Pursuing A Medical Career In Afghanistan: Challenges And Opportunities

Afghanistan has 14 universities offering Bachelor programs in Medicine, with Kabul University Medical School being the first Higher Educational Institution founded in 1932. The country's medical education system has been disrupted by decades of conflict, with universities unable to function for long periods and many physicians killed or forced to flee. However, organisations like Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) are working to address the immense medical needs of the country, particularly among women and children.

There are 14 universities offering Bachelor's programs in Medicine in Afghanistan

To become a doctor in Afghanistan, you will need to complete a Bachelor's degree in Human Medicine. There are 14 universities offering Bachelor's programs in Medicine in Afghanistan, including:

• Kabul Medical University, founded in 1932 and located in Kabul. It is considered the top leading medical school in the country.
• Nangarhar University, the second-largest educational institution in Afghanistan after Kabul University. It was founded in 1963 in Jalalabad and is recognised by UNESCO.
• Dawat Institute of Higher Education, a private university registered with the government of Afghanistan.
• Kateb University, a pioneering private institution in the field of higher education in Afghanistan. It was founded in 2007.
• Kandahar University, a public higher education institution founded in 1990 by the Ministry of Higher Education in Kandahar, the former capital of Afghanistan.

A Bachelor's degree in Human Medicine will prepare you for work in various health organisations and businesses. The program includes medical courses in anatomy, physiology, histology, microbiology, pharmacology, and psychiatry, as well as clinical practice. As a graduate, you will be skilled in providing health consulting, diagnosing human diseases, using different medical imaging techniques, planning treatment, and taking samples for laboratory tests.

It is important to note that the medical education system in Afghanistan has been disrupted by decades of conflict and political upheaval. This has resulted in the loss of physician-educators, safe hospital learning environments, and university support. However, efforts are being made to rehabilitate medical education in the country, including the rebuilding of postgraduate medical education programs and the establishment of new training programs for nurses, laboratory technicians, and combat medical technicians.

A Bachelor's degree in human medicine prepares specialists for health organizations and businesses

A Bachelor's degree in human medicine prepares specialists for various health organizations and businesses. The program includes medical courses in anatomy, physiology, histology, microbiology, pharmacology, psychiatry, and clinical practice.

A graduate with a Bachelor's degree in human medicine will have the skills to provide health consulting, diagnose human diseases, use different medical imaging techniques, plan treatments, and take samples for laboratory tests. They will also be able to explain risks and disease prevention, and support patients and their relatives.

A Bachelor's degree in human medicine is a good choice for graduates who want to help people using medical knowledge and available technologies. The degree prepares students for entry-level roles in healthcare administration, medical or pharmaceutical sales, and other health-related services. It can also be a stepping stone to graduate and professional programs in medicine, dentistry, physical therapy, and occupational therapy, among others.

With a Bachelor's degree in human medicine, graduates can find careers as doctors, medical researchers, public health workers, forensic medical examiners, occupational physicians, diagnostic imaging specialists, epidemiologists, and more. Places of employment include health centers, hospitals, clinics, research institutes, and medical and forensic laboratories.

The study of human health has been a sensitive subject even from ancient times, when traditional medicine was developed. Techniques and treatments are constantly evolving, and discoveries that improve the treatment of diseases strongly influence medical practice. Students enrolled in a Bachelor's degree in human medicine can focus on specializations such as genetics, immunology, neuroscience, toxicology, nutrition sciences, and anatomy, among others.

Medical education in Afghanistan has suffered due to conflict and academic isolation

During the Taliban regime, female doctors were not trained, and the country currently faces a shortage of female healthcare professionals. This is particularly problematic in Afghanistan, where cultural norms make it difficult for patients to be examined by a doctor of the opposite sex. The issue is further exacerbated by the emigration of many senior specialists during the years of conflict, leaving those who remained academically isolated.

