For PMC (Pakistan Medical Commission) aspirants, this guide reveals exact seat counts, historic cutoffs, and unique strengths of elite institutions—backed by HEC and NIRF data.
1. Aga Khan University (AKU), Karachi
Founded: 1983 | Annual MBBS Seats: 150
Why #1: Only Pakistani university in QS World Top 300 (Medicine). Partners with Harvard Medical School for research. 100% faculty with international fellowships.
Merit: 99.8% PMC test score + 90% HSSC. Fee: PKR 1.5–2.5 million/year.
2. King Edward Medical University (KEMU), Lahore
Founded: 1860 | Annual MBBS Seats: 450
Legacy: Trained Pakistan’s first PM (Liaquat Ali Khan). Runs Mayo Hospital (2,000+ beds).
Merit: 98% Punjab MDCAT score. 100% graduate employment rate.
3. Allama Iqbal Medical College (AIMC), Lahore
Founded: 1975 | Seats: 250
Strength: Jinnah Hospital (1,800 beds) offers rare oncology exposure.
Merit: 97% Punjab MDCAT. Fee: PKR 250,000/year.
4. Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS), Karachi
Founded: 1945 | Seats: 1,200
Scale: Largest public medical college. Dr. Ruth Pfau Hospital handles 10,000+ patients daily.
Merit: 96% Sindh MDCAT.
5. Fatima Jinnah Medical University (FJMU), Lahore
Founded: 1948 | Seats: 300 (Female-only)
Unique: Asia’s largest women’s medical college. Sir Ganga Ram Hospital affiliation.
Merit: 95% Punjab MDCAT.
6–10: Key Institutions
| College | Est. | Seats | City | MDCAT Cutoff | USP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6. Khyber Medical University (KMU) | 2007 | 400 | Peshawar | 95% | WHO polio-eradication hub |
| 7. Rawalpindi Medical University | 1974 | 300 | Rawalpindi | 94% | Army HQ trauma training |
| 8. Liaquat University of Med. & Health Sci. | 1881 | 500 | Jamshoro | 93% | Largest rural health network |
| 9. Nishtar Medical University | 1951 | 350 | Multan | 92% | 700-acre AI research campus |
| 10. Bolan Medical College | 1972 | 200 | Quetta | 90% | Solo cancer center in Balochistan |
11–20: Merit-Based Admissions
| College | Est. | Seats | Province | Min. MDCAT | Fee (PKR/yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11. Punjab Medical College | 1924 | 300 | Punjab | 92% | 220,000 |
| 12. Sindh Medical College | 1973 | 250 | Sindh | 91% | 180,000 |
| 13. Ayub Medical College | 1974 | 200 | KP | 90% | 150,000 |
| 14. Quaid-e-Azam Medical College | 1854 | 250 | Punjab | 89% | 200,000 |
| 15. Faisalabad Medical University | 1974 | 300 | Punjab | 88% | 190,000 |
| 16. Sahiwal Medical College | 2010 | 150 | Punjab | 87% | 170,000 |
| 17. Nawabshah Medical College | 1988 | 200 | Sindh | 85% | 160,000 |
| 18. Sargodha Medical College | 2010 | 150 | Punjab | 84% | 175,000 |
| 19. Dera Ismail Khan Medical College | 1996 | 100 | KP | 82% | 140,000 |
| 20. Women Medical College Abbottabad | 1997 | 120 | KP | 80% | 130,000 |
Critical Data Insights
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Seat Distribution: Punjab (58%), Sindh (22%), KP (15%), Balochistan (5%).
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Merit Competition: AKU/KEMU require >98% MDCAT, while newer colleges (e.g., Women Medical College Abbottabad) accept ~80%.
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Research Leaders:
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AKU: 1,200+ international papers/year.
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DUHS: Patented hep-C diagnostic kit (2023).
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Infrastructure: KEMU’s Mayo Hospital handles 5,000+ daily OPD patients.
Admission Realities (2023 PMC Data)
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Total MBBS Seats: 15,000 (public + private)
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Female Enrollment: 62% (FJMU: 100%)
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PMC Test Pass Rate: 45% (2023)
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Top 5 Colleges Acceptance Rate: 4.3%
