Indian doctors in the UK are amongst the hundreds of foreign doctors who fail to clear the stringent UK exams. Figures show that over 63 percent of the foreign doctors who took the test did not clear it. As per a report, the success rate is so appallingly low that foreign medical associations want to increase the number of times one can retake the test from four to six.
These figures are confirming many apprehensions that medical graduates from Pakistan, India and Nigeria are unfit to treat patients. This is despite the fact that these graduates have spent the last three years working for the National Health Service before taking the exam.
The medical exams in the UK allow those doctors who have cleared the test, to practice independently as general practitioners or hospital physicians. The candidates, who do not clear the test, continue to be supervised by their seniors, while treating patients.
Based on the data from the exams, it has been noted that the examination is tougher for foreign doctors, with communication being established as the main problem. Around 9 percent of the doctors from the UK fail the test. The percentage of doctors from India, who fail the test, the first time around, is 63. From Pakistan, 62 percent of the doctors fail, while Nigeria has the highest percentage of doctors who have failed the test – 67 percent.
Foreign medical associations are demanding for the addition of two test retakes under the claim of racial and ethnic discrimination being a factor in the evaluation process. However, officials from UK have dismissed this claim stating that there is no evidence to prove it. The exam Results were not based on ethnicity but on aptitude.
As per a source, the demand for six retries was ludicrous and that there has to be a cut-off point. The UK government has stated that any attempt to make these papers easier was to be stopped.
However, Indian doctors are still protesting about the exam. As per a source, the doctors who take the exam have worked in NHS. NHS by itself has very strict standards. Due to the stringent nature of the exam, many doctors want to increase the number of retries. This change will be applicable for all doctors and will not be limited to doctors from a particular country.
Source: The Indian Express
Recently there is a higher rate of negligence in case of care and diagnosis in the hospitals so any one mistake may also cost a life of a patient. To me if a trainee doctor cannot pass his exams after 4 attempts then he should go, END OF!!!
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