Situation analysis of Faculty-to-Student Ratio in Selected Medical Colleges of Bangladesh: A Cross Sectional study

Abstract

Background: Medical education plays a crucial role in shaping the healthcare workforce, and an optimal faculty-to-student ratio is essential to ensure high-quality education and clinical training. This study aimed to determine the teacher-to-student ratio in basic, para-clinical, and clinical subjects across medical colleges of Bangladesh.

Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in twenty medical colleges, ten government and ten private, of Bangladesh from January 2025 to June 2025 to assess faculty-to-student ratios across basic, para-clinical, and clinical subjects. Data were collected from institutional records and analyzed using descriptive statistics.

Results: Findings revealed significant shortages of faculty in basic subjects such as Anatomy, Physiology, and Biochemistry, particularly in government medical colleges whereas private medical colleges were relative better staffed in basic subjects. Para-clinical subjects showed slightly better ratios, but still fell short in the majority of institutions including both government and non-government medical colleges. Clinical subjects such as Medicine and Surgery showed better compliance, especially in govern-ment medical colleges.

Conclusion: The study underscores the urgent need for national standards on faculty ratios, improved regulatory enforcement, and targeted recruitment strategies to ensure sustainable and equitable medical education in Bangladesh.

CME J 2026; 5(2):18-24