DUHS Summit looks to future of young ENT doctors

KARACHI: "Summit for Young ENT Residents” was recently held in collaboration with the Department of ENT, Dr K M Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi (CHK) and the Pakistan Society of Otorhinolaryngology at the Arag Auditorium of the Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS). Vice-Chancellor, DUHS, Prof Mohammed Saeed Quraishy, welcomed the Guest of Honor of the event, Vice-Chancellor of the Jinnah Sindh Medical University, Prof Tariq Rafi. Principal, Dow Medical College, Prof Amjad Siraj Memon, Chairperson of the "Summit for Young ENT Residents," Prof Shuja Farrukh, Secretary Summit, Prof Dr  Atif Hafeez Siddiqui, and Professor Iqbal Khayani also spoke on occasion. Pro-Vice-Chancellor, DUHS, Prof Zarnaz Wahid, Vice Principal, Dow Medical College, Dr Shumaila Khalid, Head of ENT Department, Jinnah Sindh Medical University, Prof Sameer Qureshi, senior ENT experts from all teaching universities, along with a large number of students attended the summit.

Prof Mohammed Saeed Quraishy, while addressing the audience stated that the DUHS encouraged medical research and provided financial resources for this purpose. Research required a large sum of money, and in this regard, the DUHS alumni, along with the government, was playing an important role. He added that The DUHS faculty was pleased to announce significant progress in the operation of the eardrum, which operated the eardrum via endoscopy. Twelve operations had been carried out free of cost using this method in the ENT Department of the CHK.

Prof Saeed Quraishy said that it was a pleasure to hold this summit for young ENT doctors. The conference would inspire young doctors to explore and, in turn, develop their professional skills and overcome their weaknesses. He noted that the communication skills of Pakistan’s public sector hospitals were questioned abroad recently. However, after witnessing the presentations of the 20 selected doctors, the questions seemed invalid.

Quraishy congratulated the ENT department for organizing the summit and wished them all the best in the future. He added that other departments should also organize similar programs to enhance the capabilities of young doctors.

Speaking on occasion, Prof Syed Mohammad Tariq Rafi, noted “we are proud to hold the Young Doctors Summit in Karachi. The program will encourage young doctors to read, learn, and increase their knowledge as most of the younger generation can be seen staying away from reading books and getting themselves used to multimedia.”

Prof Amjad Siraj Memon, noted that organizing the summit at the Dow Medical College was an honor. While speaking to the audience, Summit Chairperson, Prof Shuja said that there were excellent ENT doctors and surgeons in the Civil Hospital and young doctors should learn from them. The Pakistan ENT Society had been organizing various programs since 1981. The summit, however, was the first event that has been arranged for our young doctors, Shuja added.

Usually, at large-scale conferences, young doctors were not provided with such opportunities to present their research papers, Dr Farrukh added. To encourage young doctors at the summit, 20 research articles were selected for presentation at the summit in an effort to encourage them and their efforts, said Farrukh.

Summit Secretary Associate, Prof Dr Atif, said that the reason why the field of research was weakening in the country was due to the lack of motivation in young doctors. Young doctors worked hard and wanted to move forward, but they were not guided in the right direction.

Young doctors from the Aga Khan University, Ziauddin University, Hamdard Medical University, Jinnah Sindh Medical University, Liaquat National Medical College, Lyari Medical College, and Dow University of Health Sciences presented their research papers at the summit. Dr Shayan Khan won the first prize for his research paper. Dr Maheen Piyar Ali and Dr Huzaifa Moiz won the second and third prizes, respectively.