Chittagong Medical College: A Legacy of Medical Education and Healthcare in Bangladesh

Chittagong Medical College (CMC), a public medical institution in Chittagong, Bangladesh, has a rich history of medical education, research, and healthcare services. Established in 1957, CMC has grown into one of the most respected and oldest medical institutions in the country. Located in the bustling port city of Chittagong, this institution has been pivotal in shaping the careers of countless medical professionals and advancing healthcare standards across the region.

Origins and Establishment

The practice of western medicine in Chittagong can be traced back to 1901 with the establishment of the 200-bed "Chittagong General Hospital." Chittagong Medical College was formally founded in 1957, with 79 acres of land acquired at K.B. Fazlul Kader Road, Panchlaish, Chattogram. This initiative positioned the new college as the second such facility in East Pakistan, following Dhaka Medical College established in 1946.

In 1956, recognizing the need for improved medical education standards and growing healthcare demands in southeastern Bangladesh, the government of East Pakistan decided to upgrade the existing medical school into a comprehensive medical college.

Historical Context

It is not known exactly when and how the practice of the western medicine started in Chittagong, the extreme southeastern part of the Indian Peninsula. No reliable information is available before the establishment in 1901 of a 200-bed “Chittagong General Hospital” over a hilltop at the downtown Anderkillah overlooking the river Karnafuli- the only modern hospital in the region at the time. This hospital served the entire population of Chittagong Division. With the passage of time it was felt necessary to enhance healthcare facilities as well as the quality of healthcare. Consequently, a four-year Licentiate course in Medicine was introduced in the subcontinent to produce sufficient number of mid-level physician to serve mainly the rural population. The institutes that conducted this course were called “Medical School”. One such institution, Chittagong Medical School, was established in Chittagong in 1927.

Key Milestones

1957: Founding of Chittagong Medical College

The college was formally founded in 1957, with 79 acres of land acquired at K.B. Fazlul Kader Road, Panchlaish, Chattogram.

1960: Establishment of Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH)

Chittagong Medical College Hospital was established at the present site in 1960 with only 120 beds and the outpatient services. At that time the young hospital housed only the Departments of Surgery and Gynecology and Obstetrics.

1969: Completion of the Six-Storied CMCH Building

Construction of the present purpose-built six-storied CMCH was completed in 1969, which has since accommodated all the clinical Departments including all their subspecialties.

1971: Role in the Liberation War

Befittingly, this Institution has earned the admiration of all by actively participating in the great Liberation war of BANGLADESH in 1971. Many students and teachers of this college fought gallantly to significantly contribute towards achieving the final Victory.

2016: Affiliation with Chittagong Medical University (CMU)

Established on May 12, 2016, through Act No. 2016-23, Chittagong Medical University (CMU) is a public medical research university dedicated to advancing medical education, research, and healthcare services. Chittagong Medical College, the foundational institution for what would become Chittagong Medical University.

Campus and Infrastructure

Chittagong Medical College is situated in the port city of Chittagong (Chattogram), Bangladesh, at coordinates 22°21′33″N 91°49′51″E, embedded within a densely populated urban environment that serves as the country's primary maritime hub. The institution occupies a 79-acre site along K. B. Fazlul Kader Road. The campus layout is expansive and integrated, encompassing distinct zones for academic pursuits, student residences, and clinical operations to facilitate seamless educational and healthcare functions.

Academic Buildings

Chittagong Medical College boasts modern academic buildings that support comprehensive medical education through well-equipped facilities. These include spacious lecture halls fitted with multimedia projectors, audiovisual systems, and digital tools to facilitate interactive learning.

Residential Facilities

The college offers dedicated residential hostels separate for male and female students, ensuring a safe and comfortable living environment near the academic blocks. These hostels include clean, furnished rooms with laundry services, reading areas, and messes providing hygienic meals, including options like Indian cuisine, along with amenities such as ATMs and cafeterias.

Library and Computer Labs

The central library, housed in the administrative building, serves as a key resource with a collection exceeding 26,000 medical books across 2,800 titles, complemented by journals and digital access to online databases like HINARI. It features two reading rooms seating up to 120 users and provides internet connectivity for research. Adjacent computer labs are modernized with high-speed internet, enabling students to access e-resources and complete projects efficiently.

