Med degrees from many countries may be inconsequential after NMC's rule

Med degrees from many countries may be inconsequential after NMC's rule

TIMES OF EDUCATION

With the NMC update, internships awarded by medical universities in Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Georgia will not be accepted in India

Puniti.Pandey @timesgroup.com

 
18.09.2023

The National Medical Commission (NMC) has released an alert notifying MBBS students studying abroad that it will not accept the internship completed in most foreign medical colleges in CIS countries. As per the new notification, the student must finish the internship separately after the completion of the MBBS course. This notification has put the future of thousands of medical students at stake.

"The alert clarifies that integrated internship included within the undergraduate medical course of foreign universities is not valid and the internship is acceptable by NMC only when it is pursued after the completion of their MBBS course," says Anuj Goyal, career counsellor, "This will make medical education from many Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) irrelevant in In- dia. Medical universities in most of the CIS countries such as Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Georgia have claimed that their six-year programme will include internship. With this fresh update from NMC, the internship awarded by these countries will not be accepted as a clinical internship. As these countries do not follow the structure of internship after completion of the course, the student will have to undergo a specialised residency programme."

This will also increase the overall duration of medical education in these countries further invalidating the course. As per the NMC guidelines, a student must complete the MBBS course in not more than 10 years. "Foreign MBBS aspirants are concerned that if they will spend seven to eight years abroad, then how will they complete their NEXT 1 exam, 12 months internship in India and NEXT 2 exam. If they are not able to pass through all the processes within 10 years, their degree will become automatically invalid," adds Goyal.

Clinical experience is imperative

As per NMC's previously released mandate, the criteria to recognise FMGS applying for a licence or permanent registration to practice in India require FMG students to undergo a course of theory, practical and clinical training equivalent to the MBBS in India. This means that the students should complete an internship of twelve months in addition to the course. The internship should be done in the same foreign institution where the primary medical qualification has been obtained along with hands on training in clinical subjects.

"On August 8, 2023, NMC also issued an alert warning Indian students seeking admission to foreign universities to ensure all the conditions of FMGL Regulation 2021 are met. The commission then cle-rly stated that any variation in the duration, medium of teaching, syllabus, clinical training, internship etc, from an overseas university would lead to disqualification. Students will solely be responsible for their decisions. Thousands of medical aspirants have already been admitted to foreign universities in the 2023 session and they are confused that if their university has any variation in their course compared to FMGL Regulations 2021 then it may lead to their disqualification to practice in India and will close the doors for them to come back to their own country.

It is imperative for NMC and health ministry to objectively analyse the current situation and take corrective action by educating medical aspirants," says Ravi Kaul, di- rector, Admission Advisors.