know nothing about it, neither life in islamabad...

Moreover, this will be the first time i'll come to islamabad on my own (i have my parents' friend in rawalpindi) but i'd like to do this ship alone, do you think its possible for me, as a girl, to sightsee and do things on my own? (i think it'd be difficult concerning the fact i dont speak urdu i know lol) 

Maybe i'll be able to meet some of you guys...inshAllah (why not mr Wanabee #wink )

Thanks again for your help!

neelam

thanks for your help


----------



## dubya0

hey i had a few questions regarding how shifah medical school is and what i need to be accepted in there if iam coming from the USA. for example, what kind of grades and the SAT scores if they accept them.


----------



## MedGrunt

dubya0 said:


> hey i had a few questions regarding how shifah medical school is and what i need to be accepted in there if iam coming from the USA. for example, what kind of grades and the SAT scores if they accept them.


c'mon! at least pretend like you've tried to find out this stuff on your own. spelling the name of the school wrong? reeeally?

read this entire thread. it has everything you need to know about the admissions process. if (after reading it) you still have any questions, members will be more than happy to answer.

we're in medical school so we don't want to spend all our time answering the same exact questions over and over again!


----------



## MastahRiz

*Unweighted *high school GPA = 3.5 or better, SAT II scores 700 or better, IBCC equivalence score 660 or better.


----------



## neelam86

Hi everyone,

I have a little problem with my admission at Shifa.
Here I go :

I have to send the form (which i found here) and they are asking which sub speciality i have to choose : they mention : 
*Surgery
*Medicine
*Ob/Gyn
*Pathology
*Ophtalmo/ORL
*Paeds

My faculty, in France, allows me to do this summer : 
*Urology
*Orthopedics
*Vascular Surgery

i didnt know how to write it in the form, hence, i sent them an email explaining this pb (the 30th of january, to [email protected] and [email protected] ).
Now it has been one month and i have no response from them, no emails...and im stuck because i have to pay my ticket plane right now...

I also want to call them but i remember i tried before in october and nobody was picking up.

Maybe i have the wrong phone number...

Please can ppl help me by giving me another phone number if you have it or another way to contact them because i really dont know what to do...
Any information here...?

Thank you


----------



## MastahRiz

You can go ahead and mark the Surgery box on your field of choice because Urology, Orthopedics, and Vascular Surgery are all surgical specialties and you won't rotate with just one surgeon. You'll rotate with at least 2, for a few weeks each, and I'm almost 100% sure that one of those two surgeons will be the head orthopedic surgeon at Shifa. Vascular surgery and urology are also huge parts of Shifa's surgical team, so you shouldn't be too worried about that form.

The emails are usually unanswered, I don't know why that is. I don't currently have a phone number, but you should go ahead and just submit the form and you can clear up details once you get here. Worst case scenario, you do general surgery for 2 weeks, and a specialty for another two. If you're here longer than that, then let's say 4 weeks general surgery, and 4 weeks in some specialty. That's how all the previous elective students have rotated.


----------



## neelam86

ok...thank you very much for your response

btw, the first time i mailed the admin, they replied so fast but now they dont...
and i'll be doing my elective just for one month, i'll manage myself over there then
i heard that general surgery is worst in terms of timetable but at least is it interesting?

i'm just afraid about the fact i send the form but have no response from them till i arrive to pakistan in july and then dont accept me...thats the worst case scenario for me...because i could fail my 4th year...


----------



## dubya0

the required GPA you said was 3.5 unweighted, is the 4.0 scale? Also, what is the weighted GPA needed and lastly when do addmissions start.


----------



## MastahRiz

As far as I know there are only two scales, unweighted (which is always out of 4.0) and weighted, which is on the 5.0 scale. An unweighted GPA of 3.5 on the 4.0 scale is what you'll need to really be considered, they don't make any requirement on the weighted scale, if they did, you can rest assured that it'd be well over 3.5.

When do admissions start? The deadline for applying is usually somewhere in September/ October, and you'll find out whether or not you got in by November. Classes start December or January.


----------



## dubya0

Hey thanks for all your help and inshallah ill get in when i apply


----------



## cutefan123

hey im in my last year of A'levels and will be applying to medical schools pretty soon. im from karachi btw. id like to know whether its actually worth coming to shifa college of medicine if one doesnt get into AKU or Dow? is ziauddin university in karachi a better option or should one go to shifa? hows the teaching there? and most importantly for us non-American citizens and IMGs,how much time do they give you to do ur electives from abroad? cuz nowadays and im sure in the coming future to get a good US residency,one needs US clinical electives on their resume. AKU gives 3 months, DOW and Ziauddin give 1 month. and if u can plz let me know how the housing is for boys. Thanks.


----------



## studentofmed

HEAR YE! HEAR YE! 
As of this year Shifa College of Medicine will no longer be accepting SAT II scores in place of their entrance test.

You want proof? Welcome to Shifa College of Medicine


----------



## MedGrunt

#shocked

thanks for the update studentofmed


----------



## rashope

Anyone know whats the average acceptance grade for shifa? like 850/1100 ???


----------



## Tinker bellz

The average acceptance grade ...is there one? the minimum marks for applying are 60% that is 660/1100...and your acceptance also depends on how good you are in your interview...and its a big blow that they are not going to accept sat2 this year(sob)#baffled


----------



## MedGrunt

The interview doesn't mean much at Shifa -- at least it never has before. Along with your IBCC score they will look at your entrance exam score and transcripts. Shifa will take all three of these into consideration and then rank everyone accordingly. The ranking determine who qualifies for an interview. The interview is generally just a formality.

This basically means that if you don't have the greatest IBCC score but do very well on the entrance exam you still have a good chance of making the interview list.


----------



## Tinker bellz

oh...#laugh thats a relief...thanks medgrunt#happy


----------



## rashope

Do you guys know what the admissions test will cover Im currently tking calc and A.P. bio but i might need to refresh my memory on things like physics and lower lvl maths that have formulas...


----------



## Tinker bellz

hmmm...what i know from...you have got to prepare for the test from the F.Sc books...which are quite horrible...they have their own formula's and rules...quite annoying though...#sad
And the tests cover four subjects of* F.SC*...thats what i know...which are english(F.Sc), biology, chemistry and physics...


----------



## rashope

Thanks for the info tinker!! btw where can I get these FSC books ?


----------



## Tinker bellz

rashope said:


> Thanks for the info tinker!! btw where can I get these FSC books ?


i got mine last year from pakistan(punjab board)...but its also available where they teach the punjab board like here in the gulf.i don't know about other countries.
pls do correct if i am wrong.#happy


----------



## studentofmed

According to a friend who took the entrance exam last year, they put some A levels past paper questions on there as well.


----------



## rashope

so is it worth applying to Shifa??? How many seats are there for foreigners, I ask this because its a very competitive school and I have no idea what im gonna do for entrance exam.... HELP!!!!


----------



## Tinker bellz

Shifa is a good college...it is worth applying there.You can go to pak. and attend any good academy that prepares for MCAT(medical college admission test).and i had no idea that a-level is also included...got to study a lot!
too bad they are not accepting SAT-2 this year.


----------



## studentofmed

The highest anyone got on the entrance exam last year was a 75%, give or take--that should tell you somthing about the difficulty level.


----------



## crazycrazy

If anybody here is canadian, and go to shifa, did you get OSAP? and how much?

thanks!


----------



## MedGrunt

rashope said:


> How many seats are there for foreigners, I ask this because its a very competitive school and I have no idea what im gonna do for entrance exam.... HELP!!!!


There's no foreigner seats/local seats at shifa. The number of foreign students they accept varies from year to year. Now that all applicants are required to take the entrance exam it'll be a direct way for them to compare foreign and local applicants. SO...study those FSc textbooks!


----------



## Tinker bellz

The dates of the test and the last date for applying to shifa have been announced on its website...#rofl...which is 20th june.
the tests will be on 26th july and 2nd august...best of luck people


----------



## AlfalahHostel

Alfalah Hostel (Male Section)


Brand new House
Marble Floor
Attached Bath
Clean & Spacious
Very Close to Shifa College of Medicine (Located at: I-10/2)
Close to I-10 Markaz
Park Face
Convenient Location: First Street from the Main Road.

Very limited number of vacancies, For More Information please contact: 
Mr. Zaidi 0321 5106032
Mr. Ali 0321 5115899

[email protected]


----------



## dubya0

wait on the website for shifa it says applications aren't due till july 20 
how come you said june 20


----------



## Tinker bellz

typo mistake...it is july...thanks for correcting dubya...


----------



## dubya0

No problem, just got confused and wanted to know if it was june or july


----------



## Talha89

hey guys i plan to write the test on aug 2....jus a few questions....will we be aloowed to use the preiodic table for the chem section of the test.....nd also.....wht is the best way t o prep for it...i actualli reside in canada...and my relatives send me a dogarsons review.....book...is tht good enuff?


----------



## MedGrunt

No, you can not use a periodic table.

The best way to prepare for it is to study directly from fsc textbooks as that is what the exam is based on.


----------



## Miz Malick

hey i also am a student from uk appearing for the shifa test, i wanted to ask that is there alot of questions on the kingdoms? i have looked at the FSC books and there is ALOT about kingdoms in there, but i cant remeber it all before the entry test


----------



## bankasageela

which one is better?shifa medical college or fumc please suggest honestly


----------



## simpson

can a shifa student confirm when the college will make its merit list? Any guesses? 31st is the date they ask for a level/equivalence results to be submitted. But how long after 31st do we have to wait?


----------



## abdullahm18

simpson said:


> can a shifa student confirm when the college will make its merit list? Any guesses? 31st is the date they ask for a level/equivalence results to be submitted. But how long after 31st do we have to wait?


They release the list, for the list of selected candidates for interview during the first week of September. It was September 5th, last year. 

BTW, if you dont mind me asking Simpson what did you get on the test and what are your FSc Marks?


----------



## Eesha

My best guess would be it comes out early this week. Till then, I atleast am completely on edge..Sigh.


----------



## abdullahm18

Should be here any day now.


----------



## Eesha

Up in Shifa, not up on the site yet.


----------



## MedGrunt

For class of 2014: http://medstudentz.com/pakistan-med...ollege-medicine-interview-list.html#post16720


----------



## abdullahm18

10%. 

I want to know what they ask as well.


