Proposed Policy Changes Open New Career Avenues for Indian Students in Philippine Medical Practice

By Siya June 10, 2024
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As per the proposed provision, Indian students who complete their Doctor of Medicine degree from a Philippine College of Medicine recognised by the Commission on Higher Education, along with a one-year internship in any hospital in the Philippines, will be able to register and practise medicine in the Philippines. For this purpose, ChED will provide the appropriate certification to simplify the transition of Indian graduates into the Filipino medical system.

As the policy is still in the approval stages, Indian medical students studying in the Philippines must hope for the best in overcoming the barriers that have affected similar students in the past. Whether Indian students who have completed their MD (graduate/primary medical course equivalent to MBBS) and obtained a licence to practise in the Philippines after their internship will be able to appear for the FMGE and later the NExT, as required for continuing medical education and practice in India, remains to be seen.

According to Dr B Srinivas, Secretary of the NMC, the policy is still in the proposal stage. Once it becomes an act, the NMC will review the medical curriculum and the recommended length of time to complete it. It will also assess whether the curriculum aligns with the standards of the Indian medical system.

However, this rule cannot be applied to medical colleges overseas indiscriminately. Qualifications for sitting the FMGE will only be considered if the MBBS curriculum of the two countries is comparable, and only facilitation measures enabling foreign medical graduates (FMGs) to appear for the FMGE will be permitted. Dr Srinivas also noted that older FMGs from the Philippines who have returned to India to complete their MBBS must undertake two internships to ensure they are clinically competent, as exposing Indian patients to incomplete knowledge is deemed unsafe.

Source : TOI EDUCATION TIMES

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