5,000 Foreign Medical Graduates face career crisis over PMDC rules

Islamabad: A major controversy has erupted between Foreign Medical Graduates and the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC), with thousands of doctors and medical students claiming that new PMDC policies have placed their careers and future at serious risk.

Foreign Medical Graduates say that around 1200 doctors who have already completed their medical degrees and more than 4000 students currently studying abroad are affected by PMDC decisions. They claim that students who entered foreign medical universities years before these notifications are now being affected by rules introduced later.

During a press conference, Dr Waqas Akbar, President of Foreign Medical Graduates Afghanistan, said that many students had taken admission in universities in Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan and China after receiving approval and information from PMDC. He said these students trusted the system, spent millions of rupees on education and completed their degrees before the new policy was introduced.

Dr Waqas alleged that the PMDC notification created new conditions, including requirements related to international recognition and affiliation, and stopped some graduates from appearing in the National Registration Examination (NRE) and receiving Provisional Registration Medical Practice (PRMP).

The main complaint of the graduates is that a new policy should apply to future students, not those who had already enrolled or graduated under previous rules. They argue that changing the rules after students completed years of education is unfair.

According to Dr Waqas, many affected students enrolled between 2016 and 2018 when their universities appeared on PMDC lists and students obtained approval before travelling abroad. The issue reached the courts after affected graduates approached the Peshawar High Court. Dr Waqas stated that a two member bench of the court gave a decision in favour of students, observing that students who were already enrolled before the notification should not be affected by the new policy.

However, according to the graduates, the matter remains unresolved and has moved to further legal proceedings.

During the press conference, Advocate Abdul Rahim Wazir said the dispute involved important legal questions regarding whether administrative notifications could be applied to students who had already started their education years earlier. He argued that many students had spent millions of rupees on their education and returned to Pakistan expecting registration procedures according to existing laws.

He further stated that the Peshawar High Court questioned the legality of applying the notification retrospectively and directed that affected graduates should receive registration opportunities.

The graduates claim that the issue is not only about individual doctors but about thousands of families connected with these students. Advocate Abdul Rahim said the affected group represents around 5000 families whose futures depend on the outcome of this matter.

The controversy intensified after PMDC issued another notification on 31 July 2026, which the graduates say created further uncertainty. They argued that political tensions between countries should not affect the careers of Pakistani students who studied abroad legally.

Advocate Abdul Rahim said that political situations between countries may change over time, but students and doctors should not suffer because of diplomatic problems.

The graduates also questioned why some doctors from similar foreign institutions were allowed to appear in professional examinations while others faced restrictions. Dr. Waqas gave the example of classmates from the same university where one student was allowed opportunities while another faced barriers.

The affected doctors rejected claims that they were avoiding examinations. They said they were ready to appear in the NRE and wanted only the opportunity to prove their ability. Dr. Waqas said the students were not afraid of the NRE examination and requested permission to sit for the exam so their professional ability could be judged fairly.

The graduates also challenged criticism that foreign universities were not of proper standard. They argued that many institutions were recognised internationally and questioned why students were allowed admission if those universities were later considered unacceptable.

Dr. Waqas stated that students followed the rules available at the time of admission and that PMDC should take responsibility for the information and approvals provided earlier.

The group also raised questions about recognition standards, saying some universities had international links and recognition pathways through organisations such as ECFMG and other international medical bodies.

Representatives of the graduates demanded that PMDC withdraw the disputed notifications and create a fair transition policy. Their demands include allowing students enrolled before September 2025 to follow previous rules, permitting NRE participation and completing registration without discrimination.

The graduates also demanded that the government, Parliament, PMDC and relevant authorities resolve the matter according to law and protect the future of thousands of medical students and doctors.

The controversy now remains before legal forums, while affected doctors continue demanding a solution that allows them to appear in licensing examinations and serve patients in Pakistan.