The University of Health Sciences (UHS) has approved new eligibility requirements for PhD scholars, making it compulsory for doctoral students to participate in at least three national conferences or seminars and one international conference or seminar before they can receive their PhD degree.
The decision was taken during the 227th meeting of the Advanced Studies and Research Board (ASRB), chaired by Vice Chancellor Prof. Ahsan Waheed Rathore. According to the university, the revised policy aims to strengthen research quality, encourage academic engagement, and raise the overall standard of postgraduate education.
During the meeting, the board also approved four new PhD programs based on competency-focused learning. These include Medical Education, Nursing, Oral Biology, and Public Health, expanding opportunities for advanced research and professional training.
In addition, the ASRB approved a revised curriculum for the Master of Health Professions Education (MHPE) and introduced the Certificate in Comprehensive Family Medicine Practice and Emergency Care (CCFP-EC) program.
The newly approved PhD in Nursing has been developed under the NURTURE Framework. The program focuses on clinical leadership, research, teaching, healthcare policy, and professional ethics. It also includes 500 hours of clinical residency, 200 hours of teaching residency, competency-based learning, and mandatory life-saving skills workshops to prepare students for leadership roles in healthcare.
The PhD program in Public Health has been designed to address modern healthcare challenges. Its curriculum covers disease prevention, health promotion, stronger health systems, implementation science, community-based research, and the application of artificial intelligence in public health.
Meanwhile, the PhD in Oral Biology includes advanced subjects such as craniofacial developmental biology, regenerative dentistry, stem cell research, biomaterials, dental forensic sciences, oral microbiology, and oral immunology. The program aims to enhance research capacity and innovation in dental sciences.
The newly approved six-month CCFP-EC program is intended to strengthen the clinical skills of general practitioners through blended learning, supervised clinical training, emergency care education, and compulsory life-saving skills workshops in line with World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations for primary healthcare.
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