New regulations for foreign qualified medical grads

The Government has issued new regulations for foreign medical graduates who hope to work in Sri Lanka after studying in universities and medical schools abroad.

The Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry in consultation with the Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC) has issued a gazette notification citing the regulations.

“We are very happy that the SLMC has finally done this though it should have been done many years ago,” Dr. A.B. Padeniya of the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) said.

In accordance with the new regulations, any foreign university or medical school that seeks approval from the SLMC will have to be already approved by a designated body in its own country. Such a body is one which accredits, approves or recognizes the medical educational programs of universities which lead to MBBS or any other equal degree.

The new Medical Ordinance cites the criteria a foreign university has to fulfill to be approved by the designated body of its country and then by the SLMC. These include the mission and objectives of the medical school, the legitimacy of the institution, administration, the curriculum of the medical programme offered and especially the process of student evaluation.

The regulations will require at least two members from the SLMC to visit and review the universities and foreign medical schools seeking recognition in Sri Lanka. The cost of the visit will be borne by the applicant institution.

It has also been noted in the gazette notification that the maximum period of recognition will be five years after which the university/medical school will have to be reviewed once more for renewal of recognition.

“Up until now Sri Lanka did not have a proper legal mechanism to scrutinize the standards of foreign medical schools. This has proved to be a disadvantage time and again,” Dr. Padeniya said.

He further said the SLMC has a responsibility towards the public and has to safeguard the interests of the patients when it comes to the approval of qualified medical officers, so the new regulations are definitely a step in the right direction.