Pakistan Extends a Helping Hand: Gaza Students to Pursue Medical Education
Background
Today, with living conditions in Gaza worsened by hostilities and declining hopes, education (including the possibility of medical studies) also faces adversity. Consequently, recognising the value of continuity in education, the PMDC has granted permission to medical and dental students from Gaza to finish their degrees in Pakistan, an unprecedented human gesture to give continuing and solid ground to students affected by war and adversities.
The Decision
The PMDC Council recently met with regard to the request made by the High Commissioner in London from the Pakistan High Commission. The purpose was to enable students of Gaza to complete their preceding medical degrees without a break.
Following are the details:
- Humanitarian Grounds: The decision was ‘based on humanitarian grounds’, namely that allowing Gaza students to study in Pakistan allows for an expression of solidarity with one’s own students in trouble.
- Clinical Placements: 100 students will be placed at any given time; they will arrive in batches of 20-30 students and will receive clinical rotations in Pakistani medical colleges and affiliated teaching hospitals for practical experience and to hone their clinical skills.
- Adjsutment Period: Seeing the down time of first generation Pakistanese students in our college from 2006-2008, getting ready and adjusted to pakistani environment, culture ,language an ‘adjsutmentpeirod’ for being achieved in medical practice community is exctremly necessry.
- Special Arrangement: Given the special circumstance of the Gaza students, they will be treated as special cases in this regard, and there will be no need to discuss them further. They will go to medical colleges in the public sector to obtain quality education and clinical training.
Impact and Future Prospects
The decision holds several implications:
- Educational Continuity: Through opening the academic year for Gaza students to enable them to continue their studies, Pakistan proves its belief in the fundamental values of education and solidarity with the people of Gaza.
- Addition to Health Sector: They will finish their clinical placements someday and graduate from the universities of Gaza. They will extend their experience of the healthcare system in Pakistan and utilise it in Palestine.
- CULTURAL EXCHANGE: The Gaza students will have a chance to meet Pakistani students to exchange their cultural knowledge. Students from both Gaza and Pakistan can take advantage of the interaction to learn more about each other and understanding each other.
Conclusion
This position, reflected solidarity from Pakistan, a display of concern for other students, showed the positive contributions Pakistan can make to global solidarity in education and ultimately a demonstration of empathy and compassion. The PMDC’s solidarity with Gaza students is a leap forward in imagining human solidarity in the world today. This can become a model of international citizenship, particularly for young Pakistanis and Arabs going forward.
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