Guidelines 2022 for Postgraduate Masters’ Programs in (Basic Medical Sciences/Clinical Science/Dentistry & Allied Sciences)
1. Eligibility Criteria: The candidates desirous of getting admission to the Medical Postgraduate Masters’ programs of Isra University, must have fulfilled the following eligibility criteria:
i. Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences: The candidate desirous of taking admission in the MPhil/MPH/MSPH/MSc Degree Program in Basic Medical/Dental Sciences will be required to have MBBS/ BDS degree with one-year house job certificate from PM&DC recognized hospital and valid PM&DC registration.
ii. Faculty of Clinical Sciences: For admission in MD/MS/PG Diploma Programs in Clinical Sciences, the candidate shall be required to have an MBBS/Equivalent degree relevant to the program, with one-year House Job certificate from PMDC recognized Hospital, and valid PM&DC registration.
iii. Faculty of Dentistry & Allied Sciences: For admission in MDS/MS Degree Programs in Dental Clinical Sciences, the candidate shall be required to have BDS/Equivalent degree relevant to the program with one-year House Job certificate from PMDC recognized hospital, and valid PM&DC registration.
2. Announcement of Admissions: Isra University announces admission in the PG programs twice in an academic year (Jan-Dec). First in November for the January session and second in June for the July session. Each session is considered a semester.
3. Admission Test & Interview: The applicants for admission in MPhil/MPH/MSPH/MSc in Basic Medical Sciences and Basic Dental Sciences would be required to pass a University-Based admission test equivalent to GRE/GAT (General) with a 50% score or produce a result card of any other examining body duly recommended by the Higher Education Commission followed by a comprehensive interview to be conducted by the admission committee.
The applicants for admission in MD/MS/PG Diploma Programs in Clinical Sciences and MDS/MS Degree Programs in Dental Clinical Sciences will be required to pass Isra University Admission Test with 60 % marks followed by Comprehensive Interview.
4. Offer Letter: Admission offer letters are issued to the qualifying applicants along with a fee challan to be paid in any branch of Faysal Bank, Limited or the bank designated by the University or through the pay order.
5. Confirmation of Admission: On submission of a copy of the paid challan and required documents, the applicant is offered a letter of confirmation and considered the student in the program.
6. Course Duration and Credit Hours:
i. For MPhil/MPH/MSPH/MSc. Programs of Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, 24 credit hours of the coursework, and 12 credit hours of research is required. The minimum period for acquiring a degree is 1.5/2 years and a maximum limit is of 03 years extendable for one year with the approval of the statutory body.
ii. Students of MS/MD degree programs of the Faculty of Clinical Sciences and the MDS program in Dental Clinical Sciences of the Faculty of Dentistry & Allied Sciences will carry course work of 72 credits and the research/ dissertation of 12 credits. Minimum period for the completing the program is 04 years. First two years of training need to be completed in a maximum of three years. To continue for the remaining training period, the student is required to pass the Mid-Term Assessment examination at the end of 2 years. There is no maximum limit for completing the program.
iii. Students of MPhil/MSc degree programs of Basic Dental Sciences of Faculty of Dentistry & Allied Sciences will carry course work of 24 credits and research/dissertation of 12 credits. First-year training needs to be completed in a maximum of two years. To continue for the remaining training period, the student is required to pass the Mid-Term Assessment examination at the end of one year. There is no maximum limit for completing the program.
iv. Students of PG Diploma in Clinical Sciences must complete 36 credit hours. The minimum period of completing diploma is two years extendable to 05 years. No extension is allowed beyond 05 years.
7. Workload per semester: A minimum of 09 and a maximum of 12 credit hours per semester.
8. Final Certifying Examination: After successfully qualifying the course work, the students are required to pass the Final Certifying Examination with a minimum score of 60% in theory and practical examinations separately.
9. Research Proposal/ Commencement of Research work:
i. The student may start work on the research proposal (Synopsis) under the supervision of the Supervisor proposed for him/her. He/she will submit the synopsis to the Director PG Studies & Research for placing before Research Ethics Committee.
