History of Bangladesh College of Physicians and Surgeons
Excellence is the Only Mark

Prelude

Bangladesh College of Physicians and Surgeons has been the pioneer in developing post-graduate medical education in this country. Historically, the College bears a heritage to College of Physicians and Surgeons of Pakistan of which it was the eastern wing. Following the independence of Bangladesh, the College was recreated as a statutory body by a Presidential order, later on ratified by an act of the parliament, to steer postgraduate medical education of a vastly populated, poorly resourced and war ravaged country. With the grace of Almighty and under an ever-unfolding leadership of its fellows, the College has achieved the iconic status in the field of postgraduate medical education of this country. It has definitely been able to set a mark for others to cherish and chase.

Background

The Government of the Peoples' Republic of Bangladesh constituted an adhoc committee of the College with Professor K S Haque as the President in 1972. All fellows of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Pakistan who hailed from Bangladesh were admitted as the founder fellows. With great endeavours and untiring efforts, these people were able to hold the first examination in July 1972. A memorable and mighty move was the shift of the College to its own premises at Mohakhali in January, 1982. The College owes this achievement to its the then president Prof. MA Matin.

Formation and Administration

The College is constituted by its founder fellows, fellows without examination, honorary fellows and fellows admitted on passing the prescribed examination. The college council comprises of 20 councillors to Govern the College.The council is constituted of 16 councillors elected by its fellows and 4 nominated by the Government amongst the fellows. Academic activities of the College are carried out under thirteen faculties including faculty of Basic Sciences, faculty of Medicine, faculty of Family Medicine, faculty of Surgery including Dentistry, faculty of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, faculty of Paediatrics, faculty of Psychiatry, faculty of Radiology-Imaging and Radiotherapy, faculty of Ophthalmology, faculty of Anaesthsiology, faculty of Haematology, faculty of Otolaryngology and faculty of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. Their main functions are to make recommendations on academic activities within their jurisdiction and conduct teaching and training programme.

Premise and Accommodation

The campus of the College is situated over three acres of land at Mohakhali, Dhaka. Presently the offices are housed in two buildings. Construction of another ten-storied building having 10 thousand square feet in each floor is in progress.
The Old Building: The ground floor of the three-storied building accommodates the College Lobby with reception desk, VIP waiting room, Museum, Administrative office, Secretary's office, Treasurer's and President's office. The first floor houses the auditorium, a multipurpose room, prayer space and general store. Two examination halls are situated on the second floor. There is a beautiful floral garden in front and a large lawn at the backyard.
The New Building: The new building accommodates Department of Examination, Examination Halls, Class rooms, Council Room, Department of Publication, Skill Development Laboratory, Information Technology Laboratory, Library & Archives with Electronic Library. Digital Museum, Department of Medical Education, Department of Research & Training Monitoring, Cafeteria, Prayer Room, Faculty Office, Dormitory and Examiner's Suite.

Activities

Teaching: Weekend courses in basic science are conducted for FCPS part-I examinees. The weekend courses continue throughout the year on Thursdays and Fridays except in the months of January, June, July and December. Comprehensive course in clinical ophthalmology for part-I ophthalmology examinees and physics for part-I radiology-imaging and radiotherapy examinees are conducted twice in a year. Comprehensive courses for FCPS part-I and part-II in Dental specialties are also conducted regularly.

Orientation programme on "How to Write a Dissertation" are conducted by the college for FCPS part-I passed doctors regularly. TOT programmes on "How to Guide and Review a Dissertation" are also conducted by the college simultaneously for the newly acriditated guide and reviewers.

Examinations: Fellowship is offered in the subjects of Medicine, Cardiology, Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Neurology, Nephrology, Endocrinology & Metabolism, Pulmonology (Respiratory Medicine), Rheumatology, Infectious Disease & Tropical Medicine, Dermatology & Venereology, Psychiatry, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Family Medicine, Transfusion Medicine, Paediatrics, Neonatology, Paediatric Nephrology, Paediatric Hemato-Oncology, Surgery, Urology, Neurosurgery, Cardiovascular Surgery, Thoracic Surgery, Orthopaedic Surgery, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Paediatric Surgery, Conservative Dentistry & Endodontics, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Prosthodontics, Orthodontics & Dentofacial Surgery, Obstetric & Gynaecology, Otolaryngology, Ophthalmology, Radiology & Imaging, Radiotherapy, Anaesthesiology, Haematology, Histopathalogy, Microbiology and Biochemistry. Preliminary FCPS part-II examinations are being conducted for FCPS in specialised subjects.

