Undergraduate Research competitions distinguish Punjab Medical College from all the medical institutions of Punjab. In the recent years, the institution held three Undergraduate Research Competitions which were widely hailed & appreciated by senior medical researchers especially by the Vice Chancellor University of Health Sciences, Prof Mubashir A. Malik. He not only awarded prizes from his own pocket but arranged the visits of the University for the winner students. The credit of all these competitions go to the present Head of the Institution, Prof Riaz Hussain Dub who was Director Pakistan Medical & Research Council (PMRC) & organized all the three competitions.

Prof Riaz Hussain Dub is a ‘Man of Academics’ and since his induction as Principal Punjab Medical College/Allied Hospital/DHQ Hospital; he has supported all sort of academic activities. The culture of undergraduate research has been initiated with new zeal & vigor & emed organized 4^th Undergraduate Research Competition on 30.1.2010 under the Chief Organizer ship of the Principal Punjab Medical College, in the auditorium of the college. Other members of  the organizing committee were the President emed & In charge Medical Unit-2, Allied Hospital, Prof Ahmad Bilal, General Secretary emed & Assistant Professor Forensic Medicine, Dr Khurram Sohail Raja, Vice President emed & Assistant Professor Forensic Medicine, dr Humaira Arshad & the In charge PMRC, Mrs Ghazala Mohe-ud-Din.

More than 15 research papers were submitted by the students & a scrutiny committee reviewed them to select 6 papers finally:

Vice Chancellor of University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Prof Dr Iqrar Hussain graced the occasion as the Chief Guest and all the faculty members of the institution including Head of the Departments, Consultant teaching staff, medical undergraduates & imminent guests attended the occasion in large numbers.

In his welcome address, Prof Riaz Hussain Dub presented the brief history of Undergraduate Research Competitions in Punjab Medical College stressing upon the need of enhanced research culture in the students & announced that next competition will be Pan-Punjab in 2011 (Insha-Allah).

Competition proceeded with the announcement of panel of judges to select 1^st, 2^nd & 3^rd paper:

Students presented their papers with great confidence exhibiting good control over presenting & communication skills. In between the skits, emed student members of HEAL presented small skits related to the topics of the papers. Audience appreciated the papers & enjoyed the skits.

Announcing the results, Prof Tasneem Cheema declared that all the papers were well prepared & nicely presented & to select three was a tough job. According to the decision of the panel, following papers won the prizes:

Chief Guest awarded the prizes to the jubilant students. Talking on the occasion, Chief Guest, Prof Dr Iqrar Hussain appreciated the efforts of the students & stressed on the need of a strong & systematic research culture in the students, He expressed his desire to pass on these research conclusions to the community for the welfare of the public. He offered his & his institution’s full support to the medical undergraduates for their future research activities. He pointed out certain options where PMC & University of Agriculture can start joint ventures.

A very well organized, disciplined & well attended occasion ended with strong feelings of arranging even better academic sessions in the future.