Indian Medical Graduates Granted Access to Practice in the US, Australia, and Canada

New Delhi: The National Medical Commission (NMC), India, has been being awarded the coveted World Federation for Medical Education (WFME) Recognition Status for a tenure of 10 years, according to a press release from the Union Health Ministry.  

WFME recognition will enable Indian medical graduates to pursue postgraduate training and practice in other countries that require WFME recognition, such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, the release added.

Under this accreditation all the 706 existing medical colleges become WFME accredited and the new medical colleges that will be set up in the coming 10 years will automatically become WFME accredited.

This will also make India an attractive destination for international students due to our globally recognized standards.

Apart from this, the NMC will get the privilege of enhancing the quality and standards of medical education in India by aligning them with the global best practices and benchmarks.

The release added that recognition will increase the international recognition and reputation of Indian medical schools and professionals, facilitate academic collaborations and exchanges and promote continuous improvement and innovation in medical education and foster a culture of quality assurance among medical educators and institutions.

The World Federation for Medical Education (WFME) is a global organization dedicated to enhancing the quality of medical education worldwide. WFME's mission is to strive for better health care for all mankind; WFME's primary objective is to enhance the quality of medical education worldwide, with the promotion of the highest scientific and ethical standards in medical education, according to the Health Ministry press release.

The release stated that the Education Commission on Foreign Medical Education (ECFMG) is the primary body in the United States that oversees the policies and regulations around licensing International Medical Graduates (IMGs). In order to take the USMLEs, and to apply for residency all IMGs must be certified by ECFMG.

The Education Commission on Foreign Medical Education (ECFMG) is the primary body in the United States that oversees the policies and regulations around licensing International Medical Graduates (IMGs). 

In order to take the USMLEs, and to apply for residency all IMGs must be certified by ECFMG.  This certification typically takes place after the completion of the 2nd year of a medical program, and before taking the USMLE Step 1 examination.

In 2010, the ECFMG announced a new requirement that will become effective in the year 2024 (was set for 2023 but was moved to 2024 due to COVID). 

The new rule states that "starting in 2024, individuals applying for ECFMG Certification must be a student or graduate of a medical school that is appropriately accredited. More specifically, the school must be accredited by an accrediting agency that is officially recognized by the World Federation for Medical Education (WFME)."

The WFME recognition process entails a fee of ₹ 4,98,5142 ($60,000) per medical college, which covers the expenses of the site visit team and their travel and accommodation.

This means that the total cost for the 706 medical colleges in India to apply for WFME recognition would have been approximately ₹ 351.9 crore ($4,23,60,000). It is noteworthy that NMC has taken recognition of WFME which shall be applicable to all medical colleges under its umbrella.

Original News: India News | Press Trust of India

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