Membership is offered in the subjects of: Medicine, Surgery, Paediatrics, Obst. & Gynae, Ophthalmology, Otolaryngology, Psychiatry, Anaesthesiology, Radiology-Imaging, Radiotherapy, Dermatology & Venereology. Dental Surgery, Forensic Medicine, Family Medicine and Clinical Pathology. Examinations follow delicate evaluation and scoring techniques that are very unique to this College. This helps to produce fellows and members with high levels of proficiency to match the needs of medical profession. The final fellowship examination also requires acceptance/defence of a dissertation undertaken by the candidates. In order to optimize assessment the college has introduced OSPE\OCSE in part-II preliminary and final examinations in partial replacement of conventional oral and practical examination.

Continuing Professional Development Programme: Regular fortnightly programme aims at fellows' refreshing and capacity building undertaken under CPD programme. Meetings are also held on different matters of interest and contemporary issues.

Exchange of examiners in different specialties exists between the BCPS and the Royal Colleges of UK and also with regional countries like Pakistan, India, Sri-Lanka, Thailand, Singapore and Nepal.


Awards

The College confers fellowship and membership awards. Fellowship is awarded in three ways: Fellowship through regular examinations, Fellowship without examinations and Honorary Fellowship.

Memberships are awarded on passing a prescribed examination. By now, 111 persons have been awarded fellowships without examination while 123 others have received honorary fellowships. So far 46 foreign nationals have received such fellowships. The total number of fellowships and memberships awarded through regular examinations are 2548 and 1742 respectively.


Overseas Recognition

The qualifications conferred by the College are recognized for the purpose of registration, job, higher education and training in many different countries of the World. Presently, the Royal Colleges of UK exempt the fellows of this College from passing its part-one examinations and allow direct entry into the part-two examinations. The College similarly reciprocates the Royal Colleges of UK by exempting its fellows and members from the part-I examinations of fellowship and enrolls for the part-II examinations. BCPS has similar reciprocity with the College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan.

Heritage

By the Grace of Almighty Allah and by the wisdom and hard work of the fellows the College has built a rich heritage in not only philosophical and conceptual aspects but also in academic and service spheres. The country largely owes its specialist medical practice to the College. Most of the medical teachers and consultants are the fellows and members of this College. Besides working in major specialties of medical science, fellows and members of this College have undertaken to diverse other subspecialties and have pioneered their practice development in this country. Today, there is hardly any corner of the country where a product of this College is not engaged in humanitarian medical services and its development. There are also fellows and members working all over the globe having carried with them the fervour and fame of this College. Expectedly in the years to come the riches in heritage shall continue to grow.  

Benchmark Achievements: The benchmark achievements in past years have been the introduction of:

1. Comprehensive electronic management of examinations (e-management).

2. Electronic connectivity system.

3. Examiner's data base.

4. Trainees' database and Research & Training Monitoring functions.

5. Expansion of the prospective fellows' training base through identification and recognition of appropriate
    institutions.

6. Comprehensive teaching programmes in Dental Specialties.

7. Preliminary FCPS Part-II Examination in specialized subjects.

8. Introduction of OSPE/OSCE in FCPS Part-II preliminary and final Examination.

9. Traniers' and Trainees' Essential Capacity Building Programmes in writing scientific paper.

10. Functioning of skill development lab for hands on training for the fellows and trainees.

11. Functioning of IT laboratory for the fellows and trainees.

12. Functioning of the department of Research & Training Monitoring.

13. Establishment of a modern library including electronic library.

14. Introduction of Research work by the Fellows.

15. Introduction of capacity building programme for the General Practitioners in various public medical
      colleges.

16. Functioning of 10-storied academic building which will meet to some extent the long felt problems of
      accommodation of various activities.

17. Adoption of master plan by the council

18. Initiation of Construction of another 10 storied building within the master plan

19. Successful holding of Joint Scientific Conference with CPSP at Dhaka.

Future Planning

1. Establishment of the department of Medical Education.

2. Establishment of digital class room.

3. Introduction of training programme in surgical skill lab. and IT lab for the future fellows.

4. Introduction of teleconferencing & videoconferencing.