Can I get provisional registration in Pakistan before passing the NRE?

Under Pakistan's PM&DC rules, a graduate of a foreign medical institution that PM&DC duly recognizes may be issued provisional registration before passing the National Registration Examination (NRE). PM&DC's press release of 14 September 2025 states this; PM&DC's public notice of 22 October 2025 adds that graduates of foreign institutions not recognized by PM&DC shall not be issued provisional registration unless they qualified from a PM&DC-recognized institution.

Who may be issued provisional registration before the NRE

PM&DC's press release of 14 September 2025 (Islamabad) says the PM&DC Act 2022 provides the Council to assess and recognize foreign medical institutions, and only those graduates of foreign institutions duly recognized by PM&DC are eligible for the issuance of provisional registration. These graduates may be granted provisional registration; however, they are mandatorily required to pass the NRE before obtaining a full licence to practice.

The same press release records a Council decision: only those graduates of foreign institutions duly recognized by PM&DC are eligible for provisional registration prior to the NRE. All other graduates enrolled at the time of erstwhile PM&DC or PMC whose institutions are not yet recognized under the new law will be issued provisional registration once they qualify for the NRE examination.

For the examination and registration steps in Pakistan and neighbouring countries, see the licensing exams page.

Graduates of institutions not recognized by PM&DC

PM&DC's public notice of 22 October 2025 states that graduates of foreign institutions not recognized by PM&DC shall not be issued provisional registration unless they have qualified from a PM&DC recognized institution.

The same notice says that, for foreign graduates seeking eligibility to appear in the NRE, the recognition of the respective foreign regulatory authorities, along with accreditation of the institution by the Education Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG), shall be the standard criteria. All candidates may visit www.ecfmg.org to review the recognition status of a foreign institution.

The 2024 NRE standard's eligibility wording

The National Registration Examination (Medical): Standard, Structure and Syllabus 2024 (PM&DC) sets the eligibility sentence for the NRE 2024: candidates who have successfully graduated from PM&DC approved foreign medical colleges with an MBBS/MD or equivalent degree, along with a provisional licence issued by PM&DC, are eligible to sit for the NRE 2024.

This 2024 wording (PM&DC approved foreign colleges plus a provisional licence) is earlier than the 2025 press release and the 2025 public notices on ECFMG. Each document is given here with its own date and is not merged into a single rule.

The 2024 standard also states that passing the NRE (both the theory and clinical skills components) is mandatory for obtaining a full licence to practice as a General Practitioner. The NRE will be held at least twice a year, and there is no bar on the number of times a candidate may attempt the complete NRE.

Online registration and eligibility for provisional registration

PM&DC's Students Alert for admission abroad (effective from the Session 2024–2025) advises all students seeking admission in foreign institutions to strictly follow PM&DC criteria, including mandatory online registration, to become eligible for the issuance of Provisional Registration and the NRE under the PM&DC Act 2022. The online registration link given in the alert is srf.pmdc.pk.

The same alert states that a student must have registration with PM&DC to pursue education at a foreign institution, and that the list of accredited foreign institutions is available on the PM&DC website.

Sources

• Press Release: Registration Examination is Mandatory for all Foreign Medical Graduates under the Law; Patient Safety Prime Importance for the PM&DC — Pakistan Medical & Dental Council
• Public Notice No. Exam-59/2025 of 22 October 2025 — Pakistan Medical & Dental Council (Registrar)
• National Registration Examination (Medical): Standard, Structure and Syllabus 2024 — Pakistan Medical & Dental Council
• Students Alert For Admission Abroad — Pakistan Medical & Dental Council (Registrar)

Checked 11 October 2026.

This page is an unofficial summary, is not legal or professional licensing advice, is not published by the bodies named, promises no admission, examination or registration outcome, and the official text and the regulator's own instructions prevail if they differ.