Why thousands of Indian MBBS graduates are unable to take USMLE, PLAB and other foreign licensing exams

Thousands of Indian MBBS graduates are finding themselves unable to appear for foreign medical licensing examinations, including the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) and the UK's Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board (PLAB) test, because their medical colleges have not completed a key regulatory requirement, according to Rema Nagarajan’s The Times of India report.

The issue stems from the absence of an ECFMG sponsor note in the World Directory of Medical Schools (WDOMS), a formal endorsement that indicates a medical college meets the standards set by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG).

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While the World Directory lists medical schools recognised by the respective governments or competent authorities across countries, not every institution listed is automatically eligible for ECFMG certification. An ECFMG sponsor note is required for graduates seeking certification, which is necessary for appearing in licensing examinations such as the USMLE and is also relevant for several other international medical licensing pathways.

As per the report, medical colleges can apply electronically for credential verification only after their first batch of students graduates, typically around five years after admitting the inaugural batch. Institutions generally begin the process when the first batch starts the mandatory 12-month rotating medical internship.

However, many graduates reportedly realised only after completing their MBBS that their colleges had not secured the required sponsor note, leaving them ineligible to register for overseas licensing examinations.

According to the report, graduates from Kalpana Chawla Medical College in Karnal, Haryana, discovered that the institution, which admitted its first batch in 2017, did not have an ECFMG sponsor note. The report also said that some All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) campuses are yet to obtain the required sponsor notes.

Responding to a Right to Information (RTI) application, the National Medical Commission (NMC) said, "As and when any information or documents to update ECFMG sponsor note in respect of Indian medical colleges is asked by ECFMG, the same is provided to ECFMG immediately after due process and approval of competent authority."

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The report added that, in its June 30 RTI response, the NMC said the submission of information required to update sponsor notes for several Indian medical colleges in the World Directory of Medical Schools was under process.

According to TOI, the NMC and the Union Health Ministry did not respond to queries on whether Indian medical colleges are required to apply for ECFMG sponsor notes within a stipulated timeline or on concerns raised by affected graduates.

With inputs from TOI