FMH College of Medicine & Dentistry assesses dental house officers through exit exam, research day

LAHORE: FMH College of Medicine & Dentistry has conducted a comprehensive Dental House Job Exit Examination followed by a CPC Research Day, bringing written tests, clinical skills assessments and academic research activities together to evaluate the professional preparedness of its Dental House Officers.

The multi-stage assessment covered theoretical knowledge, practical and procedural skills, clinical reasoning, communication, decision-making, research engagement and reflective learning, providing the House Officers with an evaluation framework extending beyond conventional written examinations.

The exit examination began with an MCQ assessment, with Dr. Farheen Qureshi of the Department of Periodontology serving as Chief Invigilator. Dr. Ayesha Nawaz and Dr. Maryam Anjum from Oral Pathology, Dr. Maimoona Shahid from Community Dentistry, and Dr. Maria Asmat from Science of Dental Materials supported the examination as invigilators.

The written component assessed the House Officers’ understanding and application of core dental concepts developed during their house job training.

This was followed by OSCE I, which assessed practical knowledge and clinical competencies through a structured examination format. Group A was assessed at the Dental Conference Room and Phantom Head Lab, while Group B underwent assessment at Venue 2, OSPE Hall on the fourth floor of the college.

The OSCE I organizing team included Dr. Saba Sikandar from Orthodontics, Dr. Asad Rathore from Oral Biology, Dr. Hamza Zia from Community Dentistry and Dr. Tauseef Raza from Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery.

The examination focused on areas including clinical skills, communication, interpretation and clinical decision-making, allowing the institution to assess competencies that cannot be fully evaluated through written testing.

OSCE II provided a further assessment of procedural and hands-on clinical competencies. The examination was conducted from 9 a.m. to noon, with faculty members from Prosthodontics and Operative Dentistry participating in the assessment.

The assessment team included Dr. Sohaib Nawaz, Dr. Hadia Jathol, Dr. Ussamah Shafiq, Dr. Zohaib Afzal, Dr. Talha Khan, Dr. Misbah, Dr. Samreen, Dr. Abu Bakar, Dr. Saman, Dr. Fatima Abdi and Dr. Irha Wajahat.

Through the two OSCE components, the House Officers were assessed on their ability to apply clinical knowledge and demonstrate practical and procedural skills expected at the completion of house job training.

The academic process was subsequently extended through the CPC Research Day, which provided House Officers with an opportunity to demonstrate their research and scholarly abilities.

The research-focused event featured CPC presentations, research posters and professional portfolios. These activities assessed participants’ ability to present clinical cases, communicate scientific information, engage with research and reflect on their clinical learning and professional development.

By combining the exit examination with research-oriented activities, FMH College of Medicine & Dentistry sought to evaluate House Officers across a broader range of competencies, including evidence-based practice, teamwork, communication and reflective learning.

The institution described the approach as part of its efforts to integrate clinical assessment with research and professional development. FMH College of Medicine & Dentistry also described itself as among the pioneering dental colleges in Pakistan to conduct a House Officers’ Exit Examination followed by an Annual Research Day.

The activities were coordinated through the House Officers’ Clinical Training Steering Committee, Clinical Heads of Departments, faculty members, examination teams, organizing committee and administrative support staff.

The sequence of MCQs, OSCE I, OSCE II and the CPC Research Day provided a structured conclusion to the House Job process, combining assessment of clinical competence with opportunities for research presentation, reflection and academic development.

FMH College of Medicine & Dentistry said the initiative reflects its emphasis on developing dental professionals who are clinically competent, confident, ethical and capable of applying evidence-based and research-informed approaches to professional practice.