Around 1000 FMGs reach NMC Office Today to Discuss Issues on internships, compensatory certificates

New Delhi: Today around 1000 medical graduates from abroad are going to the National Medical Commission's office, where a discussion is scheduled between the foreign medical graduates (FMG) representatives and the officials from the Apex Medical Commission.

The media coordinator of the All FMGs Association, Dr. Kaushal informed Medical Dialogues that around 1000 FMGs are going to the Commission's office and altogether 5 student representatives will go inside the Commission's office to attend the meeting scheduled to be held at 2 P.M. today.

Discussions will be held on different issues faced by the FMGs including their problems regarding the recent NMC notice dated 07.06.2024 through which the Commission decided to deny acceptance of the compensatory certificates of the FMGs for the online classes.

Apart from this, the student representatives are likely to raise their objections regarding the 3-year internship rule implemented by the Commission. They want to undergo one year of internship like the Indian Medical Graduates.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that opposing the NMC decision of denying acceptance of compensation certificates for online classes, recently hundreds of foreign medical graduates reached the Commission's office.

Later, the representatives of the All FMGs Association (AFA) and the Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA) discussed the problems faced by the FMGs with the NMC officials.

Also Read: FMGs Oppose NMC's New Move, cite lack of clarity

Meanwhile, as per a recent media report, NMC is considering introducing a policy under which the FMGs may get a waiver from the extended internships by undergoing a six-month medical practical skill examination. 

Reportedly, the NMC is working on finalising the policy to test the clinical skills of the FMGs through a practical examination. Therefore, once the medical graduate from abroad clears this test, the Commission will waive off the remaining internship tenure of their Compulsory Rotatory Medical Internship (CRMI).

If implemented, this proposed new policy may help find a middle ground for the FMGs, who expressed their disappointment regarding the NMC circular dated 07.06.2024, suggesting an increase in the existing internship tenure by 12 months.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that the foreign medical graduates were opposing the Commission's recent notice dated 07.06.2024, through which the Undergraduate Medical Education Board (UGMEB) of NMC stated that compensatory certificates obtained by FMGs from their parent institutes abroad for the online classes would not be accepted by them. NMC took this decision after taking cognizance of the instances of medical graduates from abroad maliciously obtaining such certificates.

"It has been observed that many FMGs are maliciously obtaining compensatory certificates from their parent universities for the online classes carried by them. The medical profession deals with precious human life, therefore the life of Indian citizens cannot be put at stake of poorly trained medical professionals. The UGMEB has decided that henceforth, Certificate regarding the compensation/supplementation of online theory subjects/classes with offline practical and clinical training shall not be accepted," NMC mentioned in the public notice dated 07.06.2024.

Objections were earlier raised as well against the 3-year-internship rule of NMC. Back on 28.07.2022, NMC released a notice and informed that the Indian students who were in the last year of their UG medical course and who had to leave their institute due to issues like COVID pandemic, Russia-Ukraine war etc., and who subsequently completed their studies and received course completion certificate from their institute on or before 30.06.2022, would be allowed to appear in Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE).

NMC had mentioned that after clearing the FMGE screening tests, such students would have to undergo Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship (CRMI) for a period of two years to make up for the clinical training which could not be physically attended by them during the undergraduate medicine course in the foreign institute.

Later NMC clarified that this relaxation was applicable only for the FMGs who were in the last year of their course. Last year on 22.11.2023, addressing several issues concerning the FMGs, NMC had mentioned that medical students abroad, who had a break in their Final year and who returned to India due to COVID pandemic or war and completed their course online such students "be allowed to continue to complete their two years before permanent registration given by the State Medical Council."

NMC also addressed the issues of FMGs who had a break in their Penultimate year of study and mentioned that "Existing FMGs, if any, already performing internship at present, may be allowed to continue with one year of internship. They may subsequently do one year clinical clerkship and one year internship. (Thus a total of three (3) years, before obtaining Permanent Registration from concerned SMC)."

Again on December 07, 2023, NMC released another Public Notice and addressing such FMGs who returned to India in their Penultimate year, it mentioned, "Existing FMGs undergoing internship be allowed to continue to complete their three (3) years before permanent registration given by the State Medical Council."

Also Read: NMC Contemplating New Policy for FMGs, Plans to Hold Practical Exam to Waive Off Remaining Internship Tenure: Report