----------



## MedGrunt

Here you go: Shifa Interview Feedback


----------



## frhan

*Salam,I'm frhan from Saudi Arabia,I saw this forum is interesting. 
*
*In fact, I want information about the college , the mbbs books and system tests. **Because I want to study in shifa this year and i have ibcc and all **papers*
*here with me also the money* :thumbsup:


----------



## hammad khan

According to my research this college is best and on the top. Its better brother if you call or e mail in college so you could get information that belongs to your case, Good luck . Do not forget to post the information that you will get. If you visit Mecca and Medina please don’t forget me in there and pray for me and for all medstudentz users. Thank you:happy:


----------



## saadfaiz92

Hammad why do you say it is the best? Please elaborate.


----------



## hammad khan

Accourding to my research i think its the right college.
Shifa is poplar and the team of it is very good. 
Its education is = to American system thats what i read some once comme
you could also research and if found more info add it up. i just put my commands, but guys from shifa could provid you right and more information.
Thank you

found a person Rizwan A. Alvi in medstudentz he is from Shifa college. Ask him Good luck


----------



## lina

Hi...

On the website for Shifa Medical College I was trying to find the application deadline but couldnt find it ..someone has posted in the forum July... thats helpful.. but can anyone give me direct link or tell me how can I see it on the website (I mean where it is located).
Thanks


----------



## abdullahm18

lina said:


> Hi...
> 
> On the website for Shifa Medical College I was trying to find the application deadline but couldnt find it ..someone has posted in the forum July... thats helpful.. but can anyone give me direct link or tell me how can I see it on the website (I mean where it is located).
> Thanks


The prospectus/admission form isn't out yet. It comes out in June/July. And the test is in August. So I guess you will have to wait. =D


----------



## annum114

Rehan, 
Is there any sample test that i can see of shifa entrance test?????? Also wanted to make sure that if u did ur high school ( with a GPA of 3.5) then i only would need to take shifas entrance test only am i right ??? Please answer asap 
THank you 
Annum


----------



## MastahRiz

*Annum114,

Read the forum rules, thanks.
*


----------



## hammad khan

Need to take shifa's entry exam all ways. Annum114, try to call or e mail in shifa because your case is looking diffrent from most of the cases. The e mail is in thire web. Good luck Allah may help you. :happy:


----------



## maher92

hi, could anyone please tell me whether they charge the same fees for international and local applicants as it is not mentioned on their website also if the requirements change for overseas applicants


----------



## MastahRiz

International students pay double the local tuition fee.


----------



## shanikhan

how much marks in fsc are enough for getting adm.......... how much in entry test......wts the entry test like???


----------



## hammad khan

In entry is 50% I think. Sample sheet is In UHS web. All the qestions are from FSc books, there is nothing to worry about just do the review. Good luck Allah may help you :happy:


----------



## annum114

i am trying to contact shifa medical college and i am not able to get through so can someone please give me the contact number where i can reach there ASAP th!!ank u


----------



## hammad khan

*Admission Office
Shifa College of Medicine,
*Sector H-8/4, Islamabad, Pakistan. 
*Tel.* 92-51-2504625, 92-51-4603636 
*Fax:* 92-51-4435046
*E-mail:* [email protected] This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it 
*Website:* Shifa College of Medicine & Nursing, Islamabad, Pakistan.

Hope they will help you. Good luck Allah may help you:happy:


----------



## shanikhan

hammad khan said:


> In entry is 50% I think. Sample sheet is In UHS web. All the qestions are from FSc books, there is nothing to worry about just do the review. Good luck Allah may help you :happy:


Thanks


----------



## MastahRiz

To the people with deleted posts: *Read the FORUM RULES.*


----------



## abdullahm18

shanikhan said:


> how much marks in fsc are enough for getting adm.......... how much in entry test......wts the entry test like???



Entry Test = 40%
FSC or Equivalent = 40%
Matric or Equivalent = 10%
Interview = 10%

If you get 60% or above on the entry test you'll most likely be admitted, Provided you have good FSC/Equivalent marks. Over 870 would do.


----------



## MastahRiz

^I agree, that's all accurate info! Well said.


----------



## irumaz

Hello, can anyone tell me the deadline for shifa's application
Also, any thoughts on the entrance test? How long did it take you guys to study for it?
thanks


----------



## mehveshk

*Deadlines for Shifa*



irumaz said:


> Hello, can anyone tell me the deadline for shifa's application
> Also, any thoughts on the entrance test? How long did it take you guys to study for it?
> thanks


I emailed the Shifa people and this is what they sent me:

Dear 

Next semester will start in December 2010. Deadline of submission of application is July 19th, 2010.and test will be on August 01, 2010. SAT-II is not necessary, only Shifa Entrance test is mandatory. 

Thereafter if you have any other query, please feel free to contact us.

Many thanks

Admission Office

Also can anybody tell me how I should prepare for the entrance exam? Should I study the SAT II books or should I get the Fsc books? Thanks


----------



## abdullahm18

mehveshk said:


> I emailed the Shifa people and this is what they sent me:
> 
> Dear
> 
> Next semester will start in December 2010. Deadline of submission of application is July 19th, 2010.and test will be on August 01, 2010. SAT-II is not necessary, only Shifa Entrance test is mandatory.
> 
> Thereafter if you have any other query, please feel free to contact us.
> 
> Many thanks
> 
> Admission Office
> 
> Also can anybody tell me how I should prepare for the entrance exam? Should I study the SAT II books or should I get the Fsc books? Thanks


SAT II books are a good idea. But also go through the FSC books. Look at the sample test at the back of the prospectus, and also the topics which will be included in the test are listed. Good Luck.


----------



## abdullahm18

Admissions are now open. You can find the Admission form here. Shifa College of Medicine - Admission to First Year MBBS Class starting December, 2010 are now open.For more details please click here.


----------



## hammad khan

abdullahm18 said:


> Admissions are now open. You can find the Admission form here. Shifa College of Medicine - Admission to First Year MBBS Class starting December, 2010 are now open.For more details please click here.


Thanks Abdullah.


----------



## veena89g

Hello everyone..I have Mid 70's average in grade 12, is it possible if can admit in Shifa medicine college.?


----------



## irumaz

hmm
do u mean after the ibcc conversion your marks are around mid 70s?
or generally in grade 12 they were?


----------



## veena89g

Yes I have mid 70;s in bio and physics but 84 in chemi..so my average is almost 78..

Its in Grade 12


----------



## irumaz

ohh ! :S
well I'm not sure but i had high 80s in high school and my ibcc conversion came to 68% 
so ..... they deduct 20% off of us  
give it a try though


----------



## veena89g

Alright...Thanks


----------



## mistahsupah

Hey, everyone..... Can someone please tell me which college is better FUMC or SCM because to me both look the same....... Oh and if one of them is better than how..... It would be quite helpful if someone told me.....
Thank you....


----------



## huma ahsan

*Sorry, but your post has been deleted for not following the forum rules. Please read the forum rules before posting, thanks.*


----------



## MUJ

Hi Everybody, I have recently taken up my Punjab MCAT . I am an A-LEVEL student. Only 10 days are left for SHIFA ENTRANCE EXAM . How should I prepare for exam since for A-LEVEL stdents MCAT was different. Should I prepare from Fsc book? Secondly how should i prepare for the section of Liberal Arts?


----------



## irumaz

well, i am studying from the FSc books. But i am not sure if that is really necessary as i heard they test on the topics listed, not specifics from the fsc books. can someone further advise?


----------



## raidermary

MUJ said:


> Hi Everybody, I have recently taken up my Punjab MCAT . I am an A-LEVEL student. Only 10 days are left for SHIFA ENTRANCE EXAM . How should I prepare for exam since for A-LEVEL stdents MCAT was diffrent. Should I prepare from Fsc book? Secondly how should i prepare for the section of Liberal Arts? PLZ NEED QUICK REPLY. THX


Id like to know too thanks?


----------



## shooter

Quote:
Originally Posted by *MUJ*  
_Hi Everybody, I have recently taken up my Punjab MCAT . I am an A-LEVEL student. Only 10 days are left for SHIFA ENTRANCE EXAM . How should I prepare for exam since for A-LEVEL stdents MCAT was diffrent. Should I prepare from Fsc book? Secondly how should i prepare for the section of Liberal Arts? PLZ NEED QUICK REPLY. THX

Id like to know the same thing! Which poems do we have to do from the iqbaliat section??#confused

_


----------



## Waleeja

Hi, I am a senior (12th grade) in high school. I want to go to Pakistan for medicine, preferably Shifa since I have family in Rawalpindi. I know this might sound pretty lame, but what is IBCC??? When and how do I take it?? Also, how important is it?
Thank you for whoever helps!!


----------



## abdullahm18

IBCC is Inter Board Committee of Chairmen, Islamabad. You dont take it. You send them your Highschool transcripts, and they convert your Highschool to Pakistan standards by deducting 20%. Then you can apply to Med School. Your IBCC equivalence must be higher than 65% to apply to medical schools in Punjab.


----------



## irumaz

Hello guys!
how did the entrance test go for you guys?
what did you people think about the current afffairs part?


----------



## Blue_sofa

Didnt go too well,hated some of the intelligence mcqs(i think thus what the section was called) and current affairs sucked big time,i have left it totally blank and the ones i actuallly did attempt,i have discovered now are wrong.
Maths n english section went great,there were too many calcultions in science section and not enough time and dude,i marked wrong answers by mistake FIVE times(out of them,i knew answers of 3),marking from pen and not having a desk sucked(we gave 4000 for entry test but these people provide us with no desk in 1 hall..other collgese with much lesser entrance fees provide much better ) so grrr....
Oh and bdw the iqbaliat section was out of course,like its some questions were-they had specified the iqbaliats content in their prospectus but there were 2 or 3 mcqs that werent from there.
All in all,i am actaully pretty sure im not gonna get in and frankly since i have never liked shifa,i am ok with it.Best of luck to you though


----------



## Waleeja

abdullahm18 said:


> IBCC is Inter Board Committee of Chairmen, Islamabad. You dont take it. You send them your Highschool transcripts, and they convert your Highschool to Pakistan standards by deducting 20%. Then you can apply to Med School. Your IBCC equivalence must be higher than 65% to apply to medical schools in Punjab.


 
That helped =) It would make more sense to send them my transcript AFTER I have finished high school and recieved my diploma, correct?


