PMDC exempts students going abroad from MDCAT

Pakistani students planning to pursue medical or dental education abroad will no longer be required to pass the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) before seeking admission to foreign institutions.

The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) approved the policy change at a meeting on September 14 and formally announced it on Monday.

Under the revised policy, passing MDCAT will not be a mandatory condition for Pakistani students applying to medical and dental colleges or universities outside the country.

PMDC President Dr Rizwan Taj said the decision followed a recommendation from a parliamentary committee, which had proposed removing the MDCAT requirement for students intending to study medicine or dentistry abroad.

However, the exemption does not mean students can automatically continue their studies in Pakistan. Those who begin medical or dental education overseas and later seek to transfer to a Pakistani institution during their studies will have to pass the National Examination Board (NEB) assessment.

The NEB is conducted twice a year by the PMDC to evaluate students who have completed part of their medical or dental education abroad and want to continue their studies in Pakistan. The assessment covers academic knowledge, clinical skills and professional competence.

Students who complete their medical or dental degrees abroad and later want to practise in Pakistan will also have to meet the country’s registration requirements.

Foreign medical graduates must pass the relevant registration examination before they can obtain a licence to begin their house job and practise medicine or dentistry in Pakistan.

The PMDC did not provide a detailed explanation for withdrawing the MDCAT requirement, but the decision follows months of discussion over the legal basis and effectiveness of the previous policy.