The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has claimed that the health and safety of the public is its top priority and that it will never compromise on it. Recently, foreign medical graduates (FMGs) have raised concerns on social media and through press conferences, demanding to be allowed to practice in Pakistan.
The PMDC spokesperson stated that there are three categories of Pakistani graduates who have obtained degrees from foreign institutions, mainly from Afghanistan, Central Asian Republics such as Kyrgyzstan, and Iran. Most of these graduates started their foreign education when the PMDC Ordinance 1962 and the Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC) Act 2020 were in effect.
New Act and Registration Rules
According to the spokesperson, the Parliament promulgated the PMDC Act 2022, and the new council was reconstituted in April 2023. The present council has implemented several reforms to promote medical education, not only within the country but also for Pakistani nationals who intend to pursue education abroad. The goal is to ensure patient safety and strengthen the national health system.
The PMDC Act 2022 provides the council with the authority to assess and recognize foreign medical institutions. Only graduates of institutions that are duly recognized by the PMDC are eligible for provisional registration. These graduates may be granted provisional registration, but it is mandatory for them to pass the National Registration Examination (NRE) before obtaining a full license to practice.
The Importance of the National Registration Examination (NRE)
The PMDC has started a rigorous process of assessing foreign medical institutions where Pakistani students are enrolled. However, several institutions do not qualify under the PMDC regulatory framework, and their graduates are demanding the issuance of a provisional registration certificate for clinical services. The spokesperson also noted that at least two medical universities in Punjab have raised serious concerns about the quality of medical education of these graduates from some foreign countries.
After carefully discussing this issue of public interest, the council has decided that only graduates from foreign institutions recognized by the PMDC will be eligible for provisional registration before the NRE. All other graduates who were enrolled at the time of the former PMDC or PMC and whose institutions are not yet recognized under the new law will be issued provisional registration only after they qualify the NRE.
The spokesperson further emphasized that only graduates of foreign institutions included in the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) accredited lists are eligible to appear in the NRE. This is a standard practice also adopted by different countries. The requirement of passing an examination for a license is not a new phenomenon; it was started by the council in the early 90s under the PMDC Ordinance 1962. Licensing exams provide a fair and standardized way to evaluate all graduates, regardless of where they studied, and they strengthen confidence in the healthcare system.
