A total of 9,008 doctors sat the Punjab postgraduate entry test on Sunday, as the University of Health Sciences (UHS) held its first Postgraduate Entrance Test (PGET) across four Punjab cities at the same time.
The test is mandatory for admission to Level III postgraduate medical and dental programmes, including the FCPS, MD, MS and MDS. It was conducted through two question papers, beginning at 10am and concluding at 2:30pm, with a 30-minute break in between.
Where the candidates sat the Punjab postgraduate entry test
The table below sets out the turnout by city, as reported from UHS figures.
| City | Candidates |
|---|---|
| Lahore | 4,107 |
| Multan | 2,353 |
| Rawalpindi | 1,516 |
| Faisalabad | 1,032 |
| Total | 9,008 |
Of the candidates, 4,579 were women and 4,429 were men. Women therefore formed a small majority of the field, a notable detail in a profession where postgraduate seats are keenly contested.
The Punjab University Examination Halls on Wahdat Road served as the examination venue in Lahore, while the respective medical universities hosted candidates in the other three cities. In Rawalpindi, the test ran at Rawalpindi Medical University, where the UHS regional centre coordinated the arrangements.
A first for the Punjab government
The provincial government had arranged the PGET for the first time, replacing the Joint Centralised Admission Test previously used for admissions to these programmes. That change matters for candidates because it moves control of the gateway test to the province, under UHS, rather than a shared centralised system.
UHS Vice Chancellor Maj Gen (retd) Prof Sohail Sabir visited the examination centre at the Punjab University Examination Halls in Lahore to review the arrangements. King Edward Medical University Vice Chancellor Prof Mahmood Ayyaz accompanied him.
Comprehensive security and administrative arrangements were put in place at all centres, according to The News. Police personnel were deployed at the venues, while officials of Nadra, Civil Defence, Rescue 1122, Wasa and the health department assisted with the arrangements. Medical camps were established at the examination centres to deal with any emergency, while officials of the Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Department and the district administration monitored the process.
Candidates and their parents expressed satisfaction with the examination arrangements, The News reported. At Rawalpindi Medical University, the test proceeded in a transparent, orderly and disciplined environment, with no irregularities reported by candidates.
One small discrepancy is worth noting for the record. A separate report on the Rawalpindi centre gave its headcount as 1,531, against 1,516 in the city breakdown. This article uses the UHS city totals reported by Tribune, which sum exactly to 9,008.
What happens next
The results are expected to be announced next week, according to UHS. Candidates who qualify will compete for Level III residency training positions in various medical specialities at teaching hospitals under the administrative control of the Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Department of the Punjab government.
For the 9,008 doctors who sat on Sunday, the wait is now short but the stakes are high. Postgraduate seats shape where a doctor trains, which speciality they enter and where they practise for years to come. A single test, held on a single Sunday across four cities, has set that process in motion for the whole province.
Source reporting: The Express Tribune, corroborated by The News and Dawn.
What is the PGET?
The Postgraduate Entrance Test is the entry test for Level III postgraduate medical and dental programmes in Punjab, including the FCPS, MD, MS and MDS.
How many doctors sat the test?
A total of 9,008 doctors sat the test on Sunday: 4,107 in Lahore, 2,353 in Multan, 1,516 in Rawalpindi and 1,032 in Faisalabad.
Is this the first time Punjab has held the PGET?
Yes. The Punjab government arranged the PGET for the first time, replacing the Joint Centralised Admission Test previously used for these admissions.
When will the results come out?
The results are expected to be announced next week, according to the University of Health Sciences.
