PT colleges/universities news

Four-year BSc Physiotherapy programme started at Rawalpindi Medical College(RMC)

Dec 15 last date for submission of admission forms

The Rawalpindi Medical College (RMC) and allied hospitals have finalised initial set-up for a four-year BSc programme in different medical technologies and set the deadline of December 15 for submission of admission forms.
The BSc programme will be launched in optometry, medical imaging technology, orthotics & prosthetics, physiotherapy and medical laboratory technology having affiliation with the University of Health Sciences (UHS), Lahore.
“We have planned to complete the process of admission within two weeks, from December 17 to December 30. The classes would start on January 1,” said BSc Programme Coordinator Dr. Naveed Iftikhar Maken while talking to ‘The News’ on Tuesday.
The programme is unique in nature because its main focus is on modern technologies, including physical therapy and physical medicine.
Pakistan has a limited number of professional prosthetic orthotists having hands-on expertise in the art of preparing and fitting artificial limbs, physiatric, a medical branch that deals with physical therapy and physical medicine. Physiatrics is not available in Pakistan because the subject has not yet been introduced in medical institutions.
Two of the courses being offered in the programme — physiotherapy and orthotics & prosthetics — would help in improving the quality of work involving prosthetic processes (surgery concerned with replacing missing body parts with artificial devices) in hospitals, said Dr. Maken.
Health experts serving at Rawalpindi General Hospital, Holy Family Hospital and District Headquarters Hospital (Civil Hospital) told ‘The News’ that the programme is the first of its kind in this part of the country. It would help in enhancing quality of work being done in hospitals.
To a query, Dr. Maken said that the curricula for all courses have already been designed. He stated that the admission policy for the programme has already been framed and it would be strictly followed. Both male and female candidates, having FSc (pre-medical), ‘A’ Level or equivalent certificate, are eligible to apply for admission in the courses.
“We are offering all courses on self-finance basis,” said Dr. Maken adding that the fee ranges between Rs24,000 and Rs60,000 per annum.
The BSc programme is of practical nature and various departments in allied hospitals would be utilised for teaching purposes, said Dr. Maken while responding to a query.