Academic culture of Pakistani medical colleges

Abstract

Introduction: There is a discrepancy between theory and practice in the academic culture in medical colleges in Pakistan. The overall academic culture and educational armamentarium in Pakistani medical colleges are outdated and are administration-centric. There is a need to identify the issues that exist in various medical colleges to curb these problems.
Objective: This scoping review was done to highlight the discrepancies between theory and practice observed in the academic culture of Pakistani medical colleges and shed light on problems faced in the academic culture of medical colleges while conferring the positive aspects.
Methods: Out of the 98 studies identified relevant to the topic, 34 studies were included in this scoping review. These studies were obtained from PubMed, ERIC, and Google Scholar. This review was supported by the framework proposed by Arksey and O’Malley.
Results: The scoping review highlighted that the students responded well to clear study objectives, practical application of knowledge over memorization, interactive nature of the teachers, and a comfortable and adequately equipped learning environment. The absence of mentioned amenities and facilities enabled poor results, high stress in students, and medical colleges’ overall low academic performances. A lack of formal training of teachers and students’ passive participation in research opportunities was also displayed.
Conclusion: The academic culture in Pakistan’s medical and dental colleges displays a lack of modern and innovative learning and teaching facilities, which hampers student performance and growth. With active participation from all stakeholders involved, a collaborative approach can curb a lot of these problems, given proper funding and good leadership.
 
Keywords:
Academic culture in Pakistan, Academic environment, Academic integrity, Academic outlook, Academic ethics.