Islamabad: Pakistani students must now obtain an objection certificate from the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) if they wish to pursue medical and dental studies abroad.
The Ministry of National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination (NHSR&C) said the PMDC is considering “additional checks” to ensure Pakistani students are educated only at accredited institutions.
The PMDC’s decision on the matter will be implemented from the 2024 session, from now no Pakistani students will be allowed to go abroad for medical education, NHSR&C officials said.
The growth comes as a large number of students enroll in institutions that are not recognized by their host countries.
The official also revealed that nearly 3,000 students from Pakistan, 30 percent of whom are women, went to China and then to Central Asian countries such as Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan for medical education. Afghanistan
According to the official, Pakistani students travel to Eastern European countries like Russia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Malaysia, Turkey, Iran and Romania for medical education.
Today, there are about 15,000 to 18,000 students studying medicine and dentistry abroad, and although there are no official figures, about $300 million is spent on education in these countries every year – each family pays about $5,000 to $6,000 a year, according to the newspaper. .
Health ministry officials also noted that many students enrolled in medical and dental programs abroad attend institutions that do not provide adequate clinical exposure.
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After completing their degree, these students should do their homework in Pakistan and not in the host country. When these students return to Pakistan, they must pass the National Licensure Examination to practice medicine or receive specialized medical training.
Unfortunately, many international medical and dental students fail to pass the national licensing exam.
He also said that since medical education in countries like China, Russia and the Central Asian Republic is conducted in the national language of the host countries, language is a major barrier for Pakistani students making it difficult for Pakistani students to pass the exam.
In response to an official question, he said that for the academic year 2023-24, there are about 21,000 students in 185 public and private medical and dental colleges in Pakistan and that Pakistan’s medical institutions are producing more doctors than doctors and surgeons in Pakistan. .
Today, our medical and dental universities are producing enough doctors and dentists who do not need to go abroad for medical and dental education, he said.