Sports Facilities

Sports facilities on campus promote physical well-being, including grounds for cricket and football, as well as areas for volleyball and badminton, with regular tournaments organized to encourage student participation.

Recent Enhancements

Recent infrastructure enhancements include campus-wide Wi-Fi coverage to support digital learning, implemented as part of ongoing modernization efforts as of 2024.

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Academic Programs

Chittagong Medical College offers a range of undergraduate and postgraduate degree programs in medicine, dentistry, nursing, and related health sciences, all governed by the standards set by the Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council (BMDC). The primary undergraduate program is the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS), a five-year integrated course followed by a one-year compulsory rotatory internship.

MBBS Program

The MBBS program at CMC is a five-year course followed by a mandatory one-year internship, during which students rotate through various departments in the Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH). The curriculum is divided into four phases:

First Phase: 1½ years of foundational sciences including anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry.
Second Phase: One year on pharmacology, therapeutics, and forensic medicine.
Third Phase: One year of community medicine, pathology, and microbiology.
Fourth Phase: 1½ years of clinical disciplines such as medicine and allied subjects, surgery and allied subjects, and obstetrics and gynecology.

BDS Program

The college also offers the Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) program, a four-year course followed by a one-year internship, with an annual intake of approximately 50 students.

Postgraduate Programs

There are 31 Post Graduate Courses in different disciplines running in CMC. It has MD courses in Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Cardiology, Neuromedicine, Nephrology and Dermatology. It also runs MS courses in General Surgery, Urology, Pediatric surgery, Orthopedics, Neurosurgery, ENT, Ophthalmology and Obstetrics and gynaecology.

Affiliations

Chittagong Medical University affiliates with 18 medical colleges (8 government and 10 private) delivering the five-year MBBS program in the Chittagong division. The 8 government medical colleges, transferred to CMU oversight following its 2016 establishment (previously under University of Chittagong or Dhaka), include Chittagong Medical College, established in 1957 as one of Bangladesh's oldest medical schools, and Cox's Bazar Medical College, founded in 2008 to extend medical education to coastal regions. Other government affiliates are Comilla Medical College (established 1962), Noakhali Medical College (2011), Rangamati Medical College (2015), Chandpur Medical College (2011), Feni Medical College (2014), and Lakshmipur Medical College (2015).

The university oversees three dental institutions offering the five-year Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) program, regulated by BM&DC (updated lists confirm all three as of 2024). The Chittagong Medical College Dental Unit, established in 1990, is the primary government center, admitting 50 students annually and using the college's hospital for training in dentistry specialties.

Admission Process

Admission to Chittagong Medical College for the MBBS program is managed through a centralized national process overseen by the Directorate General of Medical Education (DGME) under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in Bangladesh.

Eligibility Criteria

For Bangladeshi students, eligibility requires completion of the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) or equivalent examination in the science group, with a minimum combined GPA of 8.5 in the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and HSC, including at least 4.0 GPA in each exam and 3.5 in Biology at both the SSC and HSC levels.

Selection Process

The selection process involves a single nationwide admission test conducted by DGME, consisting of 100 multiple-choice questions (MCQs) covering Biology (30 questions), Chemistry (25), Physics (20), English (15), and General Knowledge (10), with one mark per correct answer and 0.25 marks deducted for incorrect ones; a minimum score of 40 is required to qualify. The test score is combined with the SSC and HSC GPAs to determine merit ranking.

Seat Allocation

Seat allocation at Chittagong Medical College follows national quotas, with approximately 55% of seats assigned based on merit and 45% reserved for specific categories, including 5% for children of freedom fighters, 5% for tribal and hill tract residents (minimum GPA 8.0 for this quota), and other groups such as meritorious insolvent students. The college admits approximately 225 students annually for MBBS.

International Students

For international students, a separate 10% quota is available across government medical colleges, including Chittagong Medical College, managed through the DGME's foreign student portal. Eligibility includes a minimum aggregate GPA of 8.0 in SSC and HSC equivalents (with at least 3.5 in Biology), an age of 17 years or older, and qualifying exams such as NEET for Indian applicants or equivalents for others.

Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH)

Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH), established in 1960 adjacent to the college, began with 120 beds and has expanded to 2,200 beds as of 2022, making it one of the largest public hospitals in Bangladesh and a key tertiary referral center serving millions in the Chittagong region. The institution has 45 academic departments and has historically contributed to national health efforts, including during the 1971 Liberation War, where it supported injured freedom fighters and civilians.

