Doctor shortage and students studying abroad

Source: The post Doctor shortage and students studying abroad has been created, based on the article “The problematic globalisation of medical education” published in “The Hindu” on 14th February 2025

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper2- Governance-Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health and Education

Context: The article discusses the global shortage of doctors and limited access to medical education. Many students study abroad due to intense competition at home. Quality concerns exist in foreign medical schools. Governments are expanding medical seats but face resistance from the medical establishment.

Why do students go abroad for medical education?

1. Limited Medical Seats: In India, around 2.3 million students take the medical entrance exam, but only one in 22 secures admission.
2. High Private Tuition Fees: Many students cannot afford costly private medical colleges in India.
3. Foreign Universities as an Alternative: Over 20,000 Indian students study abroad annually in countries like Russia, Ukraine (before the war), Kazakhstan, China, the Philippines, and Nepal.
4. Western Students Also Move Abroad: Many French, German, and Norwegian students study in Poland, Hungary, and Romania due to limited seats in their home countries.

Which countries attract international medical students?

1. Over 2,00,000 students study medicine abroad. Ukraine had 24,000 foreign students before the war.
2. Indian students prefer Russia, Ukraine (before the war), Kazakhstan, China, the Philippines, Nepal, and Mauritius.
3. Western students also study in Hungary, Poland, and Romania.
4. Some foreign medical colleges are controlled by Indian institutions, like Manipal College of Medical Sciences in Nepal.

What challenges do foreign-trained medical students face?

1. Licensing Exam Requirement: Indian students who complete medical education abroad must clear a national licensing examination to practice in India.
2. Mandatory Internship: They must also complete an internship upon returning to India.
3. Varying Global Standards: Different countries have different licensing rules, making it difficult for foreign-trained doctors to practice globally.
4. Quality Concerns: Many foreign medical schools operate for profit and lack proper regulation.

What steps are governments taking to solve the issue?

1. Increasing Medical Seats: The Indian government has significantly expanded the number of medical seats, adding nearly 1.1 lakh undergraduate and postgraduate seats over the past decade, a 130% increase.
2. Future Expansion Plans: In the Union Budget speech of February 2025, it was announced that an additional 10,000 seats will be introduced in medical colleges and hospitals in 2026. This is part of a broader five-year goal to add 75,000 new seats, addressing the growing demand for qualified medical professionals.
3. Addressing Global Needs: This expansion aims to reduce the pressure on students to study abroad and improve domestic medical training quality.

Conclusion

Governments struggle to balance demand and quality in medical education. The medical establishment resists increasing seats, fearing a loss of exclusivity. With aging populations, the need for doctors is growing. Ensuring quality education for future doctors is a key challenge.

Question for practice:

Examine the reasons for the increasing number of students going abroad for medical education, the challenges they face, and the efforts taken by governments to address this issue.