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Pakistan: recognition of foreign medical institutions and the ECFMG criterion in PM&DC's notices

Sources checked · Unofficial summary

The rules described here are set by Pakistan Medical & Dental Council (PM&DC) and apply to Pakistani nationals who study medicine or dentistry at a foreign institution. Its notices say that eligibility to appear in the National Registration Examination (NRE) depends on the institution's recognition and on accreditation by the Education Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG). This page cannot say whether any Chinese university is on the PM&DC list or on an ECFMG list, so check both with the Council and with ECFMG yourself.

This is an unofficial guide in a register of medical schools. For how this register describes its section on practising back home, see this register's section page on practising back home.

The 22 October 2025 notice

The Public Notice of 22 October 2025 says that the PM&DC "has initiated the process of recognition of foreign medical and dental institutions awarding undergraduate degrees to the Pakistan nationals." Its first paragraph also says that the PM&DC website is updated from time to time.

Paragraph 2 says that graduates of foreign institutions not recognized by the PM&DC shall not be issued provisional registration unless they have qualified from a PM&DC recognized institution.

Paragraph 3 says that for eligibility to appear in the NRE, two things shall be the standard criteria: the recognition of the respective foreign regulatory authorities, and the accreditation of the institution by the ECFMG.

Paragraph 4 says that candidates may visit the ECFMG website to review the recognition status of a foreign institution.

The 14 September 2025 press release

The PM&DC press release of 14 September 2025 says that the PM&DC Act 2022 provides the Council to assess and recognize foreign medical institutions. It says that only graduates of foreign institutions duly recognized by PM&DC are eligible for the issuance of provisional registration.

The release says these graduates may be granted provisional registration. It also says they are mandatorily required to pass the NRE before obtaining a full licence to practise.

The release sets out a Council decision. Under that decision, only graduates of foreign institutions duly recognized by PM&DC are eligible for provisional registration before the NRE. The release says that graduates enrolled at the time of the erstwhile PM&DC or PMC, and their institutions not yet recognized under the new law, will be issued provisional registration once they qualify for the NRE.

The same decision text says that only graduates of foreign institutions included in the ECFMG accredited lists are eligible to appear in the NRE.

The 2024 policy's third condition

The PM&DC notification titled "Policy for Students seeking Admissions in Undergraduate Medical / Dental Foreign Institutes" is dated 29 July 2024. It is for Pakistani students seeking admission to foreign medical or dental institutions for undergraduate education. It says the policy shall be effective from Session 2024-2025.

Its third mandatory condition says: "The student must verify that the institution is present in the list of such institutions available in the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council Islamabad."

The fourth condition says the qualification must be in allopathic medicine, awarded by an institution recognized by a regulatory body of the country concerned for full registration, and that institution must in turn be accredited by the WFME or World Directory of Medical Schools.

This page does not set out the notification's other conditions. Later PM&DC notices may change these conditions, so check the Council's website before relying on them.

The 31 July 2026 notice

The Public Notice dated 31 July 2026 has the subject "Eligibility of Pakistani nationals graduating from foreign medical and dental institutions for the National Registration Examination."

Its first paragraph says that the PM&DC, under the policy approved by the Council in its decision dated 24 July 2025, "hereby reiterates that only those Pakistani nationals who have obtained their primary medical or dental qualification from foreign institutions recognized by the Education Commission on Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) shall be eligible to appear in the National Registration Examination (NRE), subject to fulfillment of all other applicable requirements."

The closing sentences say that PM&DC shall not entertain any request for exemption, relaxation, or special dispensation from the prescribed eligibility requirements.

The notices use different wording for ECFMG. The 22 October 2025 notice refers to "accreditation of the institution by" the ECFMG. The 31 July 2026 notice refers to institutions "recognized by" the ECFMG. This page does not decide whether the two phrases mean the same thing.

What this page cannot tell you

This page does not name any Chinese university as recognized by PM&DC or accredited by ECFMG. Paragraphs 1 to 3 of the 22 October 2025 notice name no foreign institution. The first paragraph of the 31 July 2026 notice names no institution either. To find out whether a particular institution is on the list the 2024 policy refers to, check the Council's own website. To check ECFMG status, use the ECFMG website named in paragraph 4 of the 22 October 2025 notice.

Questions people ask

Who may appear in the National Registration Examination under the 31 July 2026 notice?

The first paragraph of the notice says that only Pakistani nationals who have obtained their primary medical or dental qualification from foreign institutions recognized by the ECFMG shall be eligible to appear in the NRE, subject to fulfillment of all other applicable requirements.

Can a candidate ask PM&DC for an exemption from these requirements?

The closing sentences of the 31 July 2026 notice say that PM&DC shall not entertain any request for exemption, relaxation, or special dispensation from the prescribed eligibility requirements.

Can a graduate of an institution not recognized by PM&DC receive provisional registration?

Paragraph 2 of the 22 October 2025 notice says that graduates of foreign institutions not recognized by the PM&DC shall not be issued provisional registration unless they have qualified from a PM&DC recognized institution.

Sources

Checked 11 October 2026.

This page is an unofficial summary, is not legal, medical or professional-licensing advice, is not published by the bodies named, and promises no admission, examination or registration outcome; the official text and the regulator's own instructions prevail if they differ.

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