----------



## abdullahm18

Waleeja said:


> That helped =) It would make more sense to send them my transcript AFTER I have finished high school and recieved my diploma, correct?


They have to make 2 equivalence certificates for you. One for Matric and one for FSC.
Matriculation = Grade 9 and 10
FSC = Grade 11 and 12.
So, yeah. You send after finishing highschool.


----------



## pkmed1

*shifa info*

some questions for shifa students and other applicants
would greatly appreciate any answers to any of the following?

what did people think of the entrance exam?
what do you have to get in order to be considered?
are there foreign seats?
what is the tuition in dollars?
how do foreign students interview?
how many seats are there?
how many graduates go for residency to the US?
does shifa take the provisional equivalence certificate


----------



## Waleeja

abdullahm18 said:


> They have to make 2 equivalence certificates for you. One for Matric and one for FSC.
> Matriculation = Grade 9 and 10
> FSC = Grade 11 and 12.
> So, yeah. You send after finishing highschool.


And I'm assuming they take the average of the 2 certificates? Thank you for the help =)
Also, does anybody know where or how I can buy FSc textbooks? I know they are very helpful when studying for the SAT. #eek


----------



## abdullahm18

Waleeja said:


> And I'm assuming they take the average of the 2 certificates? Thank you for the help =)
> Also, does anybody know where or how I can buy FSc textbooks? I know they are very helpful when studying for the SAT. #eek


Shifa calcualtes merit in the following:

40% Entry test
40% FSC Equivalence
10% Matric Equivalence
10% interview

good luck.


----------



## Waleeja

Thank you Abdullah #grin


----------



## pkmed1

Shifa entrance exam results out.
what is the highest?
is there a cutoff?
will there be a list?


----------



## raidermary

i have 64 percent in the test.

Anyway a friend of mine told me shifa's fee goes upto 9 lac a year a but their prospectus says 4.5. do they add so many additional charges to make it upto 9 or is that a lie?


----------



## abdullahm18

For a Local student it goes to 6 Lacks. Not 9 Lacks.


----------



## abdullahm18

pkmed1 said:


> Shifa entrance exam results out.
> what is the highest?
> is there a cutoff?
> will there be a list?


The whole merit list will be in the Shifa College of Medicine Lobby. Check there.


----------



## header27

i got 62% and am expecting a BBC worst case scenario in my A levels. what are my chances?


----------



## ramo91

I got 58.5% in the test, i live in karachi hense hav no idea wat to make of it considering no merit list was put up... can som1 pleeease tell me whether that is a good score or not and whether i Hav a chance?



ramo91 said:


> I got 58.5% in the test, i live in karachi hense hav no idea wat to make of it considering no merit list was put up... can som1 pleeease tell me whether that is a good score or not and whether i Hav a chance?


I just got my A level result back and i have an 2As bio and phy and a B in chem at 78%, can someome please tell me what chance i have of getting in? ,,,, i m expectin other offers from unis and dont know whether to accept or wait on shifa.... Please help


----------



## abdullahm18

ramo91 said:


> I just got my A level result back and i have an 2As bio and phy and a B in chem at 78%, can someome please tell me what chance i have of getting in? ,,,, i m expectin other offers from unis and dont know whether to accept or wait on shifa.... Please help


You have a good chance. Send in your equivalence to Shifa, and wait for the interview list by late first to second week of September.


----------



## ramo91

are u sure? ... do you attend shifa? ... actually the problem is ziauddin medical college is probably going to accept me and give me a deadline for early september to accept,,, around the time Shifa is going to call ppl for interviews, ZU being my safe school, in the circumstance i get rejected by shifa i may be left stranded without any where to go.... I had 3 As and 5 Bs in my O'lvl (equivalence of 78.77%) ,58.47% in my entrance test and in A lvls have 85% in Bio, 84% in phy and 78% in chem (2A+1B)... as i cant leave it COMPLETELY upto chance honestly what are my chances of getting into Shifa? .... note: In general interview pretty well


----------



## ramo91

am really confused as to what to do, dont mean to be whiney but could really use some advice.....


----------



## pkmed1

*Read the forum rules, double posting is not allowed.*


----------



## header27

could someone please answer my question/give me hope/shoot me down? Didn't get in anywhere else, this is my only shot!


----------



## ramo91

header27 said:


> could someone please answer my question/give me hope/shoot me down? Didn't get in anywhere else, this is my only shot!


What are your A level grades ? ...now that results are out...


----------



## header27

i gave EDEXCEL bro, results going to be out on the 19th.


----------



## shakeelyousaf

i got 51.67% in the entry test, i had 7As in olevel, 2As 1B in AS. waiting for my alevel result. what are my chances if any?


----------



## cjblufox

Anyone know what are the tuition fees of Shifa is you're like an international student based on your SAT score?


----------



## MastahRiz

shakeelyousaf said:


> i got 51.67% in the entry test, i had 7As in olevel, 2As 1B in AS. waiting for my alevel result. what are my chances if any?


There's no way to calculate your chances numerically so I don't really know what to tell you. You should look at what the average score on the entrance test was and use that as a fairly good predictor of whether or not you'll get an interview. Interviews are highly subjective, so again, no real way to know whether or not you'll get admission.



cjblufox said:


> Anyone know what are the tuition fees of Shifa is you're like an international student based on your SAT score?


SAT scores are not the basis for your tuition fees. Even if you get a partial scholarship for performing brilliantly on your SATs your remaining tuition will still be in excess of 10,000 dollars. I think it's around 14k USD a year for a foreign student right now.


----------



## cjblufox

But the site doesn't say anything about dollars. Just mentions around 4.5 Lakhs per annum. =?


----------



## MastahRiz

That would be the local tuition fee. There is nothing on the website that can be taken as 100% truth until you confirm with someone in the actual admissions department. Their rules and fees change pretty often.


----------



## irumaz

hello guyz 
how is everyone. okay so i did really bad on the test. way worse then i thought!
i got 38.75% on the test and my i did high school from canada, so my equivlance with the 20% deduction came to 795. so should i give up on any hopes? i heard last year some us student got in wiht a 35% on the entry test. do they give any consideration to foreign candidates?
thank you for any help. oh and any chances ?


----------



## hammad khan

irumaz said:


> hello guyz
> how is everyone. okay so i did really bad on the test. way worse then i thought!
> i got 38.75% on the test and my i did high school from canada, so my equivlance with the 20% deduction came to 795. so should i give up on any hopes? i heard last year some us student got in wiht a 35% on the entry test. do they give any consideration to foreign candidates?
> thank you for any help. oh and any chances ?


38.75% are too bad but 795 is fine you could right with that. Some colleges don't care about entry exam they cares about only fee so if you can pay self chem or foreign fee so batter try on. Good luck Allah may help you:happy:


----------



## MastahRiz

Just to be clear, Shifa isn't one of those colleges that accepts people just if they can pay or if they're paying the foreign fee. Some years Shifa accepts ten foreign students, other times two foreign students, other times, up to 20.

If you get in with a 35% it's not because of your tuition fees. Good luck.


----------



## hammad khan

MastahRiz said:


> Just to be clear, Shifa isn't one of those colleges that accepts people just if they can pay or if they're paying the foreign fee. Some years Shifa accepts ten foreign students, other times two foreign students, other times, up to 20.
> 
> If you get in with a 35% it's not because of your tuition fees. Good luck.


Just adding more. Rizwan all government colleges also don't accepts students for fee. students have to be on requirments but some colleges privet colleges do accepts for fee . Its doesn't mean those colleges are not recognze by us or canadian athourties. they accepts students because of the economy.


i think shifa and government colleges have to do that too and have to make admission proceses little esser because last week i read the news about hec is in econmic crises and they need to make tution fee little bit higher. i think its bad idea to do the busine bcuse when price goes up damands goes down so i think in this case they better should make admission process esser then increasing fee then more students will go there. Also i think pakistani colleges should do busines because they need it. it will beinfit local students and workers of college. this is not a new thing USA colleges also do that. If you want to check go to to any cuny or suny college you will see.


----------



## MastahRiz

If you're referring to PTAP or Self-finance seats, those are very few in number. If you're saying that there are schools where you can just "pay your way" to get in, then those are even fewer in number if not nonexistent all together by this point.


----------



## MedGrunt

cjblufox said:


> Anyone know what are the tuition fees of Shifa is you're like an international student based on your SAT score?


Tuition for foreign students is currently $14,000. And admission is not based on SAT II scores anymore. ALL applicants are required to take Shifa's entrance exam.


----------



## irumaz

*Read the forum rules, thanks.*


----------



## header27

okay my edexcel result is out. I got CCC 
Any chance, with a 62% in the entry test?


----------



## raheelyousaf

hows everyone...ok i got 52% in the entry testtt but got BCC in Alevels just now...do i stand ANY chance? anyone?


----------



## MastahRiz

Wait and see if you get an interview, that'll give you a better idea.


----------



## header27

How many applicants usually get the interview?


----------



## MastahRiz

Somewhere between 150 to 200 I believe.


----------



## noor_

hi
i've applied for shifa mbbs this year and given the entrance test. i got 54.58% in the entrance test and i got 2 As and 2 Bs in my a levels (got the results today). i also have 4 A*s and 5 As for my GCSEs (o levels) and i am really stuck as to whether i stand a good enough chance for an interview. I dont know how much IBCC deduct for foreign A levels, does anybody know? i know they deduct 20% for US and canadian grades but it doesn't say anywhere what they deduct for british a levels. i've been assuming it's 10%..
if anyone could help me i would be soooo grateful!


----------



## abdullahm18

noor_ said:


> hi
> i've applied for shifa mbbs this year and given the entrance test. i got 54.58% in the entrance test and i got 2 As and 2 Bs in my a levels (got the results today). i also have 4 A*s and 5 As for my GCSEs (o levels) and i am really stuck as to whether i stand a good enough chance for an interview. I dont know how much IBCC deduct for foreign A levels, does anybody know? i know they deduct 20% for US and canadian grades but it doesn't say anywhere what they deduct for british a levels. i've been assuming it's 10%..
> if anyone could help me i would be soooo grateful!


Good Chance. They deduct 15%.


----------



## noor_

abdullahm18 said:


> Good Chance. They deduct 15%.


how do you know they deduct 15%? since i've been searching the internet all day and i havent found anything that has hinted at a 15% deduction. 
also they take into account the A*s this year too right?


