The National Medical Commission has de-recognised the Bachelor's in Science (BS) course that is offered by Philippines. Students who have taken admission in the course from November 18, 2021 will not be allowed to appear for the licensing exam in the country.
In an official notification released on the NMC website, the commission said, "With effect from 18.11.2021, with the publication of FMGL Regulation, 2021, NMC de-recognises BS Course in Philippines. Hence those FMGs who were studying BS Course or had taken admission in BS course at the time of publication of FMGL Regulation are not allowed."
However the commission has allowed the Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs) to take admission in MD course in the Philippines. Students who have taken admission in MD course in the country on or before November 18, 2021 are eligible to complete the course and subsequently write the licensing FMG examination in India.
The duration for MD course is four years and MD programme in Philippines is equivalent to MBBS course in India and other countries.
"After qualifying FMGE, these students are required to undergo one year of internship in order to compensate the deficiency in their training from parent foreign medical college followed by CRMI after obtaining provisional registration. The students will have to undergo the internship process since their course is of 48 months only unlike 54 months MBBS course in India," read the notification.
The decision was released as the National Medical Commission released a notification clarifying various issues relating to Foreign Medical Graduates. The notification has been issued in response to representations and grievances received from medical graduates from Ukraine and Philippines regarding difficulties being faced by them.