How to Register With PMDC Before Studying MBBS Abroad
Going abroad for MBBS or BDS? Register on PMDC's student portal, check the college is ECFMG recognised and plan for the NRE. Steps, fees and dates checked.
Before you study MBBS or BDS abroad, register with the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PM&DC) on its student portal, srf.pmdc.pk, and pick a college recognised by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG). When you come back, you must pass both steps of the National Registration Examination (NRE) to practise in Pakistan.
MDCAT is no longer part of this. On 5 October 2026, PM&DC removed the MDCAT pass rule for students going abroad, as covered in the MDCAT exemption for foreign admission. The other checks still matter, and the college check matters most.
The numbers show how many families take this route. PM&DC said 7,076 foreign graduates registered for the NRE Step-I exam held on 14 December 2025. Every one of them needed a recognised degree to sit it.
PM&DC registration before you leave takes five steps
Check your FSc marks, check the college's ECFMG status, register on srf.pmdc.pk, keep your records safe, and plan for the NRE. PM&DC's notice of 14 May 2026 says online registration is mandatory to become eligible for provisional registration and the NRE later.
- Check your FSc marks. The 14 May 2026 notice asks for at least 60 per cent in FSc Pre-Medical or an equivalent. The 5 October notice did not cancel this.
- Check the college. It must be recognised by ECFMG, or you cannot sit the NRE. More on this below.
- Register on srf.pmdc.pk. Make an account with your email, fill in your details and the college you are joining. The portal opens with a sign-in and sign-up page.
- Keep every record. Save the registration confirmation, the admission letter, your FSc certificate and your passport copy.
- Plan for the NRE. You will sit it after your degree, in Pakistan.
We opened srf.pmdc.pk on 6 October 2026. It showed a working sign-in page. We did not make an account, so we cannot list every field in the form.
The college must be ECFMG recognised for the NRE
Only graduates of foreign colleges recognised by ECFMG can sit the NRE. PM&DC said this in a notice dated 31 July 2026, under a Council decision of 24 July 2025. If the college fails this test, the degree will not lead to a licence in Pakistan.
ECFMG is a United States body that checks foreign medical graduates. It shows which schools it accepts through the World Directory of Medical Schools. Search the college by its exact name and country, and look for an ECFMG note on its entry. Do this before you pay a single fee.
The same notice names one country directly. Medical and dental colleges in Afghanistan are not ECFMG recognised at present, so their graduates cannot sit the NRE. PM&DC says it will not consider any request for an exception.
Be careful with agents who promise "PMDC approved" seats. PM&DC has warned parents against substandard foreign colleges more than once. An agent's promise is not a PM&DC decision, and the warning signs are set out in how to check a study abroad agent.
The NRE is the licence exam when you come back
The NRE is PM&DC's exam for Pakistanis who earned a medical or dental degree abroad. It has two steps. Passing both is required for full registration, under Section 18 of the PM&DC Act 2022, and there is no limit on attempts.
| Item | What PM&DC says |
|---|---|
| Who sits it | Pakistani graduates of ECFMG-recognised foreign colleges |
| Steps | Step-I and Step-II, both needed |
| Attempts | No limit, under Section 18(1) of the Act |
| Next Step-I exam | 8 November 2026, moved from 11 October |
| Conducted by | National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS), Rawalpindi |
| Provisional licence fee, foreign graduate | Rs 10,000, per PM&DC's FAQ |
Registration for the November sitting ran from 27 August to 15 September 2026 on nre.pmdc.pk, so it has closed. Watch pmdc.pk for the next window.
The law and PM&DC differ on the house job
Section 18(2) of the PM&DC Act 2022 says a foreign graduate gets provisional registration for a house job within 14 days of degree verification, and must pass the NRE before full registration. PM&DC's own December 2025 press release says no foreign graduate gets provisional or permanent registration until they pass the NRE.
Those two are not the same. PM&DC's public statements follow the stricter line. Plan as if you must pass the NRE before your house job starts. That is the safe reading, and it is ours, not a ruling.
Coming back halfway needs the NEB exam
A student who finishes more than two years abroad and wants to move to a Pakistani college must pass the National Equivalence Board (NEB) exam. Section 19 of the Act says it must be taken within 12 months of leaving the foreign programme.
PM&DC runs the NEB twice a year. The second one of 2026 was held on 12 September at Rawalpindi Medical University. Those who pass get a PM&DC no objection certificate, but a transfer still depends on a free seat in a Pakistani college.
Once you are licensed, anyone can confirm it on the PM&DC register, the same way patients use the PMDC doctor search. For colleges at home, the recognised lists are explained in how to check a college is PMDC recognised.
Common questions
Do I need to register with PMDC before studying MBBS abroad?
Yes. PM&DC's 14 May 2026 notice says online registration at srf.pmdc.pk is mandatory to become eligible for provisional registration and the NRE.
Do I need MDCAT to study medicine abroad?
No. PM&DC removed the MDCAT pass rule for foreign admission in a notice dated 5 October 2026.
What is the NRE?
It is PM&DC's licence exam for Pakistanis with a foreign medical or dental degree. You need to pass both steps for full registration.
Can I study MBBS in Afghanistan and practise in Pakistan?
Not at present. PM&DC's 31 July 2026 notice says Afghan colleges are not ECFMG recognised, so their graduates cannot sit the NRE.
How many times can I take the NRE?
As many times as you need. Section 18(1) of the PM&DC Act 2022 sets no limit on attempts.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked on 6 October 2026. We read PM&DC's notices of 14 May 2026 on foreign admission criteria, 31 July 2026 on NRE eligibility, 21 August, 9 September and 5 October 2026 on the NRE schedule, and 5 October 2026 on the MDCAT exemption. We also read its December 2025 NRE press release, its 12 September 2026 NEB release, its FAQ page and the PM&DC Act 2022. We opened srf.pmdc.pk but did not register. The World Directory of Medical Schools was behind a browser check when we tried it, so we could not test a search there. Nothing here is legal advice.
About the author
Public Services and Education Journalist
Fajr Riaz is a journalist and content writer at Pakistan Era, based in Lahore. She covers the questions people meet in everyday life in Pakistan: how a public service works, what a change in the rules means, and where to find a reliable answer.