----------



## ramo91

Dont know about other boards but they're not deducting that much from cie O lvl and A lvl anymore... ther doing somthin really unique ..check it out on the 2nd page of the FAQ attachment on this cie page... CIE Grading Standards


----------



## noor_

ramo91 said:


> Dont know about other boards but they're not deducting that much from cie O lvl and A lvl anymore... ther doing somthin really unique ..check it out on the 2nd page of the FAQ attachment on this cie page... CIE Grading Standards


oh that's helpful! thank you! =)


----------



## hassan670

which medical college is better
SHIFA OR CMH(Lahore)


----------



## coolblue_one

noor_ said:


> hi
> i've applied for shifa mbbs this year and given the entrance test. i got 54.58% in the entrance test and i got 2 As and 2 Bs in my a levels (got the results today). i also have 4 A*s and 5 As for my GCSEs (o levels) and i am really stuck as to whether i stand a good enough chance for an interview. I dont know how much IBCC deduct for foreign A levels, does anybody know? i know they deduct 20% for US and canadian grades but it doesn't say anywhere what they deduct for british a levels. i've been assuming it's 10%..
> if anyone could help me i would be soooo grateful!


for u it wont matter if the ibcc deducts ten or fifteen percent from ur a-level score cause u have got 54 % in the test and have good grades i myself had just three a grades and about 50 % and i got in that was a few years before 
this year candidates did not score very high in the shifa entrance test probably because one of our faculty member suggested that there should be poems from iqbal in the entrance test, well that is a different story 
what im sayin is that since u have 54 %in the test and good grades u will get in for sure unless u messed up on your interview


----------



## cjblufox

How can you mess up on your interview? :/

And where else can I apply if I don't want to give an entry test, just on the basis of my SAT score? Are all entry tests FSc. based?


----------



## abdullahm18

cjblufox said:


> How can you mess up on your interview? :/
> 
> And where else can I apply if I don't want to give an entry test, just on the basis of my SAT score? Are all entry tests FSc. based?


Foundation University Medical College, Army Medical College. You can Apply as a SAT National Candidate without an Entry Test. And yes most entry tests are a mixture of FSC and A Level. Mostly FSC though.


----------



## mistahsupah

Shifa entry test was from A-levels......


----------



## noor_

coolblue_one said:


> for u it wont matter if the ibcc deducts ten or fifteen percent from ur a-level score cause u have got 54 % in the test and have good grades i myself had just three a grades and about 50 % and i got in that was a few years before
> this year candidates did not score very high in the shifa entrance test probably because one of our faculty member suggested that there should be poems from iqbal in the entrance test, well that is a different story
> what im sayin is that since u have 54 %in the test and good grades u will get in for sure unless u messed up on your interview


thanks for that reply! really helped, i got my equivalence certificate for a levels and i really dont get what they do, it just doesnt make sense...


----------



## aamna_younus

I didn't do well at the test.got a percentage of 42.36. Is there any hope with 800/1100 in F.Sc and 728/850 in matriculate exam ?


----------



## abdullahm18

aamna_younus said:


> I didn't do well at the test.got a percentage of 42.36. Is there any hope with 800/1100 in F.Sc and 728/850 in matriculate exam ?


My friend had 835 Equivalence and 50% on the test last year and didn't even get the interview. This year the entry test result wasn't as good. So, just wait a couple of days after the 15th. Good Luck.


----------



## aamna_younus

yeah...the only thing left to do.
my life is _dark_.


----------



## shakeelyousaf

abdullahm18 said:


> My friend had 835 Equivalence and 50% on the test last year and didn't even get the interview. This year the entry test result wasn't as good. So, just wait a couple of days after the 15th. Good Luck.


thats really bad news man! i previously heard people who get entry test marks in the 40s even get interviews


----------



## ramo91

hassan670 said:


> can anybody give suggestions about medical colleges
> where should i go
> SHIFA or CMH(LAHORE)?


^ better off starting a new specific thread for that, seeing cmh is in a different city,and its not that well known, in general ppl wont know....



abdullahm18 said:


> My friend had 835 Equivalence and 50% on the test last year and didn't even get the interview. This year the entry test result wasn't as good. So, just wait a couple of days after the 15th. Good Luck.


Ok... now you guys are seriously freaking me out now!! #baffled


----------



## mistahsupah

@ Aamna I hope you get in because if you do I think I'm gonna have good chances too. Matric 721/850, Fsc 785/1100 and the entry test 43.61 lol......


----------



## shakeelyousaf

isnt here any1 who knew past years scores of people who got in this would give an idea to all of us!


----------



## mistahsupah

Last years last student who got in had a percentage of 75%.....

I've got like 57% excluding the interviews' 10% ........
Got my hopes high still...... Anything can happen....... lol


----------



## ramo91

^well, with 75% you'll obviously get in considering they give 50,000 Rs scholarship at that score ... Im sure what was meant to be asked was scores people had who barely or just got in under the wire?...


----------



## mistahsupah

lmao......... 
Dude, you completely misunderstood everything...... They don't give you scholarship if you score 75% to get in......... They give it to you if you score 75% in the annual exam (of medicine in Shifa) , lol....... And 75% is the score of the guy who barely got in........


----------



## MastahRiz

It's no surprise people have a hard time understanding each other the way everyone types here.

You don't need ten million ellipses, you don't need to use numbers in place of letters, and you don't need to leave out punctuation marks such as a period or question mark, because news flash, this isn't an SMS, you're not going to get charged extra for going over 150 characters.

There's a thing called 'general forum etiquette.' Would be great to see some of that around here.


----------



## ramo91

mistahsupah said:


> lmao.........
> Dude, you completely misunderstood everything...... They don't give you scholarship if you score 75% to get in......... They give it to you if you score 75% in the annual exam (of medicine in Shifa) , lol....... And 75% is the score of the guy who barely got in........


applicants got in with 75% entrance test score or 75% overall merit score? 

... btw they give merit scholarships at time of admissions also, 50,000 Rs at 75% entrance test score and 100,000 Rs scholarship at 80% entrance test score... its in the prospectus, just reread and confirmed..


----------



## mistahsupah

Yeah well that's 75% of the entrance test score... What I was talking about is 75% made up of 40% Fsc, 40% entry test, 10% matric and 10% interview.........


----------



## hassan670

are you currently studying in SHIFA?


----------



## ramo91

hassan670 said:


> are you presently studying in SHIFA?


No im an applicant... but I've been using this forum for a while and know what kinda Qs dont get responded to and where if you post, you're more likely to get responses.... better of starting a thread if you want to compare to colleges....


----------



## shakeelyousaf

mistahsupah said:


> Last years last student who got in had a percentage of 75%.....
> 
> I've got like 57% excluding the interviews' 10% ........
> Got my hopes high still...... Anything can happen....... lol


how do you know? well it seems quiet difficult to get in


----------



## mistahsupah

Oh that question was for me.......... 
I got the info from Shifa itself. I know people in Shifa that's why. I got this info of them. And it is a long shot but no one got good marks this time in the entry test and you never know anything can happen. The students that are above us in the merit list might go to other med.colleges or something, you never know...... I won't lose hope that easily, niether should anyone else.


----------



## ramo91

i looked at around 400 test scores on the shifa website (please dont judge, I have wayy too much free time on my hands these days) and from what i saw, roughly about b/w 10%-15% of ppl have 58%+ on the test... of course i could be wrong, only looked at 400 out of 1400/1500 applicants ... but people didnt do as bad as people are saying on this forum... I hope there are tons of dropouts in the merit list


----------



## abdullahm18

The whole Entry Test result list is in the Shifa Lobby. Most of the candidates are in the 50's. It was topped in the mid 70's where at last year it was topped at 81.


----------



## ramo91

abdullahm18 said:


> The whole Entry Test result list is in the Shifa Lobby. Most of the candidates are in the 50's. It was topped in the mid 70's where at last year it was topped at 81.


Thank God!.... never been so happy about being wrong


----------



## shakeelyousaf

ramo91 said:


> Thank God!.... never been so happy about being wrong


you'll easily get in dude! I'm really tense as I'm always getting opposite views whether ill get in or not


----------



## ramo91

shakeelyousaf said:


> you'll easily get in dude! I'm really tense as I'm always getting opposite views whether ill get in or not


thanks, I hope so... you never really know though, we might both get accepted or both rejected ... the waiting is the worst of all... :/


----------



## cjblufox

ramo91 said:


> thanks, I hope so... you never really know though, we might both get accepted or both rejected ... the waiting is the worst of all... :/


Where else have you applied if in Islamabad or Rawalpindi?
P.S. Would you care to know if Shifa is open on Saturdays? #confused


----------



## abdullahm18

cjblufox said:


> Where else have you applied if in Islamabad or Rawalpindi?
> P.S. Would you care to know if Shifa is open on Saturdays? #confused


There are no classes on Saturday or Sunday, but I'm not sure about the administration.


----------



## ramo91

cjblufox said:


> Where else have you applied if in Islamabad or Rawalpindi?
> P.S. Would you care to know if Shifa is open on Saturdays? #confused


 No where, I intend to go to Dow or Ziauddin if I dont get into Shifa....

dont know sorry, call them or email them and find out...


----------



## irumaz

does anyone know if shifa requires both fsc and matric eqvilance cert. by sept 15? i went to shifa couple weeks ago with my 2 equivalences but they only took the fsc one, and gave the matric one back. was that suppose to happen. thank you


----------



## aamna_younus

if you have not given your o level/matric equivalence to them before (with the application form) then they are supposed to take it now. it has 10% contribution to the final result for selection. and if they already have it, it was OK for them to give it back.


----------



## sarcoma

hi everyone new to the forum !! i too gave the test and scored like 53.96 but i got 926/1100 in my fsc !! what are my chances ????


----------



## mubashir888

@^You should be okay then i guess,but nobody can say anything for sure right now.


----------



## sarcoma

whats your story ??


----------



## sarcoma

mubashir888 said:


> @^You should be okay then i guess,but nobody can say anything for sure right now.


i heard the merit list drops down to 40% in the entrance test alone???


----------



## mubashir888

@^Actually i haven't applied to Shifa or any other private college yet,but one of my friend did and he got 77%.Maybe he got some 50thousand scholarship or something.
I just gave the MCAT and got 920 there and i have 941 in Fsc.
So Basically i will ISNALLAH make it to a government college in Lahore.(at least i hope so)
And also i am still waiting for the paying cadet list of AMC,and got a high hope of getting in there as well.

