Young Doctor with 29 medals to his credit is jobless for a year

Young Doctor

ISLAMABAD: Dr Hafiz Waleed Malik graduated with an MBBS degree in 2022 and won 29 gold medals for achieving top positions in various subjects.

Unfortunately, Dr Hafiz Waleed Malik could not get a job in any hospital in Pakistan even a year after getting MBBS degree. 

Through his Instagram handle, Dr Malik shocked many by revealing that he had applied to multiple hospitals but did not get a job. He regretted that the situation of jobs is on sifarish rather than merit. 

Dr Malik with his parents. He is jobless for a year.

“Applied for 20+ hospitals, didn’t get a job. The situation of jobs is 99% sifarish and 1% merit. I might be wrong but that’s what I observed,” he added.

Importantly, BBC also contacted Dr Malik, who said that he completed his MBBS from Amiruddin Medical College in Lahore in 2022. Then he did a house job at the Lahore General Hospital.

“When my house job ended, I started applying to private hospitals. The recruitment in government hospitals hadn’t started yet,” said the 24-year-old. 

Commenting on the recommendation culture that hinders jobs in the field of medicine in Pakistan, Dr Malik said: “Usually job positions are not vacant in private hospitals, and even if they are available, medical graduates are hired on the recommendation of professors.” 

“I think there is a culture of getting jobs through recommendations. This is a reality.” 

Dr Malik further told BBC that the “sifarish culture” is a reality in the country — both for a normal student and for a topper.

Dr Malik said that things should be neutral in public and private institutions.