PMDC Faces Court Over License Delay for First Transgender Doctor Sarah Gill

A dispute between the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) and a private university is causing delays in the registration and licensing of Pakistan’s first transgender doctor, Dr. Sarah Gill.

Dr. Sarah Gill completed her MBBS in 2021 from Jinnah Medical and Dental College (JMDC). However, JMDC has now been converted into Sohail University.

Sohail University says it used to be affiliated with the University of Karachi but is now an independent university. Because of this change, the university does not have access to the PMDC registration portal.

The Sindh High Court is currently hearing Dr. Gill’s petition about the delay in issuing her registration and license. The court has issued notices to PMDC and the university, asking them to respond by November 7.

PMDC says updating student records is the university’s responsibility. However, due to a disagreement between PMDC and the university about who should update the records, Dr. Sarah Gill’s license has not been issued yet.

The case highlights challenges faced by transgender professionals in Pakistan and the need for clear processes in medical registration.