The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council has announced new eligibility rules for Pakistani students planning to pursue MBBS or BDS education abroad.
According to PMDC, students will now be required to pass the MDCAT examination before taking admission in foreign medical or dental colleges. The council stated that no student will be considered eligible for medical education abroad without qualifying MDCAT or an equivalent recognized admission test.
Under the new guidelines, students must secure at least 50% marks in MDCAT or pass an approved equivalent foreign test. In addition, students must have completed FSc Pre-Medical or an equivalent qualification with the required minimum marks under PMDC regulations.
PMDC said all students going abroad for medical education must also complete online registration with the council to become eligible for:
- Provisional registration
- Recognition of foreign medical qualifications
- National Registration Examination (NRE) in Pakistan
Officials said the decision aims to improve academic standards and protect students from future recognition and licensing issues after completing medical studies abroad.
Every year, thousands of Pakistani students seek admission in foreign medical universities, especially in countries such as China, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkey due to limited MBBS seats in Pakistan. However, many students later face problems in degree recognition because they fail to meet PMDC eligibility criteria before admission.
PMDC has advised students and parents to carefully review all official requirements before applying to foreign medical institutions.
Students can check complete eligibility criteria and registration details on the official PMDC Website.
