A Canadian student studying MBBS at a public medical college in Lahore, Pakistan, Anum Qaisar, has decided to quit due to numerous negative experiences and an unfriendly environment.
Qaisar, who had obtained overseas admission to Government Ameeruddin Medical College (AMC), expressed her discontent in a written complaint to the college principal.
Anum highlighted various issues she faced, including the lack of adequate accommodation. As an overseas student, she had to reside in the hostel provided by the college for her safety.
However, the living conditions were subpar, with overcrowding in the apartments and a scarcity of facilities. Anum shared her disappointment at sharing a small two-bedroom apartment with 11 other girls, resulting in a lack of privacy and raised concerns about sanitation and health.
Furthermore, she revealed that there were only two attached washrooms for the 11 girls, leading to inconvenience and unsanitary conditions.
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The hostel’s location, a 45-minute drive from the college campus, coupled with inadequate transportation services, added to Anum’s frustrations.
Anum also criticised the absence of a proper meal plan or mess system, forcing students to purchase food at their own risk. This led to her suffering from severe food poisoning.
Additionally, the unhygienic environment and ineffective housekeeping services further contributed to her concerns.
Security issues were another point of contention, with inadequate measures to ensure safety in the hostel. Anum described the college campus as lacking proper infrastructure, with broken furniture, congested spaces, and insufficient seating arrangements for students.
She expressed dissatisfaction with the attitude of the medical teachers, who were disrespectful towards students and failed to provide interactive learning experiences.
Anum Qaisar mentioned instances where teachers refused to adjust to accommodate students’ needs and made derogatory remarks. She also highlighted gender discrimination in favour of male students.
Moreover, Anum criticised the teaching system, pointing out the reliance on copied and pasted past papers and the absence of open discussions.
Anum Qaisar mentioned the absence of professors for certain classes, which hindered the quality of education in subjects such as Islamiat, Professionalism, Ethics, Research and Leadership Studies, and Clinical Skills in Medicine.
Considering the numerous challenges she faced, Anum made the difficult decision to return to Canada for the sake of her mental and physical well-being, leaving behind her pursuit of an MBBS degree. She urged the authorities to address these issues promptly for the sake of her fellow students’ future.
In response to Anum’s complaints, the college principal, Prof Alfreed Zafar, stated that the administration attempted to contact her to resolve the issues but received no response.
He mentioned the formation of a committee to address the concerns raised and the efforts to secure a designated hostel building closer to the college.
Furthermore, he mentioned advocating for the establishment of a new campus near Kahna, which would include a college, hostel, and a 500-bed hospital.
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