Herat Faculty of Medicine is one of the 16 Faculties of Herat University. Initially, it was founded in 1990, under the authority of the Ministry of Public Health. In 1996, the management of Herat Faculty of Medicine was transferred to Herat University. The Faculty of Medicine is the third Faculty that was established in Herat University.
MrKhaleqyar, Afghanistan Prime Minister; Prof. Mohammad Anwar Shams, the minster of Higher Education; Dr Abdul Aziz Behbood, the Governor of Herat Province; Mr Ghulam AbubakRashed, the Chancellor of Herat University and Dr Mohammad Hassan Farid, the chief of Public Health Department were among those who paid a lot of effort to pave the way for the establishment of this faculty.
Herat Faculty of Medicine was officially inaugurated by Professor Mehr Mohammad Ejazi, the Minister of Public Health; Professor Sayed Alef Shah Ghazanfar, the professor of Kabul Institute of Medical Sciences; Governor of Herat and other high-ranking officials in spring of 1990. Dr Abdul GhafoorErsad was the first dean of Herat Faculty of Medicine. The Faculty started its curricular studies in Spring 1991, with 29 students.
Herat Faculty of Medicine was initially located in Herat institute of Medical Sciences for ten years, before it was located in the complex of Faculty of Education for three years. The faculty then relocated in one of the old military building in the heart of Herat City and continued its academic activities there for five years until 2009, after which it was located in Herat University new complex.
The study duration of the Faculty of Medicine lasts for seven years. The graduates are working as general practitioners in the health sector.
Administration
Herat Faculty of Medicine has passed many ups and downs during the last 28 years since its establishment. The following people have worked as the deans of Herat Faculty of Medicine.
- Dr Abdul GhafoorErsad
- Mulla Mohammad NaserAKhondzada
- Dr Abdul GhafoorErsad
- Dr Ghulam Naghshband Aram
- Dr Abdul GhafoorErsad
- Dr Mohammad Jawid Jawad
- Dr Aziz-ur-Rahman Niazi
- Dr Khalil Ahmad Azar
In addition to the dean, Herat Faculty of Medicine has a deputy dean, an academic registrar and an executive manager who make the administrative body of the faculty.
Activites
Lecturers
Herat Faculty of Medicine currently has 51 lecturers, teaching various units as per newly-revised curriculum for Afghan faculty of medicines. Three more eligible individuals are going to be recruited soon. The faculty lecturers attain various educational background and academic ranks that follow. Of the 51 lecturers of the faculty, 11 (21.57%) are female and 40 (78.43%) are males. The lecturers of this faculty come from different provinces and Afghan ethnic groups.
|
Academic Degree |
Number of Lecturers (mid 2016) |
|
PhD |
1 |
|
Master |
23 |
|
Bachelor |
26 |
|
Academic Rank |
Number of Lecturers (mid 2016) |
|
Poohand (Professor) |
1 |
|
Poohanwal (Associate professor) |
3 |
|
Poohandooy (Assistant professor) |
6 |
|
Poohanmal (senior lecturer) |
10 |
|
Poohanyar (senior tutor) |
17 |
|
Poohyalay (Tutor) |
14 |
Students
Initially, Herat Faculty of Medicine started its activities with 29 students, but currently, there are over 1050 students studying in this faculty, of which 529 (56.88%) are male and 401 (43.11%) are female. Students are enrolled in this faculty after attending the national tertiary education entrance exam (Kankoor), and those achieving the highest marks are allowed to enroll in Faculty of Medicine. The Faculty of Medicine consists students from all provinces and regions of Afghanistan. Those who come from provinces other than Herat, or come from districts of Herat Province away from the center of the city are placed in Herat University Central Dormitory.
