Around 1,000 Pakistani students studying medicine in Cuba have demanded from the Government of Pakistan that, upon their return, they be exempted from sitting for the National Examination Board (NEB) test before practising medicine.
The NEB test is mandatory for foreign medical graduates to qualify for medical practice.
The Cuban government offered 1,000 Cuban Scholarships for Studies in General Comprehensive Medicine (equivalent to MBBS) after the 2005 earthquake. The first batch of 308 students, selected from across Pakistan, had left for Cuba in 2007.
The Pakistani students in Cuba have prepared a detailed report in this regard and sent a copy to the Cuban government.
The report, available to The Express Tribune, details the process through which the students were selected by the Higher Education Commission (HEC). It says that the students had excellent grades in FSc exams and were doing well in Cuba.
The student requested asked that the “comprehensive final State Exam of Cuba held after the completion of medical training in the last year before the award of the degree of Doctor in Medicine (M.D) should be accepted as the final evaluation of Pakistani medical scholars in Cuba, as is done by the respective authorities in 55 other countries.
They have proposed that Pakistani authorities visit Cuba and hold talks with the Cuban authorities concerned.
The students claim that the NEB is meant for foreign graduates who study abroad on self-finance basis, and should therefore not apply to them considering they were granted a scholarship.
A final-year medical student, studying in Cuba, told The Express Tribune via email, that preparing and sitting for the NEB test and IELTS would take them a year. He said a Pakistani delegation comprising former senator Nilofer Bakhtiar, Prof Dr Riaz Hussein Qureshi (HEC adviser) and Prof Dr Abdur Rasheed (PMDC member) had, in 2010, visited the Cuban universities and expressed satisfaction with the quality of education.
The PMDC Registrar Dr Ahmad Nadeem Akbar said the council would not exempt the Pakistani medical students in Cuba from the NEB test. “They had signed a bond, saying they will have to pass the NEB test before starting practice in Pakistan.”
Published in The Express Tribune, September 11th, 2012.
COMMENTS (22)
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@Cubaverdad: is ielts is necessary for pakistani students along with NEB test as eligibility criteria??????????????kindly guide me,,thanx...
These students were selected by the HEC on merit and after transparent process from all over the country and sent to cuba for medical education.They are doing very well there.In the bond there is no condition for passing NEB test of PMDC on successful completion of their study at cuba as on completion of house job in cuba these students will appear in a final Cuban State Examination and after that they will be awarded degree of MD.In view of this the matter needs to be considered sympathetically and they on return may be exempted from NEB test.
According to WHO survey the life expectancy rate in cuba is 78 whereas in pakistan is 63.
Dear I fully support the comments of the above observers about pakistani students. These all about 1000 students went to cuba with the approval of Government of Pakistan. They showed wonderful performance over there and stood first among students of many countries. We feel proud over the performance of these students. I did not agree with the comments of first person. Here in pakistan we find everywhere quacks who are playing with the lives of people of pakistan, and no authority is there to stop them. While there was earthquake in Pakistan who allowed cuban doctors to play with the lives of earth affectees of pakistan ;if they were not competent. Why government of pakistan accepted the scholarships offered by cuba and sent 1000 valuable pakistani students there for study. Why Government of Pakistan recognized the services of cuban doctors in earthquake area when they were not competent and able. Is quality of treatment in hospitals in pakistan is satisfactory?. Why people especially financially strong preferred to visit abroad for treatment and do not trust over our medical institutions. NET has been designed for the students who get degree from abroad at their own expense. In cuba students case, the issue is different. Government of Pakistan has itself sent these students for study. All points/queries as mentioned above are worth considering. I fully support that all pakistanis students who were sent by government of pakistan and who obtain degree from Cuba should be exempted from NET in order to save their precious time.