The hospital offers comprehensive clinical services across multiple specialties, including general medicine, surgery, cardiology with coronary care units, oncology through nuclear medicine facilities, pediatrics, and maternity care via gynecology and obstetrics departments.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic during 2020-2021, the hospital introduced dedicated isolation units and expanded ICU capacity to handle infectious cases, later repurposing some areas for other emergencies like dengue outbreaks.

Special Units

As years passed, new treatment facilities kept being added and at present a Nuclear medicine Centre for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes, a Coronary care unit, an endoscopy Unit, a kidney dialyzing unit, a Model Family Planning Centre, a Centre for Extended Program for Immunisation (EPI) are among the many facilities available to the in- and outpatients.

Student Life and Extracurricular Activities

Students at Chittagong Medical College engage in a variety of extracurricular activities through organized clubs and societies that foster leadership, creativity, and social skills. Support services ensure a balanced student life, with academic counseling available to guide personal and professional development, particularly for international students. The on-campus health center, affiliated with the teaching hospital, provides medical care to address student well-being.

Community service forms a core part of extracurricular involvement, with clubs leading blood donation drives and health awareness campaigns in Chittagong.

Research and Innovation

Chittagong Medical College emphasizes research in the epidemiology of tropical diseases, including malaria, dengue, and snake envenomation, which are prevalent in southeastern Bangladesh. The college maintains dedicated research facilities, including pathology and microbiology laboratories that support diagnostic and experimental work in infectious diseases.

A specialized Venom Research Centre (VRC), established in 2018 and hosted by the college, features equipment for venom analysis and antivenom efficacy studies, aiding research on tropical envenomations. Faculty and students regularly publish findings in peer-reviewed journals, contributing to the Bangladesh Medical Research Council (BMRC) Bulletin on topics such as injury epidemiology and oxygen therapy demands in COVID-19 patients, reflecting local health burdens.

Community Engagement

Chittagong Medical College (CMC) and its affiliated hospital actively engage in rural health camps and vaccination drives across the Chittagong division to address healthcare gaps in underserved areas, particularly among Rohingya refugees and remote communities. These initiatives include free medical check-ups, immunization programs under the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI), and targeted interventions in hill tracts and rural zones, often in collaboration with local health authorities.

The institution supports school health programs focused on raising awareness about non-communicable diseases, such as diabetes, through educational workshops and screening campaigns targeting students in local schools and colleges. CMC maintains partnerships with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to enhance maternal and child health services, including antenatal care, safe delivery promotion, and immunization for vulnerable populations like sex workers and tribal communities.

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, CMC expanded telemedicine capabilities for remote consultations, enabling virtual healthcare delivery to patients in isolated areas and those with chronic conditions. This post-2020 development has improved access to follow-up care for non-communicable diseases and reduced the burden on the hospital's emergency services.

Notable Alumni and Faculty

Chittagong Medical University's alumni have made significant contributions to healthcare in Bangladesh and internationally, particularly in specialized medical fields and public administration. The faculty at Chittagong Medical College comprises experienced educators and researchers who play a pivotal role in medical training and healthcare advancement in Bangladesh.

Notable alumni include Dr. Shah Alam, who earned his MBBS from the college, was a renowned physician and freedom fighter during the 1971 Liberation War. In recognition of their impact, seven alumni received lifetime achievement awards from the college in 2017 during its 60th anniversary celebrations, highlighting contributions in clinical practice, education, and research.

Faculty members have significantly contributed to the development of local curricula and training programs tailored to Bangladesh's healthcare needs. Prof. ASM Fazlul Karim, a former prominent figure in surgery, was instrumental in advancing surgical training and education at the institution, earning recognition as a stalwart in the field.

Leadership

Current Principal

On 29 August 2024, Jasim Uddin took charge as the acting principal of CMC.

Maiden Principal

Maiden Principal Professor Altaf Uddin Ahmed, Minister of Health and Social Welfare (East Pakistan) Dhirendranath Datta, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Prime Minister Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy, District Magistrate MA Rashid, Police Super, Central Health Minister Zahirudddin (left to right) was present during the inauguration ceremony of Chittagong Medical College, 20 September 1957.

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