Sir Salimullah Medical College

Sir Salimullah Medical College (SSMC), commonly known as Mitford, is a public medical college located in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Founded in 1875, it is the oldest and second largest medical school in Bangladesh. It includes Mitford Hospital, which is the oldest hospital in the country and one of the earliest hospitals in this subcontinent from where the evolution of medical education started.

The medical college was established with the goal of flourishing medical education in East Bengal and to provide better healthcare services to the people. It  has been producing quality physicians, eminent researchers and health policy makers who are currently working in different medical sectors at home and abroad.

History 

Sir Salimullah Medical College was established in 1875 in Old Dhaka as Dhaka Medical School with Mitford Hospital being a part of the college. Mitford Hospital was named after Robert Mitford, a British colonial official, who funded the hospital. He left his estate to the government of Bengal to establish a medical facility in Dacca. The Governor General of India, James Broun-Ramsay, 1st Marquess of Dalhousie, established Mitford Hospital with the endowment. Funding for the school came from 16 aristocrats and philanthropists of Bengal. Babu Protap Chandra Dash, Gour Netai Shaha Shonkhonidhy, Shontosh Rani Dinmony Chowdhurany, and Shontosh Raja Monmoth Roy Chowdhury contributed funding for the water and sewage facilities of the school.

A medical school, the first of its kind in this region, began its journey on 15 June 1875. Later on, the DC of Dhaka division Mr. W.R. Larmini laid the stone of the academic building in April 1887. In September 1889, Governor of Bengal Sir Steuart Colvin Bayley presided over the opening ceremony of that building.

A total number of 384 students got admitted in the school in the first batch. The number increased by and by. They got admitted for a 4-year course leading to a diploma of LMF (Licentiate of Medical Faculty), offered by the State Medical Faculty.

The LMF course was abandoned in 1957. The medical school was converted to a medical college and named Mitford Medical College in 1962. The next year, governor Abdul Monem Khan renamed it Sir Sallimullah Medical College, after the name of Khwaja Salimullah, Nawab of Dhaka, in recognition of the contribution of the Nawab family to the establishment of the college. From 1963 to 1973, the college offered a condensed MBBS program.

Dr. AFM Nurul Islam took the chair of principal and started the condensed course of MBBS in 1963. After the Independence of Bangladesh, Professor Dr Muhammad Ibrahim took the chair of principal and under his direct supervision SSMC started its journey as a full-fledged medical college. On 8 February 1973, the first batch of undergraduates started their classes.

In 1974, the Civil Surgeon of Dhaka was relieved of his duty to oversee the college, after which a principal was appointed for SSMC and a superintendent was appointed for Mitford Hospital. The superintendent position was upgraded to director in 1984.

The postgraduate courses were introduced in January 2002.  In May 2008, the college was suffering from a shortage of classrooms. In 2011, a Dental unit was established as a part of the medical college and the first batch of students of BDS course enrolled in 2012.

Campus 

The campus is located at Mitford road, Babubazar,  Old Dhaka, historic old part of the Dhaka city. It is spread over about 2.8 acres of land, on the bank of Buriganga river. The medical college building is situated to the south-east of the hospital area, near the river bank with a large garden in front. The building is four-storeyed with a floor space of 4,940 square meters on each floor. The building accommodates the Departments of Anatomy, Pathology, Biochemistry and Microbiology. The Departments of Physiology, Pharmacology,  Community Medicine and Forensic Medicine are housed in another building in front of the main building. 

Mitford Hospital, one of the largest hospitals in Bangladesh, is located adjacent to the college campus. It occupies an oblong area of about 12.8 acres of land on the bank of Buriganga river. The hospital complex comprises more than fourteen buildings, most of which were originally single-storied and later have been raised to multiple storeys. With gradual expansion since its initial foundation, the campus comprises a mix of buildings depicting both  modern and colonial architecture.

The main hospital building is eight-storeyed which is commonly known as 'surgery building', as it houses the surgical units. The outpatient department is located in another building, in front of the main building. The King Edward Building is three-storeyed which houses the medicine units, hence it is commonly known as 'medicine building'. The building is named after King Edward VII. A marble plaque on the entrance wall depicts a portrait of King Edward VII, to whom the building was dedicated.