I would second the comments posted by the above mentioned person, the real issue is the time. @cubaverdad: how can you decide or say about people, government and system you do not know. Do you even know what is PMDC, or what is NEB? How can you talk about a third country dear? Please save your ‘sympathies’. I request you to please do not mingle in the affairs of other. I am saying all this because i know you are trying to use these bright Pakistani students and this program as a propaganda against the Castro regime because I have been observing this since a long time. Any event that takes place in Cuba, the Cuban-americans and the anticommunists try to mold it in their favour, but please don't use these young students for your anti Cuban propaganda. These students have made a special report of 55 pages supported by legal documents which help to prove the stance. I had the chance to look at it. There pretty good arguments there which should not be neglected. We should not make judgments without listening and knowing what they have to say. After all they are Pakistanis, our fellow countrymen who have left the country at such a young age for higher studies, we should be optimistic, these students will prove great asset to our country which i must say have a deplorable health system, that can’t even be compared to that of Cuba, the same has health indicators comparable to any developed country of the world. It is the same country who sent a contingent of 2500 health professional after the 2005 earthquake that devastated a great part of Kashmir region. I question if health professionals from Cuba are so badly trained, how come that the performance of that brigade was acknowledged at all levels in Pakistan, and internationally too. If any student is reading this comment, i want to tell you that you are our sons and brothers, we trust you and we hope that you people will come back and will serve the homeland with all the sincerity and hard work, just keep your spirits up and concentrate on your studies, do not get distracted by the politics, Inshallah everything will turn out to be good.
@Cubaverdad: The Fact which you have posted concerning about the Pakistani Medical Students Studying in Cuba, that they fear to pass the NEB test is totally incorrect. The real Fact is that, it is very time consuming, as New NEB test comprises of 3 Steps, with a minimum interval of 3 months between each step, and abviously The Graduated Doctors will have to wait for 3 to 6 months, to appear for the 1st step, therefor it will take atleast 1 year, to become a liscensed practitioner.And the total duration of the studies in cuba, is 7 years(1yr language+6yr Medicine), hence after graduating, even a single year is very valuable for these students. and for the information, Pakistani Medical Students studying in cuba, have the bests results among the 121 other country students.(analysis by Cuban Health Ministry),and these students will have to appear for comprehensive final State Exam of Cuba held after the completion of medical training in the last year before the award of the degree of Doctor in Medicine (M.D), So we dont fear from any test. we just want to start working just after graduating. Pakistani Students have also requested the concerning Medical Board authorities of Pakistan, to visit the Universities,and evaluate the Education the are being provided in Cuba, so that they can take an easy decision on the exemption of the NEB test for these students, which can be very benificial for the country and for the Pakistani doctors, to start practicing Medicine, just after arriving. Thank you very much to concern.
granma.cu - ELAM: Practicing medicine according to human values ELAM: Practicing medicine according to human values. Nuria Barbosa León / Photos: Alberto Borrego. IN the training of health professionals in Cuba, working ... www.granma.cu/ingles/cuba-i/6sept-elam.html
Students to study medicine in Cuba - University of Zululand University of Zululand - A unique comprehensive university that provides quality career-focused undergraduate and postgraduate programmes as well as ... www.uzulu.ac.za/students_cuba.php
Cuba has been recognized by the World Health Organization as having the best medical training program, with 41,000 professors in 24 medical schools (as compared to only one in 1959), located in 13 of the country’s 15 provinces.
Dear Sir,
There is a very good reason why these students want to be exempt from the National Examination Board (NEB) test: the fear they will fail. Lots of students educated in Cuba fail the national standards exams in their countries. It would be criminal negligence to allow them to practice without passing the test. If they claim their education is that good then they should pass it with flying colors, no? The fact they aim to escape the test says it all. Your countrymen have my sympathy for the hardship they suffered in Cuba with the violent repression by the Castro regime of their legitimate protest over grievances they had, but the Pakistani people have the right to be protected against unqualified medical personnel.
On students from Cuba failing national standards see:
Once Renowned, Cuban Doctors Are Failing their Medical Exams in Droves By Luís Henrique Vieira Published October 25, 2011 http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/health/2011/10/24/cuban-doctors-get-sickly-results-in-brazilian-medical-exams/
Other: Namibia: Cuban Engineering Degrees 'Useless' By Selma Shipanga, 30 August 2012 http://allafrica.com/stories/201208300701.html
The repression students suffered: http://youtu.be/8-Cjv5aV3kY http://youtu.be/kaBLj40Ydb4