PMDC drops MDCAT requirement for Pakistani students applying to overseas medical schools

The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has eliminated the mandatory Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) for Pakistani students applying to medical or dental schools overseas, according to a notice shared on X after its September 14 meeting. The decision aligns with a parliamentary committee’s suggestion that the test should not be compulsory for abroad-bound candidates. The Senate Standing Committee on National Health Services had previously highlighted inconsistencies in the policy and called for a list of substandard foreign institutions instead of a blanket test requirement.

The PMDC clarified that students who later wish to transfer to a Pakistani university must still clear the National Examination Board (NEB) assessment, and those planning to practice in Pakistan after foreign study must pass the registration exam for foreign medical graduates. The NEB exam, conducted twice yearly, evaluates knowledge, clinical skills, and professional competence of such graduates.