What about you?where have you applied?


----------



## aamna_younus

the results for interwiews will be out in the last week of september. selected applicants will be called by them through phone call. a friend told me.she went to the college today.she is also an applicant.

_its will be so late for me.........noes._


----------



## Alishba234

Hey can anyone tell me the number of students getting into Shifa College of Medicine. I was told its 100 but some people are telling me 150 candidates get selected. I have my interview on the 5th and I was hoping if any of you ca give me a little information regarding the type of questions asked.


----------



## Alishba234

Hey can anyone tell me what sort of Questions are asked in the shifa college of medicine?


----------



## sarcoma

whats your score !! etest and your alevels!


----------



## Alish9234

i got 78.63% in A levels and 50% in the entry test. I have recieved the call for the interview and its tomorrow. And I'm nervous. I would be grateful if anyone can tell me about the sort of questions asked.


----------



## sarcoma

relax !! your grads are good enough to land ya a position in the top 100 !! interview is an insignificant part of the process !! fyi they concentrate on moral issues ! your ethical stance on controversial medical practices ! like abortions, mercy killings ! be true to yourself, dont lie and have a strong opinion on the matter in discussion !! good luck


----------



## Alish9234

Hmm thanks for the info. My friends who've already had their interviews told me the same thing. Most of the questions are related to ethics and stuff. I just hope I don't go blank at the last moment but I've heard the interviewers are very friendly. I'm not sure if I can make it to the top 100 on the basis of my grades so I really wanna do well I mean 311 candidates got selected and only 100 will get enrolled.


----------



## sarcoma

those 311 will filter down to 250 !!


----------



## ridach

sarcoma said:


> those 311 will filter down to 250 !!


what? are you sure? man, that would be awesome. i hope you're right. InshaAllah!!!=D


----------



## shakeelyousaf

sarcoma said:


> those 311 will filter down to 250 !!


what do you mean by 250. they will take 100 students no matter how many they shortlist


----------



## coolblue_one

the interview has a 10 % weightage when shifa makes the merit list and so 10% is not insignificant and like agha khan and other good medical colleges in pakistan and abroad interview does matter here 
the candidates selected for the interview were about 300 and from that number about 25 to 40% do not show up 
there are those interview days when we do not see a good number of candidates showing up for interviews 
the college makes a merit list combining all the relevant scores and sends out accpetance letters to 100 candidates and usually 60 to 75 percent of those candidates submit their fee at shifa 
the college then sends out more acceptance letters based on the number of seats left and repeats this until all the 100 seats are taken this process can also result in the college callin some more students for interview


----------



## Alish9234

I got 78.63% in my A levels equivalence and I got 50% in the entry test. My interview was today and I think it went really good. Do you guys think I have a chance?


----------



## coolblue_one

if u get called for an interview you have a chance and if u have given a good interview you have a good chance


----------



## Alish9234

Yeah, I believe that I have givin a good interview, I could see it on the paper the interviewers were marking on. But the grades matter more so I was just wondering if my score is good enough.


----------



## ramo91

^what are your individuals A'level grades?...


----------



## pkmed1

Received an email stating that the final list will be out oct 15th (inshAllah)


----------



## Muaaz

Alish9234 said:


> Yeah, I believe that I have givin a good interview, I could see it on the paper the interviewers were marking on. But the grades matter more so I was just wondering if my score is good enough.


Hi Alish,
Would you like to share interview questions and your answers which satisfied your interviewers.

Thanks in advance


----------



## Eesha

pkmed1 said:


> Received an email stating that the final list will be out oct 15th (inshAllah)


First merit list is up on the site


----------



## abdullahm18

List of Selected Candidates 2015. 
Shifa College of Medicine - Publications Download - Selected Candidates List 2010.pdf


----------



## Blue_sofa

why are 134 students selected,would there be a 2nd merit list??!


----------



## shakeelyousaf

wheres the waiting list?


----------



## abdullahm18

Blue_sofa said:


> why are 134 students selected,would there be a 2nd merit list??!


There will be a 2nd merit list if more than 34 students drop. There usually is.


----------



## Blue_sofa

abdullahm18 said:


> There will be a 2nd merit list if more than 34 students drop. There usually is.


oh ok so 34 students after 100 are on waiting?? ah damn


----------



## Rabia786

when will the second list come out?? :O


----------



## usman1231

Rabia786 said:


> when will the second list come out?? :O


it aint coming #yes


----------



## pkmed1

*shifa 2nd list?*

how do you know?


----------



## shakeelyousaf

i think all the seats have been filled up but im not sure


----------



## Rabia786

@ usman.
how can you be so sure???

and i think it'll take sometime. IA there will be a second list.
fingers crossed :|


----------



## abdullahm18

Second List is out. Not on site right now, but will be soon. Call and ask if you made it.


----------



## Rabia786

they don't put second list on site. i guess. my merit was 139 last time i checked with the office. are u sure its out? :O


----------



## shakeelyousaf

how many people are there on the second list?


----------



## Rabia786

if there is one, there would be around 10-15 people. but the question is whether there IS one or not ?? :S


----------



## usman1231

Rabia786 said:


> if there is one, there would be around 10-15 people. but the question is whether there IS one or not ?? :S


the second list has 30 students


----------



## abdullahm18

Rabia786 said:


> they don't put second list on site. i guess. my merit was 139 last time i checked with the office. are u sure its out? :O


It should be on the site soon. And, there is one. Im SURE.


----------



## Rabia786

they'll only take 100. so u mean only 70 out of 134 paid??
thers's a second list? 
yaaaay!


----------



## abdullahm18

Most other colleges have many. I think 2 is max for shifa.


----------



## Rabia786

nust had like 8 for engineering.
i want my name on shifa's 2015 second merit list 
i've waited for so long


----------



## abdullahm18

Rabia786 said:


> nust had like 8 for engineering.
> i want my name on shifa's 2015 second merit list
> i've waited for so long


Good Luck!


----------



## student

*Read the forum rules to prevent your posts from being deleted. Thanks. -Moderator.
*


----------



## Rabia786

i called shifa college today. there are 30 people on the 2nd list.
and i got in !!!!  
Allah ka lakh lakh shukar hai


----------



## header27

congrats!


----------



## Eesha

Rabia786 said:


> i called shifa college today. there are 30 people on the 2nd list.
> and i got in !!!!
> Allah ka lakh lakh shukar hai


Congratulations! Welcome to the class of 2015  Join the facebook group if you haven't already!


----------



## komal22

i got in too!


----------



## komal22

and congrats to the rest who made it


----------



## ramo91

komal22 said:


> i got in too!


Congrats! #happy


----------



## MastahRiz

Congratulations everyone.

Make it count. Take your studying very seriously, please.

Thanks.


----------



## pkmed1

*shifa class of 2015*

anyone in shifa 2015 who will drop shifa if accepted anywhere else? whats the refund policy of shifa?


----------



## shakeelyousaf

pkmed1 said:


> anyone in shifa 2015 who will drop shifa if accepted anywhere else? whats the refund policy of shifa?


no refund policy in shifa


----------



## pkmed1

*3rd list?*

anyone know if the admissions for 2015 is filled? are there chances for a 3rd list bc punjabs results are coming after?


----------



## syntaX

pkmed1 said:


> anyone know if the admissions for 2015 is filled? are there chances for a 3rd list bc punjabs results are coming after?



Not sure if there will be a 3rd list but how about waiting till the 30th of November? Since, the submission date for the 2nd list people is 25th Nov, so it'll probably take 4-5 days to sort out/see who is and who isn't turning from the 2nd list candidates.


----------



## akhan

*3rd list*

best thing is to call shifa and ask yourself. dont rely on anyone.best of luck !


----------



## medstudent1

*Shifa Hostel/Computer*

1. What is necessary to bring to the hostel?
2. What type of laptop is preferred/are there any programs that are PC only?
Thanks!


----------



## medstudent1

*Foundation Module*

Can a current Shifa student please explain what the foundation module is?
Thanks!


----------



## abdullahm18

medstudent1 said:


> Can a current Shifa student please explain what the foundation module is?
> Thanks!


They teach you about ethics, Allama Iqbal, take you to Lok Virsa, etc.
It doesn't count! 2 Weeks of Foundation Module. =P


----------



## coolblue_one

medstudent1 said:


> 1. What is necessary to bring to the hostel?
> 2. What type of laptop is preferred/are there any programs that are PC only?
> Thanks!


what you will need to bring to the hostel is everythin other than a bed and a study table that you normally use when you living at your home 
and about the laptop you will need a laptop on which u can surf the web and make/view powerpoint presentations and you wont be needin a laptop in college but you would look funny if you take one to class cause people do not do that here 
but 
you could bring any laptop that you feel like bringing there are no restrictions about that



medstudent1 said:


> Can a current Shifa student please explain what the foundation module is?
> Thanks!


the foundation module usually goes on for a month and there is an end of the month test 
what you are taught in the module is how to work as a group because most of the students come from schools that do not have the kind of system followed by shifa 
there is introduction to pbls and the tools you will be using during your 5 year course like pubmed etc.
there will be random topics assigned to your group and you will be asked to present your findings as a group 
you will be introduced to medicine and there will be talks about medical ethics 
there will be various heads of departments and some prominent doctors giving you lectures about the various things you face as a doctor 
an active participation in this module will teach you a lot of things that will help you as a doctor 
so do not think of it as a waste of time but as a learnin opportunity 
and a good learner is a good doctor


----------



## Filipi

[


----------



## piyaj16

Hello,
I am currently in 11th grade and next year I am going to be in the 12th grade. I am going to take the SAT and I was wondering what should be the scores for regular SAT and SAT subject test. I want to apply to Shifa College of medicine, and I was wondering what I have to do next year in order to get into Shifa College of medicine. Also I was wondering how much would it cost if I apply to Shifa College of medicine, and what if I move to Pakistan and went to Shifa College of medicine do I pay the same as Pakistan students and not what the foreign pay for the college. Also next year when I get my diploma what do I have to do to apply to Shifa College of medicine? Please help thanks.


