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Aftab Maken
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PM&DC) has issued new policy guidelines for Pakistani students seeking admission to undergraduate medical and dental institutions abroad, making compliance with academic, regulatory and licensing requirements mandatory from the 2024-25 academic session onward.
According to the PM&DC, students who completed their intermediate education in Pakistan must have secured at least 60 percent marks in F.Sc. (Pre-Medical) and obtained a minimum of 50 percent marks in the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) conducted by the relevant Pakistani authorities.
For students holding foreign secondary qualifications, the council has required a minimum score of 550 in each subject of the SAT-II examination or at least 50 percent marks in a recognized foreign MCAT or UCAT examination. Candidates must also have passed Biology, Chemistry, and either Physics or Mathematics at the Higher Secondary School Certificate (HSSC) level or its equivalent.
The council has directed students to ensure that the foreign medical or dental institution they intend to join is listed by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG). The qualification must be in allopathic medicine and awarded by an institution recognized by the relevant regulatory authority in its country of origin.
PM&DC has also made it mandatory for students to obtain a free Student Registration Certificate through its online portal before proceeding abroad.
Under the new policy, the medical programme must consist of at least 6,200 instructional hours over a minimum period of five years, with at least 80 percent attendance. Students enrolling in countries where English is not the medium of instruction will also be required to complete a minimum six-month course in the local language before beginning their medical education.
The council further stated that all foreign medical graduates must pass the National Registration Examination (NRE) to become eligible for medical practice in Pakistan. Applicants will also be required to submit a valid multiple-entry and exit visa covering the entire duration of their study programme when applying for the NRE.
PM&DC warned that students who fail to comply with these requirements will not be eligible to appear in the National Registration Examination and, consequently, will not be granted registration to practice medicine or dentistry in Pakistan.
