CHALLENGES OF MEDICAL EDUCATION IN SIALKOT: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE MEDICAL COLLEGES

Background: Medical education in Pakistan is hindered by infrastructure deficiencies, outdated curricula, shortage of qualified faculty, and limited clinical exposure, which collectively impact the quality of healthcare training. This study highlights challenges in medical colleges of Sialkot affecting educational standards and compares the challenges faced by medical education between public and private medical colleges, focusing on infrastructure, curriculum, faculty quality, clinical training, and assessment methodologies. Methods: An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted in public and private medical colleges of Sialkot from October 2023 to March 2024, after approval by the Institutional Review Board of Sialkot Medical College. Data from 200 medical students were collected via convenience sampling and analyzed using a questionnaire covering infrastructure, curriculum, faculty, clinical exposure, and assessments. SPSS-21 and Chi-square tests were used for analysis. Results: A total of 200 students participated from the public and private sectors. Notable differences were observed in laboratory resources, curriculum transparency, and problem-based learning availability, with public colleges generally faring better. However, critical thinking promotion, student-teacher interaction, and clinical rotations did not significantly differ between the two sectors. Conclusions: The study identified shared and distinct challenges in medical education within public and private sector medical colleges of Sialkot. Public colleges showed superior resource allocation and curriculum transparency, yet both sectors need improvements in faculty development and clinical training. These findings suggest targeted reforms to enhance standards of medical education and outcomes in Pakistan. Pak J Physiol 2024;20(3):77–80, DOI: https://doi.org/10.69656/pjp.v20i3.1653