The National Medical Commission (NMC) extended the internship completion deadline from May 2024 to May 2026, which gives Foreign Medical Graduates (FMG) more time to find internship placements. This decision was made after receiving multiple requests from FMGs who were struggling to secure an internship position. The NMC listened to the concerns of FMGs and medical associations and decided to allow internships in a wider range of hospitals including non-teaching institutes.
The official notice reads, ''On the basis of various representations received from Medical Councils and FMGs regarding facing difficulties in deployment of FMGs for internship, it has now been decided to extend the above time period from May 2024 to May 2026 i.e. for two years'.
The FMGE results were announced in February by the National Board of Examinations at natboard.edu. 38,538 candidates appeared for the screening test, out of which, 693 FMGs were marked absent and the number of candidates who failed were 30,046.
Shortage of internship placements
Foreign medical graduates (FMGs) in India face hurdles in securing internship placements. All FMGs Association (AFA) raised concerns with the National Medical Commission (NMC) regarding the limited availability of internship seats in teaching hospitals. This shortage prevents many qualified FMGs from fulfilling the mandatory 12-month Compulsory Rotating Medical Internship (CRMI) required by NMC guidelines.
Non-teaching hospitals to provide internship
To address the core issue of limited internship placements, both the AFA and the Delhi Medical Council proposed a solution to allow FMGs to complete their internships at non-teaching hospitals in addition to teaching hospitals. The AFA argues that many non-teaching hospitals provide services comparable to their teaching counterparts and can offer valuable practical experience for FMGs. Additionally, integrating these hospitals into the internship program could benefit both the graduates and the community. FMGs would have increased opportunities to fulfill the CRMI requirement, allowing them to practice medicine in India. Also, underserved areas with limited access to healthcare could benefit from the additional medical personnel that non-teaching hospitals could accommodate.
The NMC's recent decision to include a list of 673 hospitals, including non-teaching ones, for FMG internships suggests a positive step towards addressing the challenges faced by foreign medical graduates in India.