The physical infrastructure of medical schools has also suffered. For example, the Kabul Medical Institute, housed in a building from the Communist era, was severely damaged during the fighting in the 1990s. The building lacks basic amenities like functioning plumbing and electricity, and classrooms have been looted, leaving them without furniture, fittings, and equipment. As a result, medical teaching has become entirely lecture-based, with no facilities for laboratory classes.

The teaching faculty has also been affected by the conflict, with many educators emigrating and others being left weakened by academic isolation. This has created a shortage of lecturers in various medical fields, including anatomy, radiology, anaesthesia, obstetrics and gynaecology, pharmacology, and microbiology.

Despite these challenges, some medical schools in Afghanistan have continued to produce graduates throughout the conflict. For example, the Kabul Medical Institute currently has over 2000 students registered for medical degrees. Additionally, international organisations have provided support to rebuild the infrastructure and develop a contemporary unified medical curriculum for Afghan medical education.

Senior specialists and lecturers have emigrated from Afghanistan, weakening the teaching faculty

Afghanistan's education system has been severely disrupted by over three decades of conflict. The loss of senior specialists and lecturers to emigration has weakened the teaching faculty in the country. The Taliban takeover in 2021 has further exacerbated these issues, with the new regime clamping down on academic freedom, segregating students by gender, preventing female lecturers from teaching, and mandating more religious education in universities.

The mass emigration of senior specialists and lecturers has left a void in Afghanistan's medical education system. Those who have remained in the country have faced academic isolation. This brain drain has resulted in a lack of qualified educators and a decline in the quality of education, particularly in critical fields such as anatomy, radiology, anaesthesia, obstetrics, gynaecology, pharmacology, and microbiology.

The situation is further aggravated by the damage inflicted on educational infrastructure during the years of conflict. For example, the Kabul Medical Institute, which has continued to produce medical graduates despite the challenging circumstances, is housed in a building that has been severely damaged by fighting. The building lacks basic amenities such as functioning plumbing and electricity, and classrooms lie empty, looted of furniture and equipment.

The combination of a lack of qualified educators and inadequate infrastructure has resulted in a shift to entirely lecture-based teaching with no facility for laboratory classes. This shift compromises the quality of medical education and undermines the development of Afghanistan's healthcare system.

To address these challenges, there is a critical need for rehabilitation and investment in medical education. This includes facilitating academic links with developed world institutions and providing support for the repair and restoration of damaged buildings and facilities. Additionally, efforts should focus on encouraging the remaining specialists and lecturers to stay in the country and continue their vital work, despite the challenging circumstances.

The future of medical education and the overall development of Afghanistan's healthcare system depend on addressing the loss of senior specialists and lecturers through emigration. By prioritising rehabilitation, investment, and retention of critical talent, there is an opportunity to strengthen the teaching faculty and improve the quality of medical education in the country.

Female doctors are especially important in Afghanistan, as cultural norms make it difficult for a doctor to examine the opposite sex

Afghanistan's healthcare system has been significantly impacted by decades of conflict and political upheaval. The country has a shortage of medical professionals, with 4.6 medical doctors, nurses, and midwives per 10,000 people, which is below the critical threshold of 23 professionals per 10,000 people.

Female doctors are especially important in Afghanistan due to cultural norms that make it difficult for a doctor to examine a member of the opposite sex. This cultural barrier is a bigger obstacle for women in receiving healthcare than Taliban decrees, according to Alaa AbouZeid, who leads the World Health Organization's emergencies team in Afghanistan. Religious and cultural mores mean that women rarely visit male doctors, especially for gynaecological issues. Many symptoms and health concerns may remain undisclosed by women if they cannot see a female doctor, which could lead to significant health problems or even death.

The Taliban's efforts to expand medical education for women, particularly in fields traditionally dominated by men, stand in contrast to their restrictive policies on girls' and women's education and employment. The Taliban's stated goal of creating a separate but equal health system for men and women remains elusive, with a shortage of female doctors and specialists.

Despite these challenges, female doctors and medics in Afghanistan continue to provide essential healthcare services, especially in maternity and neonatal care. They play a critical role in ensuring the health system continues to function, as without them, the system would collapse.

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