Lahore, January 06, 2023 (PPI-OT):Factually, medical research leads to the development of new medicines, procedures, potential tools, and effective methods of patient care. So, with the vision to promote quality, innovative, ethical, and evidence-based research for the advancement of knowledge and high-quality healthcare, the University College of Medicine and Dentistry (UCMD) launched a research cell for its students and faculty.
The Research Cell aims at giving impetus to impactful research within the students’ fraternity and their teaching faculty. It enhances the national and international portfolio of the institution by promoting strategic research linkages with other reputable universities and research and development departments.
The cell is also designated to boost high-quality research through fellowship programmes at the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Pakistan (CPSP). Also, it promotes collaborative research work among different faculties of socio-biological and health sciences at all campuses of The University of Lahore (UOL).
To ensure a research-driven academic spectrum within the UCMD, several research-oriented actions are undertaken. These initiatives include the incorporation of a research module in the curriculum, the launch of the Journal of the University College of Medicine and Dentistry (JUCMD), the conduction of research workshops and hackathon, and an intercollegiate poster competition.
Incorporation of the Research Module
To keep the students steadfast on the track of research, the research module is included in the curriculum from first year to fourth year of MBBS. The students are assigned to make a synopsis of their research project. In the second and third years, a group of five students is assigned a research supervisor.
The research unit provides assistance to all the students and supervisors regarding the approved research synopses. All batches of students from the second and third years present their synopses and are evaluated by internal and external examiners. In the month of November, a total of 30 research synopses from 2nd year students were evaluated, whereas in December, 32 research synopses from 3rd year students were evaluated.
Launch of JUCMD
Keeping up with current research trends, UCMD launched The Journal of the University College of Medicine and Dentistry (JUCMD), which befits the vision of UCMD’s research cell. To refine the outlook and content of the journal, UCMD’s research cell is seeking assistance from the Office of Research Innovation and Commercialization (ORIC) of UOL. JUCMD has published three biannual issues so far.
Research-Oriented Events
UCMD’s Research Cell is also vigilant in organising research workshops for the faculty members of UCMD. Workshops on research methodology for the faculty members are in progress. A “Research Hackathon” was also organised in 2022, in which medical colleges from all over Pakistan participated. Moreover, an intercollegiate poster competition and an intercollegiate quiz competition were organised in 2022.
Clinico-pathological/journal club meetings
The Research Cell is promoting multidisciplinary research by arranging regular interdepartmental clinic pathological and journal club meetings as well. Different meetings are based on discussion of different topics, such as prognostic factors and molecular subtypes in young women with breast cancer, secondary antibiotic prophylaxis for latent rheumatic heart disease, and methods to critically appraise a paper and measure different ranking parameters of the HEC journal recognition system. These meetings involve different departments such as anatomy, physiology, pathology, community medicine, etc. The meetings are held according to a predetermined schedule in order to thoroughly discuss the agenda.
For more information, contact:
The University of Lahore
1 – KM Defence Road, Lahore, Pakistan
Tel: +92-42-111-865-865, +92-42-35322501 +92-42-35321761
Email: info@uol.edu.pk
Website: www.uol.edu.pk