The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PM&DC) has said that all foreign medical graduates (FMGs) are legally required to clear the National Registration Examination (NRE) to get a practice license in the country.
Clarifying its legal position on the registration of foreign medical graduates (FMGs), the council said that under the law all such graduates must pass the NRE before being granted a full license to practice in Pakistan.
The Council emphasized that the measure is essential to ensure patient safety, uphold healthcare standards, and maintain transparency in medical regulation.
According to PM&DC, there are currently three categories of Pakistani nationals who studied abroad, mainly in Afghanistan, Central Asian Republics such as Kyrgyzstan, and Iran.
Many of these graduates began their education during the era of the PMDC Ordinance 1962 and the Pakistan Medical Commission (PMC) Act 2020.
However, after the promulgation of the PM&DC Act 2022 and the reconstitution of the Council in April 2023, several reforms were introduced to improve both domestic and foreign medical education pathways.
The PM&DC Act 2022 authorizes the Council to assess and recognize foreign medical institutions, allowing only graduates of recognized universities to be granted provisional registration.
However, the Council made it clear that full practice rights can only be obtained after successfully passing the NRE.
This approach, PM&DC stressed, aligns with international practices where countries such as the US, UK, and Canada also require foreign-trained doctors to pass licensing examinations like USMLE, PLAB, and MCCQE.
In recent months, concerns have been raised by Pakistani medical universities over the quality of education in certain foreign institutions.
The Council noted that many universities abroad do not meet its regulatory standards, yet their graduates have been demanding provisional registration for clinical services.
After careful consideration, the PM&DC ruled that only graduates from PM&DC-recognized institutions, and those included in the ECFMG-accredited list, would be eligible for provisional registration and for appearing in the NRE.
The Council also rejected claims circulating on social media that the registration of 4,000–7,000 foreign graduates is pending. In reality, the number was around 700, with many candidates already requesting fee adjustments against the upcoming NRE examination.
The first session of the NRE under the new framework is scheduled for November 2025, with the detailed schedule to be announced shortly.
PM&DC highlighted that the requirement of licensing exams is not new in Pakistan. It was first introduced under the PM&DC Ordinance 1962 in the early 1990s to ensure competence and patient safety.
The Council reiterated that its present actions are fully compliant with the law and motivated by public interest rather than pressure from any group.
Patient safety, the Council stated, remains its foremost responsibility, as every new doctor stepping into the profession carries the duty of human care. Licensing exams serve as a fair and standardized mechanism to assess whether foreign-trained graduates meet the country’s required knowledge, judgment, and competency levels.
By adopting this policy, PM&DC seeks to strengthen public confidence in the healthcare system and safeguard national health standards.