CONVOCATION SPEECH BY THE PRINCIPAL KMC – 17TH DEC 2011
Honorable Governor, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Chancellor, Khyber Medical University
Honorable Health Minister, Govt. of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and
Pro-chancellor Khyber Medical University,
Vice Chancellor, Khyber Medical University,
Distinguished guests
Respected faculty members
Dear Graduates and Students
Ladies and Gentlemen
Assalam-o-Alaikum
a) It is a great pleasure for me to welcome you all, to the auspicious occasion of Convocation of Khyber Medical College. On behalf of the faculty and students, and on my own behalf, I express utmost gratitude to the Honorable Governor for sparing his precious time, to preside over the Convocation of Khyber Medical College. I am also grateful to the Honorable Health Minister and Pro Chancellor for his gracious presence with us today, and to all the distinguished guests for gracing this occasion.

b) I extend heartiest congratulations to the new graduates of Khyber Medical College and their parents and special congratulations to the position and medal winners. On this memorable day the hard work of the graduates, the support of their parents, the dedication of their teachers and efforts of the institution is given recognition with the awards of degrees and medals.
My dear graduates, today you have formally stepped into the noble profession. Indeed you are among those fortunates who have been equipped with knowledge, skills, values and attitudes to undertake the sacred responsibilities of caring for human life, alleviating human sufferings and be ambassadors of human welfare. You are expected to demonstrate and promote the vital values of a health professional. No material attraction shall sway you away from this course. Respect for your patients, your colleagues and for all human beings, shall be the guiding principles, in all your decisions and actions.
C) Khyber Medical College is the premier and prestigious mother medical institution of the province, striving for excellence in medical education and producing quality medical graduates and post graduates for over 50 years, who are providing excellent services and leadership in health care within the country and abroad. Khyber Medical College has a glorious history of achievements and contributions. Perhaps the greatest contribution of Khyber Medical College is that it has given birth to all other medical institutions of the province. Therefore KMC has gained the special status of a mother medical institution of the province.
KMC is undergoing major repair, renovation and upgradation of laboratories with up-todate equipments. Major part of the renovation work has been completed. This historic project shall upgrade the teaching learning facilities to international standards, shall prove to be a developmental milestone in the history of College and shall produce even better quality medical graduates and postgraduates.
We are extremely grateful to the govt. of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, for timely addressing this dire need of Khyber Medical College.
d) Sir, I would like to present a brief report of academic and co- curricular pursuits of Khyber Medical College.
e) KMC is admitting the top merit of students of the province. These students show excellent results in their professional examinations which are showing consistent improvement. The brilliant students of KMC pass the internationally reputed medical licensing exams like PLAB and USMLE with highest scores every year.
f) In addition to quality undergraduate medical education, KMC is conducting post graduate courses of M Phil and FCPS in Basic Medical Sciences, to meet the acute shortage of teachers in these subjects in the province. KMC is also conducting FCPS courses in all major clinical specialties to provide specialist doctors for the need of the province. KMC is now ready to start PhD courses in Basic Medical Sciences disciplines. It is worth mentioning that all these post graduate courses are conducted without any extra budget.
g) Significant improvements have been made in the educational system and management. In the current year of 2011, all courses were completed in the same academic year, the final year course has been completed three months earlier. A preplanned academic calendar and time table has been prepared and implemented. Good discipline has been maintained in the college and all academic and co-curricular activities are taking place in a pleasant and conducive environment.

Advances in medical sciences and Medical education has made it mandatory to establish new departments like Genetics and Molecular Biology, Virology, Medical Education Department, Examination Department, IT Department, Clinical Skill Department and numerous other sections. The students and staff are also facing great difficulty of accommodation and for physical grooming and recreation, the intelligent students of KMC direly need a proper sports ground in the vicinity of the college.

Therefore, in order to meet the immediate and near future requirements, KMC urgently needs additional land. We have submitted a proposal to the government for land acquisition for KMC and very humbly seek your kind support for this dire need of KMC.

In spite of the fact that KMC fulfils all the institutional requirements of a medical university, is conducting courses of a university, was approved for up gradation to a university by HEC in 2006 and its counterpart colleges in the campus and in other provinces have long been upgraded to universities, KMC is not yet up-graded to a university. As a result, the vast academic potential of this prestigious institution is not optimally utilized due to lack of the required academic and administrative autonomy which is necessary for an academic institution to flourish.

Therefore, KMC has all justifications to be upgraded to a status of Medical University.
p) Sir, Faculty is one of the most vital elements of an academic institution. We are facing an ever increasing threat of faculty depletion due to exodus of teachers to private medical colleges. Besides financial incentives, one of the main reasons for the faculty leaving public sector Medical and Dental colleges and joining private institutions is the offer of seats to their children in the private colleges. The admission policy of public sector Medical & Dental colleges of the province has provision for several categories of reserve seats including self finance seats but not for the children of teachers and employees of the colleges. Also Seats are reserved for the employees of all the Universities and colleges in the campus in their respective institutions. Restoration of employee's seats in the public sector medical colleges will provide a justified and healthy incentive for the faculty and staff. We therefore request for the restoration of seats for the employees of KMC from the current session.

q) The non- teaching staff is vital component of an institution. It is requested that a welfare fund may kindly be announced for them and for the Social Welfare Society of KMC.
l I thank all the distinguished guests for gracing today's august gathering. I also thank Khyber Medical University, university of Peshawar and UET for their support in holding this convocation. I am grateful to the Organizing Committee, its chairman, Prof. Riaz Nasim and his team, whose hard work made this convocation possible. I also thank my colleagues and staff for all the help and cooperation they so whole-heartedly extended to me.

May Almighty Allah bless you all.

Khyber Medical College Zindabad. Pakistan Paindabad!