STRUCTURAL INJUSTICES IN THE RECOGNITION OF FOREIGN MEDICAL DEGREES BY THE PAKISTAN MEDICAL COUNCIL: A CALL FOR POLICY REFORM
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.61841/vmqgts53Keywords:
Pakistan Medical Council, foreign medical degrees, healthcare shortage, systemic inadequacies, regulatory deficiencies, recognition process, medical education, academic careers, structural injustices.Abstract
Specifically, there remain systemic flaws in the Pakistan Medical Council (PMC) recognition of foreign postgraduate degrees, especially from reputable colleges in the UK and US. Despite Pakistan’s healthcare system suffering from a dire shortage of medical professionals, visiting doctors from abroad must go through the bilateral recognition process fraught with unnecessary delays, a lack of transparency, miscommunication, and prejudice from professionals in the institution. This study delves into a specific incidence of miscarried recognition of a physician on foreign credential, analyzing the phenomenon under the umbrella of systemic regulatory and academic flairs of Pakistan’s medical recognition mechanism. It discusses how foreign-qualified doctors are discriminated against, even when their qualifications come from reputable institutions. This paper continues the authors previous work published in 2015 on the fall of the standard of teaching quality in local medical institutions, evidencing the importance to respect and recognize certificates, diplomas, and degrees from foreign medical schools. The research highlights the urgent need for reforms within the PMC, pushing the argument for a more transparent, equitable, and inclusive system by detailing the implications of such discriminatory practices. Understanding the significance of foreign education is not only vital to replenish the healthcare workforce gap, but also to promote academic careers of the medical fraternity in Pakistan. The paper seeks to explore beyond the individual level motives and aspirations of foreign trained doctors by investigating the institutional underpinnings that support or obstruct professionals in their path towards recognition and integration in life as a doctor.
References
Abbas, S., Raza, A., & Khan, M. (2019). Recognition of foreign medical degrees: Challenges and solutions. Pakistan Medical Journal, 12(3), 45-50.
Ahmad, N., & Khan, S. (2021). Regulatory challenges in healthcare: An analysis of medical degree recognition in Pakistan. Journal of Health Policy and Development, 6(2), 34-40.
Ahmed, Z. (2020). Transparency and trust in medical degree recognition: The case of Pakistan. International Journal of Medical Education, 25(4), 102-108.
Ali, M., & Usman, M. (2020). Bureaucracy and healthcare: Investigating delays in medical degree recognition. International Journal of Health and Policy, 15(3), 123-130.
Farooq, S., & Imran, M. (2020). Enhancing healthcare education through international collaboration: The role of foreign-trained doctors in Pakistan’s medical institutions. Journal of Medical Education and Practice, 29(1), 18-25.
Hassan, F., & Rehman, A. (2021). Challenges of medical faculty recruitment in Pakistan: The role of foreign medical graduates. Asian Journal of Medical Education, 24(2), 99-106.
Iqbal, N., & Malik, H. (2021). Addressing medical faculty shortages in Pakistan: A comparative study of local and foreign medical degrees. Journal of Medical Education Research, 33(4), 112-118.
Javed, F., & Akhtar, S. (2020). Regulatory reforms in healthcare: Strengthening the medical recognition system in Pakistan. Pakistan Journal of Healthcare Systems, 8(1), 51-58.
Khan, N., & Jamil, Z. (2019). Medical education in Pakistan: Global integration and its challenges. International Journal of Medical Education and Research, 14(3), 45-52.
Khan, R., & Shah, S. (2021). Medical degree recognition and the brain drain: Analyzing the effects on Pakistan’s healthcare system. Global Health and Policy, 12(1), 28-35.
Mehmood, R., & Saleem, Z. (2020). Policy analysis of medical degree recognition and accreditation challenges in Pakistan. Journal of International Healthcare Policy, 18(2), 88-96.
Nadeem, A., & Fiaz, S. (2020). The role of foreign medical graduates in filling faculty shortages in Pakistan’s medical institutions. Journal of Educational Research in Medical Sciences, 17(4), 64-71.
Naqvi, R., & Siddiqui, H. (2021). The impact of foreign-trained professionals on Pakistan’s medical faculty development. Asian Pacific Journal of Medical Education, 5(3), 102-109.
Raza, A., & Khan, M. (2020). Bureaucratic inefficiencies in medical degree recognition in Pakistan. Asian Journal of Healthcare Policy, 9(2), 71-77.
Riaz, ., & Zubair, M. (2019). Improving transparency in medical degree recognition: The case for policy reforms in Pakistan. Journal of Public Health Policy, 32(1), 47-53.
Shah, P., & Karim, A. (2021). Regulatory frameworks and the recognition of medical degrees: A global comparative study. Global Journal of Medical Education, 27(2), 75-82.
Shams, Z., & Aslam, F. (2020). Medical degree recognition policies in Pakistan: An analysis of challenges and proposed reforms. Journal of Medical Administration, 12(4), 22-30.
Siddiqui, H. R. (2016). The decline in educational standards in Pakistan’s medical institutions. South Asian Journal of Medical Education, 18(1), 14-20.
Sultana, M., & Yousaf, R. (2019). A critical analysis of regulatory delays in medical degree recognition: Implications for the healthcare workforce in Pakistan. International Journal of Medical Policy and Practice, 23(1), 15-22.
World Health Organization. (2020). Health workforce mobility and policy challenges. World Health Organization. Retrieved from http://www.who.int
Zia, R. (2021). The impact of medical degree recognition policies on healthcare in Pakistan. Journal of Health Policy and Management, 34(5), 58-65.
Books,
Hassan Rasheed Siddiqui, Aviation Law and Commercial Practices (2013).
Hassan Rasheed Siddiqui, Beyond Blue Skies (2014).
Aviation Law and Commercial Practices (2013)
Beyond Blue Skies (2014)
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
You are free to:
- Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format for any purpose, even commercially.
- Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially.
- The licensor cannot revoke these freedoms as long as you follow the license terms.
Under the following terms:
- Attribution — You must give appropriate credit , provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made . You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
- No additional restrictions — You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.
Notices:
You do not have to comply with the license for elements of the material in the public domain or where your use is permitted by an applicable exception or limitation .
No warranties are given. The license may not give you all of the permissions necessary for your intended use. For example, other rights such as publicity, privacy, or moral rights may limit how you use the material.