----------



## talib

you prob need 700's to be eligible


----------



## ramo91

talib said:


> you prob need 700's to be eligible


 umm no .. its lower than that to get in and much much lower to be eligible. obviously sat2 scores arent the only thing that matters, theres the rest of your transcripts and the interview. the min requirement to get into shifa this year was about BBC in Alvls with around 55-60 in the entrance test. sorry I dont know how to equate that to High school merit though.


----------



## MastahRiz

As far as I know students with perfect SAT II scores apply to Shifa every year. I would strongly recommend to score 700 or better.


----------



## ZoyaZ

I'm sure a few people apply every year with 700+. With that said, from what I know about applicants, 600 should be more than safe for Shifa. Its process is very similar to that of DIMC from what I understand. Both have listed 550 as min requirements and both attract a similar population. With 700 (or 750+ even), I would suggest you apply to AKU.


----------



## MastahRiz

ZoyaZ said:


> I'm sure a few people apply every year with 700+. With that said, from what I know about applicants, 600 should be more than safe for Shifa. Its process is very similar to that of DIMC from what I understand. Both have listed 550 as min requirements and both attract a similar population. With 700 (or 750+ even), I would suggest you apply to AKU.


There's no such thing as safe. You're never guaranteed admission regardless of your scores. It's really ill advice to suggest scoring a 600 on a test with a maximum score of 800 just because the minimum requirement of a certain college is 550. Don't give out suggestions without any factual basis. Talk to the admissions office and ask them to tell you how many people applied to Shifa last year with SAT scores of 700+ and how many of them were actually accepted. This doesn't mean that there aren't students there who scored less than 700, but again, tests scores are only one portion of your application which is why I said, there's no such thing as safe.


----------



## ZoyaZ

Okay, saying 600 is safe is not the best phrasing. Of course foreigners should try to obtain the best score possible. To be honest, neither of us have facts or statistics on the process and I would challenge the school to release data with the entry statistics of its applicants (as they do in the US, UK, or gov't medical colleges). With that being said, when there are people getting in that do not even meet the minimum requirements, it makes me question the administration of the school. I'm sure there are people that get 700 and go to Shifa, just like I'm sure there are people that have 4.0 GPAs and go to mediocre universities. They are the _exception_, not the rule. 

Pakistani locals, however, have to score quite high (900+ /1100) for admission. The unfortunate nature of the situation is that foreign students undergo an easier process for admission. Anyways, I digress...aim for the highest SAT score you can achieve and if it happens to be 750+ then also send an application to AKU.


----------



## talib

When are the Shifa Applications coming out?
I called them and got in touch, and they said July
but the website says May?
Also, i think i got a 700 in bio&chem subject tests
but ill prolly get only a 650 in mathII idk if thats good enough for Shifa
I also have a 4.0 GPA i took AP Bio and AP Chem, i got a 5 on bio and 4 in chem
and I have a very excellent original resume,
ALSOOOO this is very important, since im in the USA, im going to be HOME for a semester
because Shifa starts in December and a semester here end in January, so i can't just leave in the middle, so im going to Self Study at home for 3 months, whats the best method? what are some good books i should familiarize myself with and what subjects should i focus on, please please please be specific, it would truly be appreciated #happy


----------



## Salman_Ashfaq

*Why Shifa?*

Why should I go for Shifa? 

What is the value of its degree?

Is it American university affiliated?

Which ranking does it come on HEC?

Do the students that clear from shifa, clear USMLE exams with ease?


----------



## Salman_Ashfaq

And yes what is the fee structure of shifa?


----------



## ZoyaZ

Salman,
Disclaimer: I do not attend Shifa and am not promoting it. Just giving my two cents.

1) Shifa offers a decent quality of education and some of the best facilities in the country. There was alot of controversy recently about how medical schools are springing up left and right but there aren't enough teaching hospitals around. I have looked into it and the Shifa International hospital, while new, seems to be suitable for rotating students. The tuition is on the pricey side though (at least for foreigners, not sure for locals). 

2) The 'value' of its degree (as viewed by Canada, America, or UK) is equivalent to any other PMDC accredited medical college.

3) I think people sometime misunderstand Shifa's background. It was set up by Pakistani doctors living in North America with the intention of bringing an excellent standard of education to Pakistan. However, I am pretty sure it does not have affiliations for electives. (side note: AKU is affiiliated with University of Alberta and Waterloo if you're looking for that).

4) not sure- irrelevant though. If you're looking for a private medical college with top notch facilities and an acceptable standard of education, then Shifa would be on your list.

5) Your performances on the USMLE is dependent upon on how much effort you put into it. With that said, there are certain schools that have higher pass rates/scores. I don't know if Shifa publishes this data and I don't want to go on anecdotal stories. (I would recommend studying a section of Step 1 every summer from first year. Eager I know, but its a crucial exam especially for someone trying to attain medical residency from Pakistan)

DIMC is similar to Shifa in its philosophy and goals but there are some serious cons
1) Its very new and there is some confusion as to whether it is actually IMED accredited (under DOW)
2) The teaching hospital is really subpar for what would be expected from a medical school. It was just constructed in the Ojha area and doesn't seem to have too many beds (plus there is still some construction going on)
3)Have heard the area is not too safe


----------



## cinderella

Salman_Ashfaq said:


> And yes what is the fee structure of shifa?


they just upped it to 500k per year.


----------



## talib

the dow application cost $500 U.S dollarss.


----------



## talib

if theres any memebers viewing..please dont hesistate to post..these forums have a waiting span of the freaking 5 days for a damn reply..


----------



## shaman.adil

First things first, this thread is not about DOW its about Shifa. Secondly, you can never be too sure that you'll get in. The applications will start in July. Your grades are really good but you said you think you have 700?? And about the semester thingy I can't tell you much about that.


----------



## talib

dammit i got a 680 in chem
but im going to get 700+ in bio and math inshAllah..
hopefully thats good
and idc shifa and dow i mean both..
my first choice is Shifa, but if anything..then DIMC


----------



## kungfuninja

#nerd Hi,

Does anyone have information about Shifa's hostel ,and how satisfied students are with related facilities?

thnx


----------



## ramo91

kungfuninja said:


> #nerd Hi,
> 
> Does anyone have information about Shifa's hostel ,and how satisfied students are with related facilities?
> 
> thnx



they just anounced their increasing hostel fees to 290000 rupees per year from next december.. most of us are abandoning ship and moving out..

and no we arent satisfied with the related facilities considering the amount we're paying. the food isnt always great and their arent generators for when the electricity goes out either, just this UPS in the common room which supplies a few light and 1 fan. Worst of all the management and maintenance people can be very sloppy, unprofessional and difficult to deal with at times with their egos, laziness and other shit.

But all in all 75% of the time its fine. I dont mean to scare you off. Its an adjustment but not the worst place for a guy to spend a year or two, you get used to it. If your a girl, the girls hostels are alot better I hear.


----------



## talib

what did you get on ur SAT ii's to get in ? btw Private Message me please,
finally glad to see a Shifa student on Medforum..i was pulling my hairs out these past dayss


----------



## kungfuninja

Oh..thats no good news.thnx for the info.Is it possible to get an unshared room? How far is the girl's hostel from the hosptal?


----------



## talib

5 min away, and yes its possible.


----------



## ramo91

kungfuninja said:


> Oh..thats no good news.thnx for the info.Is it possible to get an unshared room? How far is the girl's hostel from the hosptal?


girls hostels are at a distance.. not sure how far probably 10-20 min walk max. doesnt matter though because the colleges provides transport for girls. Im not sure about an unshared room, people do get them but not everyone. has alot to do with seniority and luck when it comes to the boys hostels. not sure about girls hostel though. probably same.


----------



## talib

ramo91, delete some stuff from your inbox, it's full, so I can't send anything!
this was my reply to your last message though:

I know but i found out i can't go anywhere but Shifa, no family is Kirachi, which makes it dangerous for me. and wow I thought Shifa taught really well, are you really overwhelmed about the USMLES? and would you have to study from scatch when you graduate? also are there any people in Shifa that atleast guide you, provide links, set up electives, tell you about the usmle (how to register) or anything there? or if you can think of any other postive quality, please let me know


----------



## kungfuninja

I see#roll . And what about the electives..where they affliated from..e.g. that of aku are with waterloo and albera. I couldn't find it on their website.


----------



## lite_lord

SALAM,shifa and hamdard medical ollege have same date for entry test,can any one telll plzzzzz that what i merit % at both and whr admission is easy....???
what is the approx merit for shifa and hamdrd...???


----------



## lite_lord

talib said:


> ramo91, delete some stuff from your inbox, it's full, so I can't send anything!
> this was my reply to your last message though:
> 
> I know but i found out i can't go anywhere but Shifa, no family is Kirachi, which makes it dangerous for me. and wow I thought Shifa taught really well, are you really overwhelmed about the USMLES? and would you have to study from scatch when you graduate? also are there any people in Shifa that atleast guide you, provide links, set up electives, tell you about the usmle (how to register) or anything there? or if you can think of any other postive quality, please let me know


what is the approx merit for shifa,i have 78% in fsc....???plzzzzzzzz guide me!


----------



## lite_lord

Salman_Ashfaq said:


> And yes what is the fee structure of shifa?


670000 without hostel for 1st year then approx 5 lac


----------



## shaman.adil

Hamdard is easier to get in to.


----------



## Eesha

Never heard of Hamdard, if that helps you make up your mind. Lol.


----------



## lite_lord

shifa vs hamdard,which one has low merit comparatively?
which one is better?


----------



## ramo91

lite_lord said:


> shifa vs hamdard,which one has low merit comparatively?
> which one is better?


shifa is wayyy better. hamdard has a very very low merit accordingly.


----------



## lite_lord

ramo91 said:


> shifa is wayyy better. hamdard has a very very low merit accordingly.


both have same date for entry test,i hv 78% in fsc and 82% in matric.
both consider 40% each in fsc and e test and 10 matric and interview,whr are my more chances...???
plzzzzz post!


----------



## ramo91

lite_lord said:


> both have same date for entry test,i hv 78% in fsc and 82% in matric.
> both consider 40% each in fsc and e test and 10 matric and interview,whr are my more chances...???
> plzzzzz post!


Hamdard is a much much safer choice obviously. you should get in easily provided you dont royally mess up your entrance test. your grades are about just enough to scratch a seat at shifa provided you give a good entry test. test scores vary every year but those grades and a 60-65% in the entry test wouldve been enough last year.


