PESHAWAR: In the recently-held elections for Academic Council at Khyber Medical University, including the KMU Institute of Medical and Dental Sciences and KMU sub-campuses, Dr Muhammad Masood Khan from KMU-IDS Kohat and Dr Maria Ishaq Khattak from KMU IPH&SS, were elected on the assistant professors seats.
These elections aimed to fill the vacant seats designated for associate professors, assistant professors, and lecturers slots in the Academic Council.
Dr Masood obtained his bachelor's degree from Army Medical College in 2003, and served as a post-graduate trainee in oral and maxillofacial surgery at Ayub Teaching Hospital, completing his training in 2013. He subsequently served as a consultant in Maxillofacial Surgery at Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar, from 2013 to 2018. He is the sole Maxillofacial surgeon in Pakistan who underwent clinical attachment at Aga Khan University Hospital Karachi, specialising in head and neck cancer and reconstructive surgery in 2017. Presently, he is an assistant professor at KMU Institute of Dental Sciences, Kohat, playing a pioneering role in establishing the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery department.
Dr Maria Ishaq Khattak, also a dentist hailing from Peshawar, opted for research in public health as a dentist. She received her undergraduate degree in dental surgery from Ghandara University in 2015 and pursued her master's degree with distinction in Dental Public Health at the University of Leeds, UK, in 2016. In 2019, she achieved the distinction of becoming the youngest attendee at the Royal College of Surgeons, London. Dr Maria presently serves as an assistant professor in Dental Public Health at KMU Institute of Public Health and Social Sciences. She earned her doctoral degree in 2023 from University of Sains, Malaysia, where she was declared "Graduate on Time" for completing her doctoral work within the minimum required timeframe.
The university's Academic Council serves is a pivotal decision-making platform for academic matters, examinations, and admissions.
When questioned about their roles as the council members, Dr Masood and Dr Maria expressed optimism and eagerness to contribute beneficially to its proceedings.
