FGMSA Challenges MDC's New Common Registration Examination for Medical Graduates

The Federation of Ghana Medical Students’ Associations (FGMSA) has voiced strong reservations about the Medical and Dental Council’s plan to introduce a Common Registration Examination (CRE) for medical and dental graduates. In a statement issued on Friday, October 2, 2026, FGMSA, which represents over 6,000 students nationwide, said it backs the Council’s goal of ensuring consistent graduate standards but doubts the necessity of a new exam if final qualifying tests are properly harmonised and supervised. The MDC had announced on April 18, 2026, via letter Ref. MDC/20/V1/165, that the CRE would begin in 2026, outlining exam periods, eligibility rules and other details. FGMSA said it had written to the Council requesting a meeting to discuss student concerns, but the invitation was not honoured. The federation stressed that Ghana must trust the competence of graduates from all institutions, and it backs the MDC’s June 1, 2026 move to harmonise final exams through aligned curricula, stronger OSCE standards, examiner training and national assessment tools. However, FGMSA argues these steps should be the main quality‑assurance mechanism, not a blanket CRE that all locally trained doctors must sit. It questioned what extra competency the CRE would add if the final exams were already nationally benchmarked and closely supervised. Legal concerns were also raised, citing Section 27(f) and Section 30 of the Health Professions Regulatory Bodies Act, 2013 (Act 857), which govern registration examinations and exemptions. FGMSA called for clarity on how these provisions apply to the CRE framework. The group warned that students face academic delays, extra fees and psychological stress if they must attempt the exam up to five times within three years, with the first attempt due within one year of graduation. It urged the Council to involve affected students directly in shaping the policy.