Foreign medical grads continue to struggle for stipends and internships despite cracking FMGE

Medical students from India get paid internships while foreign medical graduates are often asked to pay donation

- c-Puniti.Pandey timesgroup.com

Foreign medical graduates who return to India after completing their degrees have to struggle at various levels. Due to a tough screening Foreign Graduate Medical Exam (FMGE), only 10-13% are eligible to practice in India. However, despite clearing FMGE, several students complain of struggling for internships and many are forced to take up jobs at low salaries.

"Usually for any Foreign Medical Graduate (FMG), it takes at least five-six months to get an internship in India. This is because there are limited seats and preference is given to Indian medical graduates," says Dr Shahroz Khan, medical graduate, Nantong University College of Medicine, China. "What is more worrisome is that while the medical students from India are paid a stipend for their internship, FMGs are expected to pay private hospitals for an internship. Most students pay anywhere from Rs 3-10 lakh," he adds.