Pragmatic solutions for problems in the undergraduate medical programmes in Pakistan

: Reforms in the Pakistani undergraduate medical education have remained elusive for decades. An attempt is made to highlight the importance of research-oriented education and problem-based learning to Pakistani medical schools. Possible causes are analyzed and implementable solutions are suggested with appropriate references from literature search. An innovative "Research Ladder" approach to implementing a research-oriented curriculum that culminates in attainment of a combined MBBS-BRS degree is also proposed. In the end, techniques for making existing lecture-based learning more interactive are suggested.