----------



## lite_lord

ramo91 said:


> Hamdard is a much much safer choice obviously. you should get in easily provided you dont royally mess up your entrance test. your grades are about just enough to scratch a seat at shifa provided you give a good entry test. test scores vary every year but those grades and a 60-65% in the entry test wouldve been enough last year.


fanks for ur post.

do u knw abt the difficulty level of shifa e tst,frm whr it cms i.e ounjab txt books,i persnly wava get in shifa coz near and good 1


----------



## ramo91

lite_lord said:


> fanks for ur post.
> 
> do u knw abt the difficulty level of shifa e tst,frm whr it cms i.e ounjab txt books,i persnly wava get in shifa coz near and good 1


its very different.. has portions on current affairs, liberal arts and Islamic studies, IQ, awsell as the standards eng maths bio chem physics. but they may have changed it IDK. Everythings given in the prospectus.


----------



## lite_lord

ramo91 said:


> its very different.. has portions on current affairs, liberal arts and Islamic studies, IQ, awsell as the standards eng maths bio chem physics. but they may have changed it IDK. Everythings given in the prospectus.


can u tel plzzz hw many chances i hv and hw many % marks i rqrd to get in at shifa


----------



## shaman.adil

I think you have a decent chance. One of my friends who did not have a high equivalence and had C's in A Levels got in.


----------



## talib

the subject tests are freaking scaring me though


----------



## talib

haha its like all i talk about LOL


----------



## lite_lord

talib said:


> the subject tests are freaking scaring me though


??????? mean ????????#sad


----------



## lite_lord

shaman.adil said:


> I think you have a decent chance. One of my friends who did not have a high equivalence and had C's in A Levels got in.


someone says just ENOUGH n someone says decent,uufffff,2ble minded,what to do GOD...???


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## shaman.adil

First things first stop posting in shorthand. I have a hard time getting you. But Hamdard is a safer choice-merit wise and cost wise.


----------



## talib

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 10 (2 members and 8 guests)

Shifa is getting popular 
So how long might we have to wait to hear about interviews 
and things of that such?


----------



## shaman.adil

Last week of September


----------



## medstudent1

Shifa's teaching isn't actually that bad I've realized, many graduates have scored very well on the USMLEs, and if you study well from the start it will make studying for the boards much easier. A lot of the seniors as well as graduates are helpful and guide you somewhat. Many people work together to go about finding electives. Shifa is a top med school in Pakistan, and at the end of the day its what you make out of it.




talib said:


> I know but i found out i can't go anywhere but Shifa, no family is Kirachi, which makes it dangerous for me. and wow I thought Shifa taught really well, are you really overwhelmed about the USMLES? and would you have to study from scatch when you graduate? also are there any people in Shifa that atleast guide you, provide links, set up electives, tell you about the usmle (how to register) or anything there? or if you can think of any other postive quality, please let me know


----------



## lite_lord

lite_lord said:


> someone says just ENOUGH n someone says decent,uufffff,2ble minded,what to do GOD...???


fanks for ur posting,atleast how much percent should i get ...


----------



## talib

medstudent1 said:


> Shifa's teaching isn't actually that bad I've realized, many graduates have scored very well on the USMLEs, and if you study well from the start it will make studying for the boards much easier. A lot of the seniors as well as graduates are helpful and guide you somewhat. Many people work together to go about finding electives. Shifa is a top med school in Pakistan, and at the end of the day its what you make out of it.


Thanks, but there's no direct guidance towards the usmles?


----------



## shaman.adil

No direct guidance on USMLE's in any Pakistani Medical College except for Aga Khan I think.


----------



## talib

I think Shifa is just as good, im so sick and tired of AKU getting so much rep because it's older man. One day Shifa is gonna kick AKU's butt, it's gained rep faster than any other medical school as well as recognition. AKU was made in like 88' around the time my mom was applying and it was garbage, Shifa opened in 98' and in alittle more than 10 years it's one of the best.


----------



## Rocker16

Hahaha are u kidding me!! You cant compare shifa and aku at all!! Aku is way way better!!! Brother come to shifa then ull know!! Frankly speaking shifa is quiet overrated on this forum!


----------



## talib

Do you attend Shifa? I can actually speak from connections, no pun intended, my uncle is actually one of Shifa's trustees, and some of the main founders actually came here (In the USA) and did research , residencies, and electives from some of the top notch IVY leagues. I am not saying Shifa is better than Aga Khan, but from what I am witnessing, the rate that Shifa is gaining rep is way quicker than Aga Khan ever did. And it's not "overrated" on this forum, it's a highly reputable medical school, maybe you should look further than just this thread and you'll change your mind


----------



## Rocker16

I accept its reputation is becoming increasingly good but still it lack alot like a proper campus and a good university affiliation


----------



## lite_lord

shaman.adil said:


> I think you have a decent chance. One of my friends who did not have a high equivalence and had C's in A Levels got in.


shaman hv u persnl experience of shifa,plzzz guide little more.......


----------



## Rocker16

shifa is overrated on this forum as there were threads where shifa was claimed better than AMC and equal to AKU which i think is totally hilarious!!!


----------



## hammad khan

@^ topic....guys why you are fighting for? every one has his/her own exprience and opinion. AKU/ shifa i think both are good to go. both are rocking. with my exprince and why of thinking i belive both are same because both are having teachers from where? Mostly from all around Pakistan right? so they will share exprince of teaching as they got from their medical college. I belive on teachers not college. 
my anatomy teachers are i can say strict but helpful, they are good to teach.
my embrology teacher i just love him, too good.
my physiology teacher i respect him but never gota know what he is talking about, but the old one the one left us he was too good to explain things out.
my biochems teachers some of them are helpful, but some are too stricts.
Its same thing like it was in USA, i really love my most of the teachers from PS to college, but not all. really hates some, even thogh they have passed me with good marks.
So sorry its my exprince and way of thinking you can keep doing fight no problem...... Joking don't maind please. Best of luck to All of you Allah may help you all and keep enjoying#happy


----------



## medstudent1

talib is right, Shifa's reputation has grown faster than AKUs. 
There is the lack of a typical college campus, which is one of the biggest complaints, but there is enough space to still function. If you look at it optimistically, however, the college is surrounded by clinical opportunities at all times, so students have a constant clinical exposure instead of being in a typical academic setting.
Also, Shifa is working towards becoming an independent university.



Rocker16 said:


> I accept its reputation is becoming increasingly good but still it lack alot like a proper campus and a good university affiliation


----------



## MastahRiz

^Well said, and also applicable to many colleges. I have yet to see a single medical school where you aren't allowed to learn more and more if you're willing. If you go to a clinic or ward after hours or the ER and say you're a student who wants to learn, you'll find tons of invaluable opportunities.


----------



## MastahRiz

^If the forum is so useless to you I don't understand why you continue to use it and post nonsense. If you don't have something helpful to contribute, then please stop using our website willingly so that I don't have to go waste my time banning you.

Thanks.

EDIT: Your other off-topic post has been deleted as well.


----------



## talib

Hey guys, so I saw the pictures that Rehan put up of Shifa. They looked great! I was just curious, are there any recent, updated pictures, especially of the hostel rooms; I wanted to have an idea of what I am in for!  if anything let me know


----------



## kungfuninja

cool! how can i view them? link please?


----------



## talib

Read the first page of this thread.


----------



## WajeehBJ

Applications are accepted year round? does that mean I can apply any time? or every year?


----------



## Saad99

please tell me that how many students are named in the first merit list of shifa...i heard that 150 are named but there are 100 seats, so how can this be?


----------



## aamna_younus

120.........


----------



## talib

^ Really ? I heard there's 10 seats for foreigners, and 90 locals. I could be wrong. But I heard there's always 100 students every year.


----------



## Saad99

talib said:


> ^ Really ? I heard there's 10 seats for foreigners, and 90 locals. I could be wrong. But I heard there's always 100 students every year.


dude i've heard the same 

so how come 120 or 150 are selected?


----------



## aamna_younus

not everyone submits the fee....last year out of the first merit list of 120 students, 20 seats still weren't filled and there was another list of 30 students (the second merit list)....so if you're in the top 150, hope to be shortlisted.


----------



## aamna_younus

there are a total of 100 seats. 90 open merit and 10 for foreigners#happy


----------



## lite_lord

But shifa's merit list is getting very much time...


----------



## aamna_younus

tomorrow is yet another interview day...


----------



## lite_lord

I think list will be out around 18 to 20 oct.


----------



## talib

I believe 16.


----------



## lite_lord

talib said:


> I believe 16.


16 is holiday but may God fulfill your believe INSHALLAH with names of all of us...:happy:


----------



## lite_lord

talib said:


> I believe 16.


16 is sumday but may God fulfill your believe and with names of all of us INSHALLAH:happy: :happy:


----------



## LybaLyba

lite_lord said:


> I think list will be out around 18 to 20 oct.



Go on the site, they say the list is ''Coming Soon"....Could it be today or tomorrow? #baffled


----------



## Saad99

LybaLyba said:


> Go on the site, they say the list is ''Coming Soon"....Could it be today or tomorrow? #baffled


I did'nt find it writen anywhere on the website

Well i counted the number of people who had more marks than me in the entry test, and there were 169 of them #baffled . I hope i can be inside the 120 students with the aggregate as i've got st As and an equivalence of 84% #confused. The interview also went good so now all is down to Allah's help, pray for me people #happy .


----------



## LybaLyba

Saad99 said:


> I did'nt find it writen anywhere on the website
> 
> Well i counted the number of people who had more marks than me in the entry test, and there were 169 of them #baffled . I hope i can be inside the 120 students with the aggregate as i've got st As and an equivalence of 84% #confused. The interview also went good so now all is down to Allah's help, pray for me people #happy .


Bro I swear it was there a while ago...but it's not there anymore #eek 
I guess they updated it again...
I just want the list to come out as soon as possible so that we don't have to wait #sad 

You have more chances then me of getting in InshaAllah. When I counted 200 students had scored more than me in the test #sad


----------



## lite_lord

LybaLyba said:


> Go on the site, they say the list is ''Coming Soon"....Could it be today or tomorrow? #baffled


i didn't visit their website,thanks for info!


----------



## Furqan Ahmed

what is the process for A level students and is there any scholarship programme for students in al shifa ?
what should be the grades ? sat 1 and 2 both required or only 1 ????
what about entry test for A level ? 
after givig SAT do u still have to give entry test ?


