NMC New Guidelines for MBBS Abroad

The National Medical Commission follows the gazette published on 8th August, 2019. The National Medical Commission (NMC) was established through an Act of Parliament known as the National Medical Commission Act, 2019, which became effective on 25.9.2020 via a gazette notification dated 24.9.2020. The Board of Governors, replacing the Medical Council of India formed under section 3A of the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956, was dissolved thereafter.

Several key functions of the NMC include:

(a) formulating policies to uphold high quality and rigorous standards in medical education and establishing necessary regulations for this purpose;

(b) setting policies to regulate medical institutions, medical research, and medical professionals while creating appropriate regulations in this regard;

(c) evaluating healthcare needs, encompassing healthcare human resources and medical infrastructure, and formulating a roadmap to address such requirements; among others.

Following the release of a draft notification proposing major changes for Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs) in April 2021, the NMC faced significant backlash from various interested parties. Taking these concerns into account, the NMC published the Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate (FMGL) Regulations on 18th Nov 2021.

For students aiming to pursue an MBBS abroad, these guidelines guaranteed that all foreign medical graduates can practice in India once they obtain permanent registration after successfully passing the Indian medical licensing examination and completing its associated procedures.

The notice stated: No foreign medical graduate shall practice medicine in India, unless he is granted permanent registration in accordance with the provisions of these regulations.

To be eligible for permanent registration, FMGs must satisfy the following criteria:

• The overall duration of the MBBS program at the chosen international university must span at least 54 months, accompanied by a mandatory internship period of a minimum of 12 months at the same medical institution.
• Students must have pursued their education at a university where English served as the official medium of instruction.
• Students are required to have studied subjects such as Community Medicine, General Medicine, Psychiatry, Paediatrics, General Surgery, Anaesthesia, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Orthopaedics, Otorhinolaryngology, Ophthalmology, Dermatology, Emergency or Casualty services, lab services, and their respective sub-specialties.

The notice specified: No foreign medical graduate shall be granted permanent registration, unless he has– (a) (i) undergone a course leading to foreign medical degree with minimum duration of fifty-four months; (ii) Undergone an internship for a minimum duration of twelve months in the same foreign medical institution; (iii) Received a foreign medical degree with medium of instructions in English; and (iv) studied the mandatory subjects specified in the Schedule-I; (b) registered with the respective professional regulatory body or otherwise, competent to grant license to practice medicine in their respective jurisdiction of the country in which the medical degree is awarded and at par with the license to practice medicine given to citizen of that country; (c) undergone supervised internship in India for a minimum term of twelve months, after applying for the same to the Commission; and (d) has cleared the National Exit Test or such other mandated test or tests conducted by the Commission.

The duration and course specifications for Foreign Medical Graduates are outlined below:

• Students must have completed theoretical, practical, and clinical training that is equivalent to the MBBS curriculum in India.
• Students must finish a 12-month compulsory internship at the exact institution where they completed the remainder of their coursework.

The gazette declares: Any person who pursue the foreign medical degree should have undergone a course of theory, practical and clinical training equivalent to Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) of India; and Should have been completed internship of twelve months in addition to such course referred to in clause (a), in the same foreign institution where the primary medical qualification has been obtained, along with hands-on training in clinical subjects including but not limited to Community Medicine, General Medicine, Psychiatry, Paediatrics, General Surgery, Anaesthesia, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Orthopaedics, Otorhinolaryngology, Ophthalmology, Dermatology, Emergency or Casualty services, lab services and their sub-specialties. It further adds as:The course and internship or clinical clerkship shall commensurate with the MBBS course of India in accordance with the Regulations on Graduate Medical Education, 1997 and subsequent amendments thereto, and shall include the subjects mentioned therein as are duly recognised by the Commission under sub- section (2) of section 61 of the Act;The course curriculum shall be made available for review by appropriate authorities, and if necessary, in the website of the institution or university where the course is being pursued at the time of joining the course.Regarding the course duration of the gazette reads:The entire course, training and internship or clerkship shall be done outside India in the same foreign medical institution throughout the course of study and no part of medical training and internship shall be done in India or in any country other than the country from where the primary medical qualification is obtained.

The gazette stresses that students must finish all components of the curriculum, including the internship and clinical rotation, within a 10-year span starting from the enrollment date.

The complete timeframe for finishing the overseas medical degree program is restricted to ten years starting from the initial date of enrollment.

Important Considerations!

• Applicants must complete a minimum program length of 54 months (4.5 years) at the international medical institution.
• The curriculum must include theoretical, practical, and clinical instruction matching the Indian Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) standard, followed by a one-year internship completed at the exact same overseas facility where the initial medical degree was earned.
• The complete program, including all training and the internship or clerkship, must take place exclusively outside India at the identical international medical school without any portion being completed at alternative locations.