NMC Says FMGs Returning to India in Penultimate Year Need to undergo 3 years of Internship and Clerkship, Medicos Oppose Move

New Delhi: NMC rule for Foreign Medical Graduates who returned to India in their penultimate year to undergo 3 years of Internship and Clinical Clerkship is being strongly opposed by a section of the medical fraternity.

Raising the issue, the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) wrote to the Chairman of the National Medical Commission (NMC) urging the officials to look into the matter and reconsider its decision considering the academic career of such medical graduates from abroad.

The association has opined that 3 years of non-stipend internship will lead to 3 years of academic loss for such medical students and they will also face financial problems.

"Foreign Medical Graduate (FMG) are the citizens of our country, a colleague and such type of rules and regulation will hamper their mental status and academic career too. The entrance exam along with 1 year internship is sufficient to test their quality, knowledge, skills about the subject and patient care management," the association mentioned in its letter dated 07.12.2023.

FAIMA's letter comes in the context of the NMC clarification dated 22.11.2023. Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that releasing a public notice last month, NMC had addressed several issues concerning the Foreign Medical Graduates- including the Academic Mobility Programme, issues like clinical clerkship, mandatory completion of CRMI programme, clerkship fees, stipend during CRMI, etc. in respect of FMGs who returned from Ukraine after completing their medical course, or in their final year, or penultimate year.

Also Read: FMGs have to Avail Academic Mobility Programme within 3 Months Deadline- NMC Issues Detailed Clarification for all FMGs

At that time, while addressing the matter of FMGs who had a break in their Final year and who returned to India due to COVID pandemic or war and completed their course online, NMC mentioned that "Existing FMGs undergoing internship be allowed to continue to complete their two years before permanent registration given by the State Medical Council."

NMC had also addressed the issues of FMGs who had a break in their Penultimate year of study (owing to COVID pandemic or war) and who completed FMG course (including examination) in online mode only.

In respect of such students, NMC mentioned, "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)."

Therefore, such students are required to undergo altogether 3 years of clinical clerkship and internship. Referring to this, FAIMA wrote to NMC Chairman and mentioned, "FAIMA opposes this decision as it will be a huge loss in the academic career of the concerned student. Internship of 3 years non stipend will lead to 3 years back in their academic year along with the financial problem."

Urging the Commission to reconsider its decision, the association further mentioned in the letter, "We respectfully request the Under-Graduate Medical Education Board and Ethics and Medical Registration Board of National Medical Commission to kindly look into the matter and reconsider the released public notice in view of the academic career of the concerned student."

Meanwhile, on December 07, 2023, NMC released another Public Notice. 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."

FAIMA has opposed the requirement of 3 years of clinical clerkship for such medicos. Commenting on the matter, FAIMA National Chairman Dr. Rohan Krishnan told Medical Dialogues, "We have looked into the circular which was released by NMC. Earlier the internship period was one year, which was later increased to two years and now it has been increased to three years. I think the two year policy could have been accepted because of the COVID-19 pandemic as a result of which classes were happening in the online mode."

"However, three-year internship programme is not acceptable to us because it is a four-and-a-half-year course plus one-year internship. So if you increase the internship to 3 years then it amounts to almost 70-80 percent of the course. So, it is not a good decision by the National Medical Commission. Hence we requested the Commission via our letter that they again convert it to a two-year internship programme. As all of these doctors who qualify the Foreign Medical Graduates Examination, they only get into the internships in colleges, so I think that will be okay that two-year internship programme should be accepted by the Government," he added.

Also Read: NMC Relief for FMGs in Philippines: Students Already Enrolled in BS Course before FMGL Regulations get course recognition