The Fellow of College of Physicians and Surgeons (FCPS) is a

fellow A fellow is a concept whose exact meaning depends on context. In learned or professional societies, it refers to a privileged member who is specially elected in recognition of their work and achievements. Within the context of higher education ...

College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan The College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan ( ur, , abbreviated as CPSP) is a regulatory college established in 1962 by a special act of the Parliament of Pakistan to oversee the postgraduate medical education and professional development. ...

(CPSP) who holds a

professional qualification Professional certification, trade certification, or professional designation, often called simply ''certification'' or ''qualification'', is a designation earned by a person to assure qualification to perform a job or task. Not all certifications ...

(

fellowship A fellow is a concept whose exact meaning depends on context. In learned or professional societies, it refers to a privileged member who is specially elected in recognition of their work and achievements. Within the context of higher education ...

) awarded after completing specialized training in a selected area of specialization and passing the examination in that particular specialty.

Entrance exam

A medical doctor or dentist wishes to achieve fellowship must pass FCPS - I (Part 1) first. The examination is

multiple choice questions Multiple choice (MC), objective response or MCQ (for multiple choice question) is a form of an objective assessment in which respondents are asked to select only correct answers from the choices offered as a list. The multiple choice format is mo ...

(MCQ) based and can be done in the chosen specialty. There are about 73 specialties and sub-specialties in which specialization is offered.

Duration of training

After passing FCPS - I, one may start his/her training. It has two parts: initial two years training in a chosen specialty such as General Medicine,

Obstetrics and Gynaecology Obstetrics and Gynaecology (also spelled as Obstetrics and Gynecology; abbreviated as Obs and Gynae, O&G, OB-GYN and OB/GYN) is the medical specialty that encompasses the two subspecialties of obstetrics (covering pregnancy, childbirth, and t ...

Ophthalmology Ophthalmology ( ) is a surgical subspecialty within medicine that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of eye disorders. An ophthalmologist is a physician who undergoes subspecialty training in medical and surgical eye care. Following a medic ...

Paediatrics Pediatrics ( also spelled ''paediatrics'' or ''pædiatrics'') is the branch of medicine that involves the medical care of infants, children, adolescents, and young adults. In the United Kingdom, paediatrics covers many of their youth until the ...

, or General Surgery, etc. An Intermediate Module Exam (IMM) is taken after that. IMM exam consists of both theory and viva exams. The viva exam (called TOACS) can only be given once the theory exam is passed with at least 70 % marks. The remaining training can be continued in the chosen specialty for further 2–3 years. After full 4–5 years of training and completing few compulsory requirements (such as rotations at the other relevant departments for certain durations, thesis, and case studies), the candidate is eligible to start attempting the final exam called FCPS-II. FCPS-II consists of theory, viva (TOACS), as well as clinical exams. After passing FCPS-II, the candidate is awarded the Fellowship of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Pakistan and is called a specialist.

National recognition

This fellowship is regarded as the specialist qualification (clinical) achieved by the physicians or

surgeons In modern medicine, a surgeon is a medical professional who performs surgery. Although there are different traditions in different times and places, a modern surgeon usually is also a licensed physician or received the same medical training as ...

in any specialty in Pakistan. Furthermore, the

Higher Education Commission (Pakistan) The Higher Education Commission (colloquially known as HEC) is a statutory body formed by the Government of Pakistan which was established in 2002 under the Chairmanship of Atta-ur-Rahman. Its main functions are funding, overseeing, regulatin ...

equates this qualification with a

Master of Science A Master of Science ( la, Magisterii Scientiae; abbreviated MS, M.S., MSc, M.Sc., SM, S.M., ScM or Sc.M.) is a master's degree in the field of science awarded by universities in many countries or a person holding such a degree. In contrast t ...

(MS) or a

Master of Philosophy The Master of Philosophy (MPhil; Latin ' or ') is a postgraduate degree. In the United States, an MPhil typically includes a taught portion and a significant research portion, during which a thesis project is conducted under supervision. An MPhil ...

(MPhil).

International recognition

To date, following qualifications are eligible for registration with General Medical Council (GMC) of the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

(UK) without any other exam: *Anaesthesia In addition,

Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf The Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf ( ar, مجلس التعاون لدول العربية الخليج ), also known as the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC; ar, مجلس التعاون الخليجي), is a regional, interg ...

(GCC) recognizes this qualification for registration as a specialist, and in

Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in Western Asia. It covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and has a land area of about , making it the fifth-largest country in Asia, the second-largest in the A ...

, as a consultant in any specialty.

References

External links