Pakistani Foreign Medical Graduates Protest PMDC Policies, Demand Justice

Islamabad,

Thousands of Pakistani Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs) have raised their voices against what they describe as harsh and discriminatory policies of the Pakistan Medical & Dental Council (PMDC). Despite completing years of medical education abroad, FMGs say they are being denied fair licensing, recognition, and opportunities for house jobs in Pakistan.

In a joint statement, FMGs outlined their key demands, including the immediate halt to anti-FMG policies, issuance of a clear notification, reopening of the PMDC online portal, and granting of permanent registration within one week. They vowed to continue their peaceful struggle until their rights are recognized.

Key Issues Highlighted by FMGs:

Unfair Attempt Limits – Unlike global licensing exams such as USMLE, PLAB, or AMC, PMDC restricts the number of attempts for the National Registration Examination (NRE).

Unpaid House Jobs – Clearing the NRE only leads to unpaid house jobs, unlike international practices where licensing exams lead to full practice rights.

Rejection of Foreign House Jobs – Training completed in modern hospitals abroad (China, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Iran, etc.) is not recognized, forcing FMGs to repeat house jobs in Pakistan.

Unequal Passing Criteria – FMGs face passing thresholds of 60–70% under Angoff’s method, compared to 50% in Pakistani medical colleges.

Retrospective Policy Changes – Graduates who cleared NRE-1 but failed NRE-2 three times are barred from future attempts, a policy FMGs say is unjust and globally unheard of.

Irregular Exam Schedule – Unlike the Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC), which held four exams annually, PMDC conducts exams infrequently. FMGs demand that PMDC outsource exams to Prometric for transparent, regular scheduling.

Administrative Failures – PMDC’s online portal remains non-functional, causing months-long delays in issuing Good Standing certificates and licenses, particularly harming doctors in remote areas.

FMGs’ Collective Message:
“We are doctors, not criminals. We want to serve Pakistan, but PMDC’s policies are pushing us away. If global standards are accepted everywhere, why not for Pakistani doctors? We demand fairness, transparency, and justice.” – Team FMGs