Islamabad: Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PM&DC) has introduced major reforms for students seeking medical and dental education abroad, making prior registration with the council mandatory.

Under the new regulations, students will not be allowed to pursue medical education overseas without passing the MDCAT examination. The decisions were made as part of ongoing reforms in the medical education sector under the supervision of Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar.

According to the council, any foreign medical institution must be included in PM&DC’s approved list, while overseas universities must also be accredited by the World Federation for Medical Education (WFME).

The new policy further states that foreign medical graduates must pass the National Registration Examination before practising in Pakistan. In addition, medical programmes must include at least 6,200 teaching hours with a mandatory 80 percent attendance requirement.

PM&DC also emphasised transparent, merit-based inspections of medical and dental colleges, announcing a zero-tolerance policy against negligence or irregularities during the inspection process.

Students heading to non-English-speaking countries have been advised to first learn the local language, while all students must provide accommodation and contact details before departing abroad.

The council reiterated its commitment to aligning Pakistan’s medical education system with international standards.