PM&DC drops MDCAT requirement for Pakistani students seeking admission abroad

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has exempted Pakistani students seeking admission to undergraduate medical and dental institutions abroad from the mandatory Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT).

The decision was taken by the PMDC Council at its meeting on September 14, according to a public notice issued by the council on Monday.

Under the revised policy, Pakistani students seeking admission to medical and dental institutions abroad will no longer be required to pass the MDCAT conducted in Pakistan.

The move reverses a requirement introduced under PMDC’s policy for Pakistani students seeking admission to foreign medical and dental institutions, which came into effect from the 2024-25 academic session.

Under the July 29, 2024 policy, students who had completed their intermediate education in Pakistan were required to obtain at least 50 per cent marks in the MDCAT conducted in Pakistan. The result was valid for three years.

The policy also required students to have at least 60 per cent marks in FSc Pre-Medical or meet alternative requirements through SAT-II or foreign MCAT/UCAT examinations.

They were also required to obtain a PMDC Student Registration Certificate before starting their studies at an approved foreign institution.

Other conditions included studying at an institution recognised by the relevant regulatory body and accredited through the required international standards, completing at least 6,200 hours of education over five years and passing the National Registration Examination (NRE) after graduation for full registration with PMDC.

The council’s latest decision removes the MDCAT requirement for students seeking admission abroad, while other applicable requirements and conditions under PMDC regulations will continue to apply.

The nationwide standardised MDCAT was introduced in 2020 by the former Pakistan Medical Commission, which said it had conducted the first national MDCAT that year for around 120,000 candidates.

The test was subsequently conducted under different arrangements, with a centralised test in 2021 before the system returned to provincial-level testing following the restoration of PMDC.

PMDC currently requires candidates seeking admission to undergraduate medical and dental colleges in Pakistan to pass the MDCAT, subject to specified exemptions.