Academics

Admission 
A countrywide combined medical admission test for MBBS course is held every year under the supervision of DGHS. Students after passing Higher Secondary School Certificate or equivalent examinations with the required grades can apply for the test. In 2020, 230 seats were allocated for MBBS course in Sir Salimullah Medical College. The qualified candidates, according to their preferences, get the opportunity to study at the medical college. Foreign candidates are selected by DGHS and MOHFW as per required qualifications.

Undergraduate 
The medical college offers MBBS and BDS degrees at the undergraduate level. It conducts the 5-year courses according to the curriculum developed by Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council. A medical student studies Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry, Forensic Medicine, Community Medicine, Pathology, Pharmacology, Microbiology, Medicine,  Surgery, Gynecology and Obstetrics during the MBBS course period.

The courses are divided into four phases. Four professional examinations, one at the end of each phase, are held under the University of Dhaka. After passing the final professional examination, a student is awarded the MBBS degree. After graduation, medical graduates are required to undertake one-year of internship training at the Mitford Hospital.

Postgraduate 
The medical college offers MD, MS, MPhil and Diploma in several specialties in affiliation with the University of Dhaka and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University. It is also recognised by the Bangladesh College of Physicians and Surgeons for imparting training and conducting courses in various specialties.

Library

The library is situated on the ground floor of new academic building with a large collection of medical books. SSMC has a developing library section with books about educational innovations, educational psychology, instructional techniques, curriculum development, curriculum evaluation etc. Many WHO and other publications on human resource development for health are also available. The library is enriched with more than 150 journals and 23000 medical books.

Dental unit 
In 2011, a Dental unit was established as a part of the medical college. The first batch of students of BDS course enrolled in 2012. A countrywide combined dental admission test is held every year and 52 seats are allocated for dental students in SSMC. 

A dental student studies Anatomy & Dental Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry, Pharmacology, Pathology, Microbiology, Medicine, Surgery, Periodontology, Oral and maxillofacial surgery, Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Prosthodontics and Orthodontics during the course period. After passing the final professional examination, a student is awarded the BDS degree. After graduation, dental graduates are required to undertake one-year of internship training at the Mitford Hospital.

Departments 

SSMC and Mitford Hospital consist of following departments:

Pre-clinical
Department of Anatomy 
Department of Physiology
Department of Biochemistry
Para-clinical
Department of Community Medicine
Department of Forensic Medicine
Department of Microbiology
Department of Pathology
Department of Pharmacology
Clinical
Department of Medicine 
Department of Neurology
Department of Nephrology
Department of Cardiology
Department of Hematology
Department of Gastroenterology
Department of Psychiatry
Department of Dermatology
Department of Hepatology
Department of Pediatrics
Department of Neonatology 
Department of Respiratory Medicine
Department of Transfusion Medicine
Department of Surgery 
Department of Pediatric Surgery
Department of Neurosurgery
Department of Burn & Plastic Surgery
Department of Cardiac Surgery
Department of Orthopedics 
Department of Urology 
Department of Casualty
Department of Ophthalmology 
Department of ENT and HNS
Department of Anesthesiology
Department of Gynae and Obs
Department of Radiology

Student life

Hostels 

There are five residential halls for accommodation of the students as well as intern doctors. Three hostels for male students and interns are: four-storeyed Main hostel, six-storeyed Alauddin hostel and six-storeyed Intern doctors' hostel. Two hostels for female students and interns are: Ladies hostel and Female Intern doctors' hostel. The ladies hostel suffered from inadequate facilities for the number of female students.

Student organizations 

SSMC pioneered some nationwide appreciated voluntary organizations like Sandhani, Rotaract club, Leo club etc. Medicine Club (a voluntary students' organization) established a unit here in 1990, for the first time outside of Mymensingh Medical College.

Debate and quiz 
Students of the medical college often participate in debate and quiz competitions. A team participated in the BUP Intervarsity English Debate Competition 2022. A student of this college was announced as the best speaker in BUTEX DC National Debate Fest 2022. Debate and Quiz Society of SSMC, AIUB Department of Public Health and USAID fellows worked closely to arrange the first Global Health Festival in 2014. That year, Debate and Quiz Society also organized the 'IFIC Bank-DQS SSMC Carnival Captive 2014', the event had sections of liberation war olympiad, inter-university debate and quiz competitions, medical spelling competition (medispell) and ideation competition workshop on various topics.

