Satkhira Medical College

Satkhira Medical College (SMC) (Bengali: সাতক্ষীরা মেডিকেল কলেজ) is a public medical school in Bangladesh, established in 2011. It is located in the south-western city of Satkhira in Khulna Division.

Satkhira Medical College
সাতক্ষীরা মেডিকেল কলেজ
Logo of Satkhira Medical College
Other name
SMC
TypePublic medical school
Established2011 (13 years ago) (2011)
Academic affiliation
Sheikh Hasina Medical University, Khulna
PrincipalKazi Habibur Rahman
DirectorSital Chowdhury
Location
Bakal, Satkhira
,
22°41′24″N 89°02′49″E / 22.6901°N 89.0469°E / 22.6901; 89.0469
CampusUrban
LanguageEnglish

It offers a five-year medical education course leading to an MBBS degree. A one-year internship after graduation is compulsory for all graduates. The degree is recognized by the Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council.

The college is associated with the 500-bed Satkhira Medical College Hospital. Journal of Satkhira Medical College is the official journal of the medical college.

History edit

During a visit to Shyamnagar Upazila in July 2010, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina promised that Satkhira District would get a medical college.[1] S Z Atiq was appointed acting principal in October 2011. A house and community center in Satkhira town were rented as a temporary campus in December.[2] Instruction began in January 2012.[3]

The foundation stone of a permanent campus was laid on 20 July 2012 by then Minister of Health and Family Welfare AFM Ruhal Haque. Construction was expected to cost 860 million Bangladeshi taka ($10.5M as of 2012).[4] Pending construction of a medical college hospital, practical instruction took place at Satkhira Sadar Hospital, 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) away.[5]

 
SMCH under construction, October 2018

The foundation stone of Satkhira Medical College Hospital was laid on 20 January 2014 by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.[6] The nominally 500-bed hospital was formally inaugurated on 4 April 2015 by Minister of Health and Family Welfare Mohammed Nasim, but in November it still wasn't fully operational.[7] The Anti Corruption Commission sued former principal S. Z Atiq, Satkhira Sadar Hospital consultant Ruhul Quddus, and others in August 2015 for embezzling Tk 137 million ($1.8M as of 2014) in connection with purchasing equipment for the hospital during fiscal year 2013–2014.[8][9]

In early 2020, the emergency ward was yet to open, and the hospital was operating fewer than 250 beds. There were only 17 doctors on staff, against a full complement of 58. Patients were sent to private hospitals for tests while modern medical equipment sat unused in the hospital because of a lack of skilled technicians and chemical reagents.[10][11]

Organization and administration edit

The college is affiliated with Sheikh Hasina Medical University, Khulna.[12] The principal of the college is Ruhul Quddus .[13] The director of the hospital is Dr Sital Chowdhury.[14]

Principals edit

  • S Z Atiq (2012-2014)
  • Kazi Habibur Rahman (2015–2021)
  • Ruhul Quddus (2021-present)[citation needed]

Academics edit

The college offers a five-year course of study, approved by the Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council (BMDC), leading to a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degree from Sheikh Hasina Medical University, Khulna. After passing the final professional examination, there is a compulsory one-year internship. The internship is a prerequisite for obtaining registration from the BMDC to practice medicine.[12][15]

Admission for Bangladeshis to the MBBS course at all medical colleges in Bangladesh is controlled centrally by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). It administers an annual, written, multiple choice question admission exam simultaneously across the country. It sets prerequisites for who can take the exam, and sets a minimum pass level. DGHS has varied the admission rules over the years, but historically candidates have been admitted based primarily on their score on this test. Grades at the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and Higher Secondary School Certificate (HSC) level have also been a factor, as part of a combined score or as a prerequisite for taking the exam.[16][17] DGHS also admits candidates to fill quotas: freedom fighters' descendants, tribal, foreign, and others.[18][19][20] Admission for foreign students is based on their SSC and HSC grades. As of July 2014, the college is allowed to admit 52 students annually.[21]

Journal of Satkhira Medical College is the official journal of the college.[22]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "War crime trial soon: PM". bdnews24.com. 22 July 2010.
  2. ^ ৫৩ জন শিক্ষার্থী নিয়ে সাতক্ষীরা মেডিকেল কলেজের যাত্রা শুরু. Prothom Alo (in Bengali). 14 January 2012. Archived from the original on 24 November 2017.
  3. ^ "Satkhira medical college opens". The Daily Star. UNB. 16 January 2012.
  4. ^ "Minister lays stone for Satkhira Medical College". bdnews24.com. 20 July 2012.
  5. ^ "Satkhira Medical College students call off non-stop strike". bdnews24.com. 22 October 2014.
  6. ^ "Prime minister goes to Satkhira today". The Daily Star. 20 January 2014.
  7. ^ "Satkhira Medical College students postpone strike". Daily Sun. 14 November 2015.
  8. ^ "ACC to sue 17 Health officials". The New Nation. 30 August 2015.
  9. ^ "12 sued for defalcating". The Independent. Dhaka. 31 August 2015.
  10. ^ "Satkhira Medical College suffers manpower shortage". The Business Standard. 5 January 2020.
  11. ^ "Satkhira Medical College intern doctors call indefinite strike". Daily Sun. 6 February 2020.
  12. ^ a b "Satkhira Medical College". World Directory of Medical Schools.
  13. ^ "Seven medical students expelled over ragging". Jago News 24. 18 March 2020.
  14. ^ "Eight sued over death of Satkhira FF - Countryside". The Daily Observer. 14 October 2022.
  15. ^ "Updated list of Recognized Medical & Dental Colleges and Dental Units (Govt. & Non-Govt.)". Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council.
  16. ^ Uzzal, Moniruzzaman (2 July 2014). "Pass mark for MBBS, BDS written test set at 40". Dhaka Tribune.
  17. ^ "Medical, dental college admission test brought forward to Sept 18". bdnews24. 16 August 2015.
  18. ^ Uzzal, Moniruzzaman (20 October 2013). "Admission in public medical and dental colleges starts Sunday". Dhaka Tribune.
  19. ^ Uzzal, Moniruzzaman (26 October 2013). "Private medical colleges want foreign students' quota raised". Dhaka Tribune.
  20. ^ Uzzal, Moniruzzaman (31 October 2013). "Fake freedom fighter certificates feared in medical admission test". Dhaka Tribune.
  21. ^ "Health Bulletin 2014" (PDF). Bureau of Health Education (2nd ed.). Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. December 2014. p. 226. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  22. ^ "List of medical and dental journals". Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council. Retrieved 14 July 2023.