THE examination fee charged by the College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan (CPSP) for its fellowship (FCPS) and intermediate module (IMM) exams is seriously exorbitant. My brother, a postgraduate resident in the field of oral and maxillofacial surgery, has been facing significant difficulties in putting up with the financial burden caused by the CPSP fee structure.
He has already paid Rs25,000 for the FCPS part I examination and another Rs25,000 for the IMM examination.
Additionally, he had to attend a workshop that cost him around Rs45,000. He will also have to pay Rs25,000 again for the FCPS part II exam. Such a fee structure is excessive and unaffordable for many hailing from the middle and lower-middle classes. And, mind you, one has to often sit these professional exams multiple times till one gets to hear the knock of success on one`s door.
To make matters worse, resident doctors have to make do with unpaid salaries for months, making it even more challenging for them to bear the expenses. The CPSP should reconsider its examination fee structure and make it more affordable to junior doctors struggling financially.
