The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PM&DC) has set out its legal position on the registration of foreign medical graduates, saying provisional registration and independent practice will depend on recognition of their foreign institutions and passing the National Registration Examination (NRE). The council emphasized that these measures are intended to protect patient safety, uphold standards, and ensure only qualified doctors enter clinical practice.
Under the reconstituted council’s authority, PM&DC reviews and recognizes foreign medical institutions before their graduates can receive provisional registration. The council says it will issue provisional registration only to graduates of institutions it has formally recognized; permanent registration and the right to practice independently will require successfully passing the NRE.
PM&DC has carried out a strict review of foreign colleges attended by Pakistani students. Several institutions were found not to meet PM&DC requirements, prompting concerns from graduates seeking provisional registration for clinical services. Provincial medical universities also raised serious questions about the educational standards of some of these graduates. In response, the council decided that graduates from unrecognized institutions — including those whose studies began under earlier regulatory regimes — must pass the NRE before provisional registration will be granted.
The council also stated that only graduates of institutions listed by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) will be eligible to sit the NRE, a condition that mirrors international practice. PM&DC stressed that the requirement to pass an examination for licensing is not new and has long been part of the regulatory approach to ensure competence.
Responding to claims about a large backlog, PM&DC said the figure of 4,000–7,000 pending registrations is incorrect. The council reported roughly 700 pending cases and noted that some applicants have requested fee adjustments by applying their fees toward the NRE. PM&DC said it is preparing to conduct the NRE in the near future and will announce the detailed schedule soon.
The council defended its actions as fully lawful and focused on safeguarding patients, assuring that it cannot compromise on the standards required for clinical practice. PM&DC reiterated that licensing examinations provide a fair and consistent method to verify that all graduates, regardless of where they were educated, understand local regulations and possess the clinical knowledge and decision-making skills needed for safe patient care.
PM&DC placed its policies in an international context, noting that many countries require foreign-trained doctors to pass qualifying exams — for example, USMLE in the United States, PLAB or GMC-approved alternatives in the United Kingdom, and MCCQE in Canada — to ensure standards and maintain public trust in health systems. The council concluded that its measures aim to preserve transparency, protect public interest, and maintain the quality of medical practice in Pakistan.
