The finding that nearly 80 per cent of foreign medical graduates fail to clear the national screening test (FMGE) — despite “FMGE being like any other licensure exam, fully based on the MCI’s curriculum, and with no negative marking” — is a matter of serious concern (“ >Not licensed to heal: ‘Foreign doctors’ flunk qualifying test ”, Oct.10). The U.S. has tougher standards to be met as our medical degrees are not recognised in the U.S. The U.S. conducts its own entrance examination like NEET and follows it up with a U.S. Medical Licensing Examination for the graduates to get registered as practising doctors. As everyone knows, it is easy to get admission in the Eastern Bloc without the need for an entrance examination. Therefore, the Central government must conduct an entrance test, on the lines of NEET for those aspiring to go to these countries. Once they finish, there must be another examination for re-entry, and with negative marking.
A.V. Narayanan,
Tiruchi
That only small percentage of these graduates is able to clear the exam shows both the incapability of such students to cope with the rigours of native academic standards and the substandard academic quality of overseas medical training. I cannot help wondering what the outcome would be if an FMGE-equivalent screening is done on native graduates as well, soon after their graduation. There has to be a medical licensing exam on the lines of the U.S Medical Licensing Examination. Also a licence renewal examination must be conducted periodically to assess a medical practitioner’s capability in keeping with advances in medical sciences.
Duraiswamy Navaneetham,
Chennai
India has a severe mismatch in terms of the requirement and availability of medical professionals per capita of population. This becomes all the glaring when one notes that we have among the largest number of medical colleges in the world. Therefore, these foreign medical graduates constitute an indispensable pool of resources towards replenishing this shortfall. To consider them unworthy of everything just because they fail to qualify the national board exam is a colossal mistake.
Instead, facilities like additional training and hands-on apprenticeship can be introduced to help them build their skills and work towards the exam. Further there are other areas such as research and hospital administration where their services can be utilised.
Surendra Singh Achara,
New Delhi
