ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PM&DC) has issued a public alert announcing revised policy guidelines for Pakistani students seeking admission to undergraduate medical and dental institutions abroad.
According to the notification issued by the council, the new conditions will apply to Pakistani students pursuing foreign medical and dental qualifications from the 2024-25 session onward.
The PM&DC stated that students who completed intermediate education in Pakistan must have secured at least 60 percent marks in F.Sc (Pre-Medical). Alternatively, students may qualify through SAT-II with a minimum score of 550 in each subject or through foreign MCAT/UCAT examinations, while obtaining at least 50 percent marks in Biology, Chemistry and either Physics or Mathematics in Higher Secondary School Certificate (HSSC) or equivalent qualifications.
The council further clarified that students completing intermediate education in Pakistan must also secure at least 50 percent marks in the MDCAT conducted in Pakistan by admitting universities.
According to the guidelines, students must ensure that their foreign institution is included in the approved list maintained by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG). The qualification must also be in allopathic medicine and awarded by an institution recognized by the relevant regulatory authority in the country of origin.
PM&DC has additionally made it mandatory for students to obtain a Student Registration Certificate through its online portal before proceeding abroad.
The notification states that medical programs must consist of at least 6,200 hours with a minimum 80 percent attendance completed over a period of five years. For countries where the medium of instruction is not English, students must spend at least six months learning the local language before departure.
The council also emphasized that graduates must pass the National Registration Examination (NRE) conducted by PM&DC in order to obtain a license to practice in Pakistan.
Furthermore, students will be required to provide a valid multiple-entry and exit visa for the entire duration of the study program at the time of applying for the NRE examination.
PM&DC warned that candidates failing to comply with the revised guidelines would become ineligible to appear in the NRE examination.