Sports facilities 
SSMC has a large playground located a few blocks away from the main campus, known as Armanitola playground. The ground was built by Nawab Salimullah during the British raj. Armanitola was named after the Armenian Christian community living there at the time. This is a field of historical significance, the first public meeting of Awami Muslim League was held on this field in 1949.

Now it is used as a venue for annual sports events as well as for cricket and football competitions. Students can access the facility all year round. Besides, the Main hostel has a badminton court and indoor games facilities.

Cultural activities 

Student organizations of the college arrange several cultural programmes every year. SSMC Day is celebrated each year on the premises on 8 February, the founding day of the institution. A joyous procession circumambulates the campus marking the occasion.

Ranking 
Sir Salimullah Medical College is ranked second among the government medical colleges in Bangladesh by the Directorate General of Medical Education ranking.

Recognition 
Sir Salimullah Medical College is listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools. It is approved by the National Medical Commission of India. Graduates of this medical college are eligible to appear in different medical licensing examinations like USMLE, PLAB, AMC, MCCQE and NZREX.

Journal 
Sir Salimullah Medical College Journal is a biannual journal published by the editorial board on behalf of SSMC Teachers’ Association. Each issue includes editorial, original articles, review articles and case reports of exceptional merit on any discipline of medical science. It is a peer-reviewed, open access journal which is listed in the MEDLINE database.

Alumni association 

Sir Salimullah Medical College graduates have a strong alumni presence in United States, United Kingdom and Canada. SSMC Alumni Association Abroad is an organization of the alumni who are currently living abroad. The alumni association is involved in exchange of skills and education with the college. They provide scholarship every year to the students of SSMC. The organization responds to national and international crisis, they made donations towards the victims of east coast natural disaster and famine-stricken children of Somalia.

Notable people

Alumni 

 Abul Bashar Mohammed Khurshid Alam, Director General of Directorate General of Health Services
 Sezan Mahmud, writer, lyricist, columnist, Professor of Medical Sciences at Quinnipiac University
 Mustafizur Rahman, diplomat, High Commissioner of Bangladesh to India
  Azharul Haque, intellectual killed during the Bangladesh Liberation War
 Rakhal Chandra Das, intellectual killed during the Bangladesh Liberation War
 Atiqur Rahman, intellectual killed during the Bangladesh Liberation War
 Mohammad Shamshad Ali, intellectual killed during the Bangladesh Liberation War
 HBM Iqbal, former Member of Parliament
 Moin Uddin Ahmed, former Member of Parliament
 Benoy Krishna Basu, Indian revolutionary
 Rawshan Ara, film actress
 Md. Rustum Ali Faraji, Member of Parliament
 Pravat Chandra Barua, epidemiologist, former Vice-chancellor of the University of Science and Technology Chittagong
 Mohammad Haris Ali, Independence Award recipient
 Selina Hayat Ivy, Mayor of Narayanganj City Corporation
 Md. Billal Alam, honorary secretary of Bangladesh College of Physicians and Surgeons
 Sirajul Islam, founder of Dr. Sirajul Islam Medical College
 Kaisar Nasrullah Khan, clinical and interventional cardiologist at United Hospital
 Shakil Farid, Consultant cardiac surgeon at Royal Papworth Hospital
 Shafi U. Bhuiyan, Professor of public health at the University of Toronto

Faculty 

 AFM Alim Chowdhury, Ophthalmologist
 Zohra Begum Kazi, gynecologist, first Bengali Muslim female physician
 A. Q. M. Badruddoza Chowdhury, former President of Bangladesh
 Muhammad Ibrahim, National Professor of Bangladesh
 Nurul Islam, National Professor of Bangladesh
 AHM Touhidul Anowar Chowdhury, Independence Award recipient
 Pran Gopal Datta, Independence Award recipient
 Indrajit Prasad, eminent endocrinologist
 Badrul Alam, physician, language activist
 Shamsuddin Ahmed, surgeon, intellectual killed during the Bangladesh Liberation War
 Sayeba Akhter, gynecologist, Ekushey Padak recipient 
 Mujibur Rahman, medical scientist, Ekushey Padak recipient
 Arup Ratan Choudhury, dentist, Ekushey Padak recipient

See also

 List of medical colleges in Bangladesh
 List of dental schools in Bangladesh
 List of universities in Bangladesh

References

External links
 

Old Dhaka
Medical colleges in Bangladesh
Universities and colleges in Dhaka
Hospitals in Dhaka
Universities and colleges established in 1875
1875 establishments in India