The number of students in the faculty (male, female)2017
|
Class |
Number of male |
Number of female |
Total |
|
PCB |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
1st |
115 |
95 |
210 |
|
2nd |
90 |
51 |
141 |
|
3rd |
96 |
72 |
168 |
|
4th |
95 |
53 |
148 |
|
5th |
79 |
81 |
160 |
|
Stage |
54 |
49 |
103 |
|
total |
529 |
401 |
930 |
|
Percent |
56.88 |
43.11 |
100 |
Graduates
Herat Faculty of Medicine has celebrated its 18th graduation ceremony this year. Each year many young doctors graduate from this faculty. The following is the number of graduates as per each year through the history of this faculty
|
Year of Graduation |
Male |
Female |
Total |
|
1998 |
14 |
0 |
14 |
|
1999 |
37 |
0 |
37 |
|
2000 |
52 |
0 |
52 |
|
2001 |
47 |
0 |
47 |
|
2002 |
45 |
0 |
45 |
|
2003 |
60 |
0 |
60 |
|
2004 |
59 |
9 |
68 |
|
2005 |
49 |
9 |
58 |
|
2006 |
43 |
19 |
62 |
|
2007 |
49 |
13 |
62 |
|
2008 |
47 |
21 |
68 |
|
2009 |
47 |
16 |
63 |
|
2010 |
13 |
8 |
21 |
|
2011 |
30 |
7 |
37 |
|
2012 |
24 |
11 |
35 |
|
2013 |
24 |
16 |
40 |
|
2014 |
39 |
44 |
83 |
|
2015 |
54 |
41 |
95 |
|
2016 |
53 |
49 |
102 |
|
Total |
786 |
263 |
1049 |
Library
Herat Faculty of Medicine has a library with only less than 7000 books and journals. the library consists books from various medical disciplines, many of these books are over 15 years old and needs revision. So far, no electronic library has been established in the faculty.
Information Technology
Herat Faculty of Medicine has over 25 computers, all of which have access to the internet. These computers are located in the IT center of the faculty and are for use of students and lecturers of the faculty for research and lecture preparation purposes.
Laboratories
Herat Faculty of Medicine currently has following laboratories which are used for student’s practical exercises and education.
- Physics Laboratory
- Anatomy laboratory
- Microbiology Laboratory
- Physiology Laboratory
- Pharmacology Laboratory
- Biochemistry Laboratory
- Histology Laboratory
- Pathology Laboratory
- Public Health Laboratory
Polyclinic
Herat Faculty of Medicine has a polyclinic building since 2010. This polyclinic is yet to be active and provide services for public.
The faculty also has a well-walled physical ground for the construction of academic hospital, teaching block and a well-equipped polyclinic in the North of Herat. The master plan for the construction of above is already prepared and endorsed by the Ministry of Higher Education and the construction is awaiting the presidential decree.
Scholarships
Many of the lectuers of Herat Faculty of Medicine have been offered study scholarships to pursue their tertiary studies abroad and to enhance their capacity building and education. The following scholarships have been offered so far.
|
Scholarship |
Payment |
Country |
Field of study |
Number |
Status |
|
PhD |
Full |
Australia |
Infectious Diseases |
1 |
Completed |
|
PhD |
Full |
Germany |
Public Health |
1 |
Ongoing |
|
PhD |
Full |
Turkey |
Public Health |
1 |
Ongoing |
|
PhD |
Full |
Malaysia |
Medical Imaging |
1 |
Ongoing |
|
Master |
Full |
Australia |
Infectious Diseases |
1 |
Completed |
|
Master |
Full |
Germany |
Public Health |
1 |
Completed |
|
Master |
Full |
Malaysia |
Pharmacy |
1 |
Ongoing |
|
Master |
Tuition-waiver |
India |
Dermatology |
1 |
Completed |
|
MD |
Tuition-waiver |
Pakistan |
Medical Imaging |
1 |
Ongoing |
In addition to above scholarships, many short-term and medium-term fellowships have been offered to the lecturers of the faculty for the purpose of capacity building in various countries such as: India, Japan, Turkey, Germany, France, the United States of America, Indonesia, Thailand, South Korea and Italy. The aim of these fellowships were to strengthen ties between Herat Faculty of Medicine and other higher education institutions, provide the way for further capacity building and topresent and/or attend in seminars and workshops. All these fellowships were deemed successful by Afghan Government.
Professor Dr. Khalil Ahmad
Dean of Herat Medical faculty