Physiology Program

The Medical Education department under the leadership of the Director works to ensure that our system of postgraduate medical education is established according to the internationally acceptable criteria and meet all the requirements of the College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan (CPSP).

Program Director Message

Dr. Riffat Shafi

Human Physiology deals with the study of functions and mechanisms working within the organ systems. The subject of Physiology is being taught in the first two years of under graduate M.B.B.S course at Shifa College of Medicine. The subject is being taught in an integrated modular curricular system where the function of a system is taught in co- relation with the structural details (Anatomy) and biochemical aspects (Biochemistry). The Department of Physiology has been striving to impart high-quality basic education to its medical students. The goal is to help students develop the ability to think critically and apply basic principles of Physiology to solve problems related to health and disease in Pakistan and to train them as competent physicians and researchers for tomorrow.

The Physiology laboratory is well equipped with the latest and modern apparatus and instruments like Power lab, Spiro lab, Spirometer, Binocular microscopes, Ophthalmoscope, Perimeter, PEF meter, Centrifuge, ECG machine etc. The laboratory is also provided with overhead projector and multimedia facilities to help students benefit maximally from the experimental work.
The Department is also recognized for postgraduate FCPS training in Physiology since 2002. So far ten postgraduate students have passed out, adding to the prestige of the institution. Three FCPS residents are currently undergoing training under the supervision of Dr. Riffat Shafi (Professor and Head of the Department, Physiology). The Department is actively involved in research. This includes the comprehensive research carried out by the postgraduate students as a prerequisite for their FCPS qualification, as well as research carried out by faculty members in the fields of Clinical Physiology and Medical Education. The mission is to promote and establish a research environment, which is conducive to learning and creating new knowledge.

The Department indents to carry out research projects which could contribute to solve the problems related to health and disease in Pakistan and to the effective strategies in the field of health professions education. The currently ongoing projects are the following:

  • Prevalence and associated factors of burnout syndrome among medical students in an integrated modular curriculum.
  • Effect of analogue of humanin on streptozotocin induced diabetic nephropathy in Sprague dawley rats.
  • Factors influencing breast feeding practice in mothers coming to a tertiary care hospital in the capital of Pakistan.
  • Faculty development program: Way to excellence. Using concept maps for improved learning.
    Introduction of “Socrative” (an online audience response system) as a formative assessment tool in undergraduate medical education.
  • Effect of Adropin on gentamycin induced acute kidney injury in Sprague dawley rats.
    The Department also plans to contribute to the field of Physiology by continuing the quality postgraduate training and adding to the pool of learned and knowledgeable physiologists in Pakistan.
  • Program Director
  • Associate Program Director 
  • Chief Resident
  • Program Coordinator

4 years of residency training.
All rotations are in accordance with the College of Physicians and Surgeons, Pakistan

Each resident does an average of one night in four on-calls within the Hospital premises, although occasionally one night in three or two may be necessary.

Each resident does an average of one night in four on-calls within the Hospital premises, although occasionally one night in three or two may be necessary.

Residents are evaluated by faculty every month, based on their rotation. Feedback is provided by the Programme Director and Coordinator, every 3 months.
Annual TOACS and Year end PGME exams are conducted. In addition, formative assessments based on assorted topics may be arranged every 2-3 months.

Candidates are required to fill on-line application form. Please follow the steps mentioned below:
1. Register yourself by defining user name and password.
2. After your account is created, you will need to login to fill the Application Form. Programs offered will be displayed after registration.
3. A candidate can apply for only one program at a time.
4. Candidate may partially fill the form and save it on-line for resuming filling out the form later using login credentials.
5. Once the on-line application form is filled and submitted, candidate would be able to take a printout.
6. The hard copy of the on-line application form along with the required documents mentioned in the Application Form must be submitted to the PGME Office, Medical Staff Affairs either personally, through friends/relatives or through reliable courier service.

7. Check your junk emails (in case of email not received).

If there is still confusion, then follow these Steps

Step 1. Register yourself
Step 2. Check your email address and click on the received link
Step 3. Login
Step 4. Fill the Profile necessary information
Step 5. Submit
Step 6. Ok
Step 7. Online Application Form
Step 8. Select Program or Medical Officer
Step 9. Select specialty
Step 10. Submit
Step 11. Print application form.

Following research papers of the faculty members have been recently published in prestigious journals

  • Effect of Kisspeptin on serum prolactin and gonadotropins level in BALB-c mice with induced chronic stress. JCPSP. 2018; 29: 41-44 (Ifra Ashraf, Irum Rehman, Khurram Irshad, Riffat Shafi)
  • Effect of recombinant irisin on body mass index, serum insulin, luteinizing hormone and testosterone levels in obese female BALB/c mice. JCPSP. 2019; 29: 736-740 (Sadaf Majeed, Riffat Shafi, Hira Moin, Ifra Ashraf, Khurram Irshad, Affroze Liaquat)
  • Prevalence, knowledge, attitude and practices towards premenstrual syndrome among university students in Islamabad and its impact on their daily life. RMJ. 2019; 44: 588- 593 (Sadaf Majeed, Hira Moin, Riffat Shafi, Khurram Irshad, Ifra Ashraf, Kholood Janjua)
  • Effect of tribulus terrestris on nifedipine induced changes on morphology of testis. RMJ. 2018; 43: 767-771 (Qaiser Aziz, Shazia Muazam, Sidra Hamid, Humaira Fayyaz Khan, Riffat Shafi, Hussain Ali)
  • Effect of almond and atenolol on serum luteinizing hormone in male BALB-c mice. PJP, 2018; 14: 37-40 (Irum Rehman, Ifra Ashraf, Shakir Khan, Farheen Masood)
  • MBBS or equivalent
  • One year House Job
  • FCPS-1 Cleared.