The News said on Tuesday that if Pakistani students want to pursue medical and dental courses abroad, they must now get a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC). This is a significant move.
The magazine was informed by the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination (NHSR&C) that the PMDC is also thinking about “additional checks” to make sure Pakistani students are only taught in accredited educational facilities.
According to an NHSR&C official, the PMDC’s decision on the matter will take effect in the 2024 academic year, indicating that Pakistani students will no longer be permitted to pursue medical school abroad.
This development occurs as a result of a significant number of students enrolling in universities that the host countries itself do not recognize.
The official went on to say that up to 3,000 students from Pakistan—30% of whom are women—travel abroad each year to pursue medical school. The majority of these students go to China, followed by Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Afghanistan in Central Asia.
For medical school, Pakistani students also go to Russia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Malaysia, Turkey, Iran, and Eastern European nations like Romania, the official continued.
There are currently between 15,000 and 18,000 students studying medicine and dentistry overseas. Although official statistics are unavailable, it is estimated that $300 million is spent annually on these student’ education, with each family contributing between $5,000 and $6,000 annually.
The official from the health ministry also asserted that a large number of students enrolled in dental and medical programs overseas attend inferior universities that don’t offer enough practical experience.
These students must complete their housework in Pakistan after receiving their degrees, not in the host nations. In order to pursue specialized medical study or practice medicine, these students must pass the National Licensing Examination upon their return to Pakistan.
Regretfully, the official stated that most internationally trained medical and dental student are unable to pass the national license exam.
Additionally, he pointed out that a major obstacle facing Pakistani students is language because medical education in nations such as China, Russia, and Central Asian Republics is delivered in the native tongues of those nations, making it challenging for them to succeed on examinations.
In response to a question, the official said that for the academic year 2023–24, there were about 21,000 students enrolled in 185 public and private medical and dental colleges in Pakistan. Pakistani medical institutions are also producing more doctors than the country needs, with more doctors than surgeons than physicians are needed.
There is no need to travel outside for medical and dental education because our medical and dental colleges are now producing an adequate number of physicians and dentists, he concluded.
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