----------



## lite_lord

Yes scholarship will be there for you if you get 75% or 80% in finals...


----------



## Picoseconds

Shifa is good, I think. But seriously, it's you that matters. You could go to the best institution in the world and still not make it out there.


----------



## Saad99

The results are out on the shifa website. It contains the total aggregate scores, but the selected students will b announced on 1st november. I'm on the 135th place for the local seats, i dont think i'll make it #sad


----------



## iamscrewed

Alot of people drop out too and some take BDS. So maybe you do have a chance.


----------



## Saad99

iamscrewed said:


> Alot of people drop out too and some take BDS. So maybe you do have a chance.


what's your position?


----------



## lite_lord

Mine 212,any chance?
I think shifa don't have bds?


----------



## Dr.Anas Rafiq

yeah! shifa don't have a dental college.


----------



## Dr.Anas Rafiq

'yeah! shifa don't have a dental college.'

i confirmed this from my friend in shifa.


----------



## iamscrewed

Um sorry but i dont think so. Do you know how many local seats shifa has?


----------



## Dr.Anas Rafiq

iamscrewed said:


> Um sorry but i dont think so. Do you know how many local seats shifa has?


90 seats for locals......confirm!:happy:

read introductory paragraph of Cumulative Result of Achievements of Applicants
2011:

http://www.shifacollege.edu/final.pdf


----------



## iamscrewed

oh yea i just read that. I am 96. Do you think atleast 6 people will drop out?


----------



## Dr.Anas Rafiq

iamscrewed said:


> oh yea i just read that. I am 96. Do you think atleast 6 people will drop out?


[email protected]!

my friend had merit no. in 100s & he got in last year bcoz of drop outs. :happy:


----------



## iamscrewed

#grin


----------



## Saad99

iamscrewed said:


> oh yea i just read that. I am 96. Do you think atleast 6 people will drop out?


Congrats to you, you'll be in IA. Did last year's 1st list have 134 students? Someone on this forum wrote this.


----------



## Dr.Anas Rafiq

Saad99 said:


> Congrats to you, you'll be in IA. Did last year's 1st list have 134 students? Someone on this forum wrote this.


yeah! my friend in shifa told me the same........#yes


----------



## iamscrewed

anas90 said:


> yeah! my friend in shifa told me the same........#yes




Hey could you also ask your friends about the teachers and the hostels of Shifa?


----------



## Dr.Anas Rafiq

iamscrewed said:


> Hey could you also ask your friends about the teachers and the hostels of Shifa?


it requires detail. 

i can give you his mobile no.? but if he will permit me...

or you can post questions on his facebook id........what do you say?


----------



## summergirl

ZoyaZ said:


> I'm sure a few people apply every year with 700+. With that said, from what I know about applicants, 600 should be more than safe for Shifa. Its process is very similar to that of DIMC from what I understand. Both have listed 550 as min requirements and both attract a similar population. With 700 (or 750+ even), I would suggest you apply to AKU.


would scores of 600-650 be sufficient to apply to dimc?


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## araiqa

hey, I was looking forward to getting some information about migration policy in Shifa. I've passed my 1st Prof. Unfortunately, I have been detained in 2nd Prof because of not clearing Gen. Pathology. Is there a way? Or will I just have to sit the whole year out at home.


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## napster

hi all!!the hostel fee for shifa is written as 350000 i want to ask that whether it is for 5 years or every year we have to deposit 350000 as hostel fee?


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## Sherry AfterMath

napster said:


> hi all!!the hostel fee for shifa is written as 350000 i want to ask that whether it is for 5 years or every year we have to deposit 350000 as hostel fee?


dude it 3.5 lac for each year


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## Hassan Liaqat

*Level Og Education and Hostel Facilities*

could someone please tell me if the quality of education and the hostels at Shifa are worth their huge fee....and what about employment oppurtunities after graduating ?
thanks.


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## Hassan Liaqat

*Shifa...CMH ...Or SIMS??*

please advise......shifa, cmh or SIMS??


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## Irt

hey whats everyone doing for accommodation??


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## h.a.

Hassan Liaqat said:


> please advise......shifa, cmh or SIMS??


if you want to go abroad and want some specialization go for shifa, if you want to live in Pakistan with better service structure and job security go for cmh if you want to economize yourself then go for SIMS


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## aquamarinaquarian

Irt said:


> hey whats everyone doing for accommodation??


Hi, I know someone with rooms for rent near Shifa. Send me a private message for details if you're interested.


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## MaSTeRMInD

aquamarinaquarian said:


> Hi, I know someone with rooms for rent near Shifa. Send me a private message for details if you're interested.


Hey.. Can you P.M me your contact number or the contact number of the person who is managing this hostel....
I am unable to send you mess. as according to this website I am a new user and do not hve enough posts to send a Private Mess. 
LOL...I hve to say that whichever moderator put the restriction on P.M for new users to stop spamming is a true genius...


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## ridaa

A question for seniors students at shifa:

Is shifa associated with any foreign medical school or hospital in US, canada or UK ?


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## MaSTeRMInD

Does anyone know about any hostel for boys at walking distance from Shifa.......I am searching for one so if anyone among shifa's senior students can help please P.M me......otherwise i would have to pay for Shifa's Hostel by 7th...


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## 123456789

How much of the fee does shifa refund if u decide to leave it later on


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## anonymous26

Why is it that very few foreigners are applying to shifa this year? :S
There were many applying few years back..Has it something to do with the standard of shifa dropping down etc?


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## MaSTeRMInD

I think its 50K........50K will be deducted if you decide to leave before the start of classes...


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## 123456789

MaSTeRMInD said:


> I think its 50K........50K will be deducted if you decide to leave before the start of classes...


And 3 weeks into class ?


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## confused-soul

*Fee Structure*

Hello does any body know what is the fee structure ?
Any idea about closing and starting merit?


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## TashuRocks

Guys? Any update ? How many people submitted their dues?


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## yoyahyo

Anybody have any new pictures to share for us international people?


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## Ubaid A.

yoyahyo said:


> Anybody have any new pictures to share for us international people?


Yes! New pictures please? it looks decrepit in the pictures from 2007!


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## Dr. Bhai Jan

Ubaid A. said:


> Yes! New pictures please? it looks decrepit in the pictures from 2007!


Yes it actually was decrepit  the last time I went there.
No proper campus life, even the lecture rooms seemed too outdated. This is one thing besides the not so good clinicals that prevented some people i know from joining it.
Someone who's already studying there, please do share the latest pics and tell a bit about their clinicals as well, I know it's great in Basic Sciences.


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## Madiha Arain

Hello I'm madiha from karachi. I'm dental Student 1st professional. I'm doing my dentistry from Dow University of health sciences. Since we're shifting to Islamabad i wanted to ask is it possible to get migration to shifa medical college or any other good medical college of Islamabad ?


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## asadsultankhan

Hello! 
I wanted to know can i apply in dow for mbbs? I have domicile of punjab with 82% in fsc.


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## Dua jafri

rishtyameena said:


> *Shifa Female Hostel Report*
> 
> I had quite the interesting visit to the College and Hostel these last two days. After finally convincing them that I needed to visit the hostel before I was supposed to move into it and then waiting until someone could show us the way (apparently I had come at a really bad time for them).
> What follows is an extremely detailed report of an outsider's view of the female hostel. I only spent about half an hour at the hostels so the report is not infallible (therefore it is fallible?).
> 
> The drive from the college to the female hostel takes exactly 5 minutes and passes by a fairly large market and park-sort-of-thingy. There are four houses sort of connected at the end of St. 98 (a dead-end street) in I8/4. Currently there are a total of 53 girls living there with supposedly 2 girls per room.
> 
> Each of the four houses has a separate small kitchen (for the girls' personal use) with a stove and fridge and a common room with a TV and cushions/chairs (not cable TV, apparently the room is used for studying?).
> 
> *Curfew*
> The gates close at 10 pm but I'm not quite sure what happens if you just stay out all night?
> 
> *Transportation*
> There is a Shifa bus that takes the girls from the hostel in the morning to the college and brings them back at 2-3pm. Apparently every Wednesday is "shopping day" and the bus goes to different parts of the city (Jinnah market, etc) for the shopping needs of the girls.
> 
> *Food & Water*
> There is one male cook who cooks in the largest kitchen (separate from the other smaller kitchens in each house) for all the hostel members. Supposedly, all the girls decide the week's menu together depending on their tastes. There is a dining room where all the girls are supposed to eat together? From what I understood, lunch is provided at the college and not the hostels. The main kitchen closes at 10 pm and thats why the smaller kitchens in each hostel are up for use then.
> I didn't quite understand what the whole deal with the water was. They said something about every girl having their own big Nestle bottle and then every time it was emptied having to pay one of the guards/servants to go fill it. Anyone know anything about this?
> 
> *Extra Services*
> No cable TV.
> No sort of internet.
> No real phone services. Everyone is expected to rely on their own cell phones.
> But, any student can pay for their own connection services to their room.
> A woman is available for the laundry and ironing but has to be paid Rs. 400/month.
> There are 4 male guards/helpers.
> 
> *Rooms*
> The rooms themselves are fairly large and are supposed to house two girls each.
> They are furnished with 2 single beds & mattresses, bed side tables and 2 study desks.
> Roommates are not assigned and you can room with whoever you like after telling the warden. Every room has a padlock on it and each roommate has a key.
> Many rooms have AC's but I think a few don't. Every room has a gas heater.
> 
> *Bathrooms*
> Every room has it's own bathroom (ie. two girls per bathroom) with a sink, toilet and showerhead. The one I saw was in pretty good condition.
> 
> *What to Bring*
> Each girl is supposed to bring their own sheets, pillows and blankets.
> Apparently none of the hostel dishes are allowed to be taken to the rooms so everyone is supposed to bring their own plate, glass etc if you want to eat anything in your room.
> Many girls had their own mini-fridge and microwave in their room as well as other furnishings (bookshelf, etc). [Just some ideas about what you might want.]
> 
> *Dates*
> Dec 1: Hostels open for new students to move in
> Dec 2: Orientation
> Dec 3: Classes begin
> 
> I took a few pictures of the hostel but can't get them uploaded here. So if other girls are interested just message me and I'd be happy to share.


HEY can I like see what the hostel looks like I Menander the pictures


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