Islamabad Medical & Dental College Redefines Medical Education with Clinical AI Healthcare Program
In a significant step towards preparing Pakistan’s healthcare professionals for the next era of medicine, Islamabad Medical & Dental College (IMDC), in collaboration with Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University (SZABMU), has launched an internationally aligned Clinical AI Healthcare Certificate Program, redefining the future of medical education in Pakistan.
The one-month weekend certification program commenced with an overwhelming response from medical, dental, nursing and allied health sciences’ students, young doctors and other healthcare professionals eager to acquire the digital competencies that are now essential in modern clinical practice.
The certification program was inaugurated by Prof. Dr. Tanveer Khaliq, Vice Chancellor of Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University, who described artificial intelligence as “the real need of the time” and commended IMDC for taking a visionary step towards modernizing medical education in Pakistan.
“This is the direction in which healthcare education is moving globally. SZABMU will continue extending its complete support to IMDC not only for this Clinical AI Healthcare Certificate Program but also for future AI-driven academic and professional initiatives that promote innovation, digital health and excellence in medical education,” he said.
The program has been designed and is delivered by faculty from Ulster University, Belfast, United Kingdom, under the leadership of Assistant Professor Dr. Usman Hadi, using a curriculum aligned with the evolving needs of healthcare systems in the United Kingdom, the United States and other advanced international markets.
Highlighting IMDC’s long-term vision, Yasir Khan Niazi, Group Chief Executive Officer of GAK HealthCare International, said artificial intelligence was fundamentally transforming healthcare and had become an essential competency for the next generation of healthcare professionals.
“Artificial intelligence is no longer the future of healthcare. It is the present. The professionals who will lead tomorrow are those who combine clinical excellence with digital intelligence,” he said.
“This is only the first step. IMDC will continue introducing internationally benchmarked certifications in artificial intelligence, digital medicine and other emerging disciplines, while progressively integrating AI into undergraduate and postgraduate medical education to ensure our graduates remain globally competitive in an increasingly technology-driven healthcare landscape,” Yasir Niazi added.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified artificial intelligence as a technology capable of strengthening health systems, improving clinical decision-making and expanding access to quality healthcare when implemented responsibly. Many advanced healthcare systems, particularly in Europe and the United Kingdom, are simultaneously investing in developing AI-ready clinical workforce.
This certification is expected to equip participants with practical clinical AI skills while strengthening Pakistan’s capacity to build a digitally empowered healthcare workforce for the future.
