Indian medical graduates can practice abroad

Recently, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has being awarded the coveted World Federation for Medical Education's (WFME) recognition status.

• Indian medical graduates will now be able to practise or pursue post-graduation in countries like the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
• All 706 existing medical colleges regulated by the NMC will now be WFME accredited.
• While the new colleges that will be set up in the next 10 years will automatically become WFME accredited.
• Significance:
• The WFME accreditation will enhance the quality and standards of medical education in India by aligning them with the global best practices and benchmarks.
• It will also promote continuous improvement and innovation in medical education and foster a culture of quality assurance among medical educators and institutions.

About National Medical Commission (NMC):

• The National Medical Commission (NMC) is India's premier regulatory body overseeing medical education and practice.
• Committed to upholding the highest standards in healthcare education, NMC ensures the delivery of quality medical education and training across the nation.

Medical Education in India:

• Medical schools in India produce the largest number of doctors than anywhere else in the world (30,408 from 271 medical schools), corresponding to the rapid proliferation of medical colleges in the last two decades, especially within the private sector.
• The Medical Council of India (MCI), the regulatory body, is required to approve any significant reforms in medical curricula.
• The accreditation process for medical schools focuses largely on the infrastructure and human resources required and little on the process and quality of education or outcomes.
• The implementation of the recommendations of MCI regarding recognition or de-recognition of a medical college is governed by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, whilst individual universities also have variable sets of regulations for their affiliated medical schools.
• As a result, there is no uniformity in the standard of medical education across the country.

National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers:

• NABH is a constituent of Quality Council of India (QCI), set up to establish and operate accreditation programme for healthcare organisations.
• The board has functional autonomy while being supported by all stakeholders including industry, consumers and government.
• Accreditation to a healthcare organisation is a continuous process of improvement. NABH accreditation reflects an organization's commitment to quality care.
• It raises consumer and community confidence in the services offered and also provides opportunity to healthcare unit to benchmark with the best.
• Accreditation provides access to reliable and certified information on facilities, infrastructure, and level of care.