NMC upholds 2 year internship for FMGs who returned from Ukraine, China
New Delhi: Putting an end to the objections made by FMGs who were opposing the 2 year internship rule, the NMC has stated that they will have to complete the 2 year internship (schedule of 12 months to be repeated) in hospital attached to medical college. At the same time, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has clarified that the provision of the two-year internship is only applicable to those medical graduates from abroad who had to leave their parent institutes and come back to India while undergoing the last year of their study.
"After successful completion of the medical qualification, such FMGs are required to qualify FMG Examination and subsequently undergo Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship (CRMI) for a period of two years (schedule of 12 months to be repeated) in hospital attached to medical college only," the recent circular issued by the Undergraduate medical education board (UGMEB) of NMC stated.
Apart from them, all other medical graduates from abroad need to complete their study from their parent institutes in offline mode or to supplement their online theory subjects/classes by offline practical and clinical training and acquire a valid medical qualification which is registrable in that country where it is being acquired.
Thereafter, such FMGs are required to undergo Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship (CRMI) for a period of one year in accordance with CRMI Regulations 2021.
The clarification has been issued by NMC in its recent circular dated May 9, 2023. Medical Dialogues had reported that issuing the circular, the President of UG Medical Education Board (UGMEB), Dr. Aruna V Vanikar addressed several issues including important provisions under CRMI Regulations 2021 for the FMGs, validation for Online study by Commission, applicability of NMC Public notice dated 28.07.2022 on FMGs, requirement of Domicile by FMGs for internship, completion of Internship by FMGs in parts at hospitals and medical colleges, issue concerning payment of stipend to FMGs, and one-time relaxation to Foreign Medical Graduates to complete internship.
Last year, providing relief to the foreign medicos hit by the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia-Ukraine war, NMC had decided to frame a scheme and granted relaxation to medical graduates who completed their MBBS course from a foreign medical institute without undergoing physical clinical training.
Under the scheme, Indian students in the last year of their MBBS course who left their institute abroad due to Covid or the Russia-Ukraine war and completed their studies and also got a certificate of completion of the course on a date to be notified by NMC will be permitted to appear in Foreign Medical Graduate Examination, FMGE.
Upon qualifying the FMGE exam, such foreign medical graduates are required to undergo CRMI for two years. The doubling of the internship period is aimed at overcoming the deficit in clinical and practical skills training.
However, there was confusion among the Foreign Medical Graduates regarding the applicability of the two-year internship rule. Addressing the applicability of NMC Public Notice dated 28.07.2022 on FMGs, NMC mentioned in the recent circular-
Applicability of NMC Public Notice dated 28.07.2022 on FMGs -
(viii) In pursuance of order dated 29.04.2022 passed by the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India in SLP No. 2536-37 of 2022, NMC issued public notice dated 28.7.2022 informing that Indian students who were in the last year of their undergraduate medicine course but due to COVID-19, Russia-Ukraine war etc. had to leave their foreign medical institute and return to India and have subsequently completed their studies as also have been granted certificate of completion of course/degree by their respective institute on or before 30th June, 2022 shall be permitted to appear in Foreign Medical Graduate Examination.
(ix) The provision of two years' internship, referred in Public Notice dated 28.07.2022, is applicable only to those Foreign Medical Graduates who were in their last year of their study of medical qualification and returned to India due to COVID-19 or Russia-Ukraine War etc. After successful completion of the medical qualification, such FMGs are required to qualify FMG Examination and subsequently undergo Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship (CRMI) for a period of two years (schedule of 12 months to be repeated) in hospital attached to medical college only.
(x) All FMGs (Except covered in point (viii) and (ix) above) are required to complete their study from respective University/Institutes in offline mode or to supplement their online theory subjects/classes by offline practical and clinical training and thereafter shall acquire a valid medical qualification which is registrable in that country where it is being acquired. After qualifying FMG Examination, FMGs shall undergo Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship (CRMI) for a period of one year in accordance with CRMI Regulations 2021.
Referring to the confusion regarding the completion of internship by FMGs in parts at the hospitals/medical colleges, NMC clarified, "In case, an FMG has already completed first one year of his/her internship in any medical college in India, he/she shall be free to complete remaining part of his/her internship(2nd year of internship) from another medical college/State/UT, as per the availability of seats for conducting internship for FMGs."
NMC further mentioned in the circular that it has received a number of requests and queries from different State Medical Councils regarding non-availability of seats for FMGs to start their internships at their State/UT especially due to the implementation of the two years' internship for FMGs.
Addressing the matter, NMC mentioned, "Their request has been considered in National Medical Commission favourably in the Coordination Meeting of Chairman, NMC with Presidents and Members of the four Boards of NMC held on 2nd May 2023."
"After careful consideration of the situation and issue faced by the FMGs in order to explore seats to complete their internship, it is decided by UGMEB to validate the list of Recognized Non-teaching Hospitals for Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship issued by the erstwhile Medical Council of India, for a period of one year from the issue of this circular i.e. upto May 2024, for conduct of internship for Foreign Medical Graduates only. List of Recognized Non-teaching Hospitals for Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship issued by the erstwhile Medical Council of India is at Annexure. This relaxation is granted only as a one-time measure," read the circular.
To view the circular, click on the link below:
https://medicaldialogues.in/pdf_upload/fmg-209268.pdf
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