Most foreign medical graduates fail to find jobs

Dr Jagadish Hiremath

Hospitals get applications from foreign medical graduates for jobs. But just graduating from a foreign doesn’t make a candidate eligible to be hired at a hospital. There’s something more that he/she needs to work on. It is MCI FMG exams.

The law is clear that unless they clear MCI FMG exams they cannot be registered as doctors. Hospitals can hire only registered doctors. Law also is clear that only a registered doctor can open a clinic and dispensary to practice.

Those that come back to India after graduating at various foreign universities cannot practice as doctors even if they have completed MBBS unless they have cleared FMG exams. Rights & Responsibilities of a Doctor come in only after registration. There is no automatic registration.

Those that are aspiring to fly abroad to study MBBS abroad and parents must keep in mind about the qualifying exam they have to clear to qualify as a doctor legally. If not it turns out to become a vicious circle as the pass percentage of MCI FMG exams leading to registration is very low around 15%. As many as 85 percent of the aspirants do not clear the exam.

This low pass rate is despite mushrooming classes for FMGs to train enough before they take their exams to register themselves as doctors in India.

Almost 85 percent do not clear the exams to register themselves as doctors in India let it sink in. There are live examples of those that have not cleared the exam even after attempting for 10 years and some even left medicine forever.

Despite the fact that these graduates work hard, train hard to become doctors, two major factors play behind the making of this scenario.

Lobbying by medical colleges here will ensure that the pass percentage of FMGs is 10-20 percent. It will not change.

Another aspect is the lack of knowledge of practical applicability of theory in practice. Lack of practical exposure towards patients seems to be another major factor that has led to a low pass percentage. Many countries have too many medical colleges offering MBBS courses at a very affordable cost but the number of patients that visit these places are quite low compared to those that visit hospitals here. Reason behind this is the advanced health care these countries have and the population is quite low. Large number of medical colleges for a smaller number of patients limits the exposure of students to patients.

Innumerable agencies woo young aspirants selling the idea of flying abroad for MBBS as the annual cost of MBBS is way less in certain countries than the one year’s fee in India. It costs upto 20 to 30 lacs inclusive of food and accommodation to complete MBBS graduation in certain countries whereas the same course costs 1 to 1.2 crores here in India. not knowing the down side of graduating abroad, many fly out and are faced by a major hurdle upon arriving here.

Sending MBBS aspirants abroad has become a money making business for many. Touts make more money by selling these dreams. They earn anywhere between 8 to 10 lacs per student. Not just that many that choose to study BSc nursing are wooed to consider MBBS abroad as they can opt for MBBS by paying a little more money. Anyone opting for BSc Nursing has to pay 2.5 to 3 lacs per year, paying additional 2 lakhs a year will get them an MBBS degree abroad. Touts sell this idea to attract more and more students for MBBS courses abroad. Students innocently buy their idea and end up in a vicious circle not knowing the tough exam that they must clear to be able to register themselves as doctors.

It is hence to be sure what is in store after becoming FMG. Many go on to practice in the UK & EU and never want to register themselves as doctors in India. That is an option available but there is a big if ! They too come with exams for registration.

(The author is chairman, Aasra Hospital.)