Bangladeshi doctor gets highest marks in MRCP test

Bangladesh physician Mahmudul Hoque Jassy has secured a record-breaking highest mark in the MRCP examination this year, after scoring 906 out of 1,000, where the pass mark was 454.

Membership of the Royal Colleges of Physicians (MRCP) of the United Kingdom is a postgraduate medical diploma in the United Kingdom. The examination is designed to test the skills, knowledge and behaviour of doctors in training which has three parts: MRCP(UK) Part-1, MRCP(UK) Part-2 Written and MRCP(UK) Part-2 Clinical (PACES).

Mahmudul appeared in the first part examination in May last year while the examinations for Part-2 were held on October 27 this year.

The results were published on November 27 UK standard time.

"I never thought I would secure the highest number. I had a feeling that I had answered questions to my best ability in the examination," said Mahmududl Hoque Jassy, who is now working as a medical officer at Jazira Upazila Health Complex in Shariatpur district.

About his extra-ordinary success, he said, "I am not a genius. I have just studied a lot. I had a habit of reading the main books since my second year of medical studentship. Those were not helpful for previous exams. This time, that habit helped me."

The youngest of five siblings, Mahmudul was born in and is from Dhaka's Keraniganj area.

After completing his Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) in 2007, he was admitted to Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) in 2008.

"My father -- now around 75 -- was a businessman. He had a desire to raise one of his children to be a doctor. Besides, I had an interest in medicine anyway. So, when I appeared for medical admission tests, I got selected," Mahmudul said.

Dr Abdullah-Al-Murad, civil surgeon of Shariatpur district told The Daily Star, "It is really a great achievement. We congratulate him. We knew Dr Mahmud as a bookworm and he proved it!"