The Research Ethics Committee (REC) has the responsibility to consider the ethical applications of proposed human/animal research studies conducted at the University by staff or students at any site and determine whether or not they are acceptable on ethical grounds.
ii. The Directorate of Postgraduate Studies & Research shall put up the proposal to the relevant “Advanced Studies & Research Committee” for consideration and subsequently its recommendation to the Board of Advanced Studies & Research (BASR) for approval of the topic and the allotment of supervisor and two co-supervisors.
10. Seminars:
i. MPhil/MPH/MSPH/M.Sc. students of Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences and Basic Dental Sciences shall give at least two seminars on their research work. The Director Postgraduate Studies & Research will chair the first seminar, whereas the second seminar prior to submission of the thesis/dissertation, will be presided over by the Vice Chancellor.
ii. MDS/MS students of Faculty of Clinical Sciences and MDS/MSc students Dental Clinical Sciences in the Faculty of Dentistry & Allied Sciences will be asked to conduct the seminar in front of the Vice Chancellor after receiving evaluation reports from examiners before holding the final Certifying Examination and defense of the thesis.
11. Submission of Thesis
i. The students of Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences and Basic Dental Sciences will submit the thesis/ dissertation after the conduct of the seminars according to the guidelines prescribed by the University to the Director of Postgraduate Studies & Research through his/her supervisor.
ii. The students of Faculty of Clinical Sciences and MDS/MS in Dental Clinical Sciences of the Faculty of Dentistry & Allied Sciences, will submit the thesis/ dissertation before the conduct of the seminars according to the guidelines prescribed by the University to the Director of Postgraduate Studies & Research through his/her supervisor.
12. Similarity Index: A soft copy of the thesis/dissertation will be submitted to the Director Postgraduate Studies & Research for an anti-plagiarism test on Turnitin. The overall similarity index below or equal to (<=) 19%, and in the case of a single source, the similarity index below 5% is acceptable.
Similarity index will be performed twice i.e first before the thesis/dissertation evaluation by the expert/examiners and the second after the defense.
13. Thesis Evaluation
The thesis/dissertation will be evaluated by at least three external examiners and one internal in case of medical and Dental sciences.
14. Thesis Defense & Viva Voce Examination
i. Open Defense: The students will be required to make a presentation on thesis/dissertation in an open lecture to be held at the University, and respond to the questions relating to his/her work. The open defense will be held after receiving of acceptable evaluation reports from the examiners in case of Basic Medical Sciences and Basic Dental Sciences and after Final Certifying Examination in case of Faculty of Clinical Sciences and Dental Clinical Sciences in the Faculty of Dentistry & Allied Sciences.
ii. Viva Voce Examination: Candidates should be aware that the oral examination forms an important part of the defense examination for the award of the degree. The purpose of the oral examination is to allow the examiners an opportunity to explore and satisfy themselves regarding the knowledge, accuracy, and authenticity of the subject matter presented in the thesis/dissertation.
After the completion of the oral (viva-voce) examination, the examiners will normally prepare a joint report and may recommend that the thesis/dissertation be accepted as submitted.
15. Submission of Final Draft of thesis/dissertation: Subject to the decision of the Board of Advanced Studies & Research, the candidate will be required to submit seven copies of the thesis/dissertation to the Director Postgraduate Studies & Research after incorporating all the suggestions, if any, given at any stage.
16. Certificate of the Originality: The thesis/dissertation must bear a certificate from the supervisor(s) to the effect that the thesis/dissertation embodies original research and is worthy of presentation to the University for further necessary action.
17. Certificate of Correction: The supervisor of the student will submit the certificate of correction confirming in it that the student has made all corrections as pointed out by the external examiners during the evaluation of the thesis as well as at the time of defense.
18. Award of Degree: The Director of Postgraduate Studies & Research will submit a case for award of the degree to the students before the BASR along with plagiarism report and evaluation reports of internal and external examiners, etc.
19. Further details: For further detail please refer to the below University Regulations framed for each faculty separately, on the above parameters and the parameters not included in these guidelines.
i. Regulations made under sections 22 (ii) (iii) and (iv) of Isra University ACT
ii. Regulations made under sections 6 (4) (ii) of Isra University ACT