MIRPURKHAS: Muhammad Medical College (MMC) and Muhammad Dental College (MDC) recently organized their 26th Annual Medical Symposium, themed "The Role of Universities in Promoting Higher Education in Underprivileged Areas of Pakistan." The event reflects the vision of Prof. Dr. Syed Razi Muhammad, an internationally renowned surgeon and educationalist. Currently serving as the Dean and Professor of Surgery, Dr. Muhammad is also an examiner for all four Royal Colleges of the UK and Ireland and the President of the Mirpurkhas chapter of the Society of Surgeons of Pakistan. His goal is to promote a culture of education and research among undergraduates across all colleges of the Muhammad Foundation Trust.
The two-day symposium inauguration ceremony was held at Muhammad Dental College, Mirpurkhas. It featured oral and poster presentations from undergraduates of MMC, MDC, DPT, and the College of Nursing (CON). Supported by Prof. Dr. Syed Razi Muhammad, the event was organized by the Symposium Scientific Committee, led by Prof. Dr. Farzana Majeed and Prof. Dr. Habib Chohan. With 70 presentations showcasing original research, the symposium was attended by 400 students from various academic years.
The judging panel included notable figures such as Prof. Dr. Shams ul Arfeen, Prof. Dr. Zafar H. Tanveer, Prof. Dr. Qadeer ul Hassan, Dr. Asadullah Palli, and others. Each presentation was followed by a Q&A session to assess the quality of the research, with valuable feedback provided.
The Department of Medical Education and the Research Cell evaluated the abstracts, contributing to the Abstract Book for the 26th Annual Medical Symposium. Awards were presented to the top three oral and poster presentations from each discipline, and special tokens were given to first and second-year students as a token of appreciation.
As part of the Symposium, MDC organized five pre-symposium workshops. One of these, hosted by the Department of Dental Education, focused on Interprofessional Communication & Teamwork for first-year BDS students. Led by Prof. Dr. Farzana Majeed, Director of the Research Cell at MDC, the workshop aimed to raise awareness about the importance of inter-professional communication and team building in healthcare settings.
The Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery at MDC organized a pre-symposium workshop on Primary Surgical Skills for final-year BDS students. The workshop was led by Dr. Ali Raza Zia, Senior Registrar in the department. Its goal was to equip students with essential surgical skills. The session was divided into two parts: first, a lecture by Dr. Zia on key surgical techniques, including aseptic practices, incision and flap design, and suturing methods; followed by a hands-on session where students practiced these skills in groups after a demonstration by the facilitator.
The Department of Operative Dentistry at MDC organized a pre-symposium workshop on Micro Abrasion and Teeth Bleaching for Second and Third-year BDS students. The workshop aimed to teach students techniques for performing micro abrasion on patients with fluorosis, a common condition in this underprivileged region of Sindh. Additionally, teeth bleaching was demonstrated to enhance aesthetics. The session began with a lecture covering the indications, advantages, disadvantages, contraindications, and techniques for both procedures. Dr. Jazib Memon, guest speaker from LUMHS Jamshoro, performed the procedures on a patient, with co-facilitation by Dr. Shuja Aslam, Assistant Professor at MDC. Faculty members also attended the workshop.
The "Expanding Dental Education" session, in collaboration with the Department of Dental Education MDC, was facilitated by Dr. Sarang Suresh. Attended by faculty from MMC and MDC, the workshop focused on leveraging technological trends—such as Instagram, Moodle, and podcasts—to boost student engagement and motivation in medical education. The session was well-received and concluded with a certificate distribution.
The Department of Dental Education at Muhammad Dental College organized a workshop on mentoring for senior faculty members, led by Dr. Kiran Fatima, Deputy Director of Dental Education. Attended by senior faculty, including Prof. Shams ul Arfeen Khan, Prof. Dr. Zafar Tanveer (Principal MMC), and faculty from MMC, MDC, CON, and DPT, the workshop aimed to train faculty in developing a contextually relevant mentoring program. The program focuses on formalizing the mentor-mentee relationship.
The Department of Medical Education, MMC, organized a workshop on Professionalism for faculty members of MMC and MDC. The workshop focused on the importance of work ethics, discipline, communication skills, respect, integrity, accountability, and responsibility in patient outcomes. Facilitated by Prof. Dr. Zafar Tanveer, Principal of MMC, it was attended by senior faculty members from MMC, DPT, and CON.