NMC Contemplating New Policy for FMGs, Plans to Hold Practical Exam to Waive Off Remaining Internship Tenure: Report
National Medical Commission (NMC)
New Delhi: The Apex Medical Education Regulatory body in India, the National Medical Commission (NMC) is considering to introduce a policy under which Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs) may get a waiver from extended internships by undergoing a six-month medical practical skill examination, Education Times has reported.
As per the daily, 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), officials sources informed ET.
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."
However, as per the latest media report by Education Times, the Commission is planning to introduce a six-monthly clinical practical exam for the FMGs and after clearing the test, their remaining period of internship would be waived off by the Commission. Confirming this, an official source informed the Daily, "The NMC has a responsibility to keep up with the interest of patients as well as medical professionals. Concerned about the inefficiency and zero practical exposure of the FMGs, a period of two to three years of internship was announced earlier by NMC. However, there are certain challenges on the grassroots level that FMGs are reportedly facing regarding internship seats and stipends. To counter such issues, a policy of six-monthly practical examination was proposed, however, it was just a suggestion and not a full-fledged policy."
The NMC proposal comes also at a time when the medical graduates are facing problems to enrol into an internship programme after clearing the Foreign Medical Graduates Examination (FMGE). Reportedly, their demands for getting an equal stipend as Indian Medical Graduates have led to the unwillingness on the part of the medical colleges to provide them seats and train them.
Referring to this, the source added, "The demand of FMGs to get stipend has backfired as the number of seats that can provide them internship along with a decent stipend are low, causing FMGs loss of time."
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. The student representatives will go to the NMC office tomorrow once again to discuss the matter, the medical coordinator of All FMGs Association, Dr. Kaushal informed Medical Dialogues.
