RAWALPINDI: The Rawalpindi Medical College (RMC) was given university status after the Punjab government promulgated the Rawalpindi Medical University Ordinance 2017.

A notification was issued Friday night after approval from Punjab Governor Rafique Rajwana. The provincial government has also appointed RMC Principal Prof Dr Mohammad Umer as the acting vice chancellor.

A senior RMC official told Dawn Dr Umer was retiring on May 10, but the government has appointed him acting vice chancellor of the university for the next six months.

According to the rules, he said, the appointment of a permanent vice chancellor has to be made through competition, and the gov-ernment will invite applications for the post through the print media.

He said the government will call applications for the post and the process will take six months to complete.

The RMC official said the government issued a notification on the college`s status as a university on Friday while the appointment of the vice chancellor was issued on Saturday.

`It was long demanded to upgrade RMC, and after getting university status it will better serve medical education and extensive research and publication in the field of medical sciences as well as holding examinations and awarding medical degrees,` a senior doctor from the college said.

He said that new departments, such as oncology, plastic surgery, cardiology, neurosurgery and others could be established at the RMC now that it has been given university status.

`There is no degree awarding university in north Punjab, from Jhelum to Attock, and it will be helpful to establish more medical colleges in the Potohar region,` hesaid.

He said it was good for students, as they would be able to gain admission to postgraduate programmes and courses, and faculty members would receive promotions easily as well.

He said new staff would also be hired to run the university`s affairs smoothly.

`In the past, the University of Medical Sciences would hold examinations, but now the Rawalpindi Medical University will announce their schedule and conduct examinations and entry tests in the medical sciences,` he said.

The doctor added that the university would not be able to improve the condition of hospitals affiliated with the medical college.

`For the improvement of hospitals, the government should allocate more funds so patients get medicines and pathological tests at government hospitals,` he said.

The doctor said that despite acquiring financial powers, the university would not improve the condition of hospitals and hospitals would continue to look towards the provincial government for healthcare facilities.