Students to Need PMDC’s NOC for Medical Studies in Abroad

ISLAMABAD: In a significant development Pakistani students will now be required to obtain a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) if they wish to undertake medical and dental studies in foreign countries.

Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination (NHSR&C) have told the publication that the PMDC is further considering “additional checks” aimed at ensuring that Pakistani students receive education only at recognised educational institutions.

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 do not recognize.

The official further revealed that as many as 3,000 students from Pakistan, 30% of whom are women, go abroad for medical education each year with most of them traveling to China, followed by Central Asian countries such as Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan and Afghanistan

Pakistani students, the official added, also travel to Russia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Malaysia, Turkey, Iran, and Eastern European countries like Romania for medical education.

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 students’ 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. 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 students are unable to pass the national license exam.

Additionally, he pointed out that a major obstacle Pakistani students are facing  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 Pakistani students to succeed in examinations.

Responding to a query, the official stated that there were around 21,000 students enrolled in 185 public and private medical and dental colleges in Pakistan for the academic year 2023-24, and that Pakistani medical institutions are producing more doctors than the required number of physicians and surgeons in Pakistan.

At present, our medical and dental colleges are producing a sufficient number of doctors and dentists, so there is no need to go abroad for medical and dental education, he concluded.