Medical Admission Test – A Flawed System
MDCAT has become a bottleneck for deserving students
It is high time that Pakistan rethinks its approach to medical education and introduces reforms that provide students with more opportunities, fairer admissions, and broader career prospects beyond just MBBS
Iqra Jokhio
Every year, tens of thousands students in Pakistan dream of becoming doctors, believing that medicine is the most prestigious and secure career path. However, the harsh reality of the medical admission system often shatters these aspirations. The MDCAT (Medical and Dental College Admission Test) has become a bottleneck, leaving thousands of deserving students without a seat, pushing them into stress, uncertainty, and even career detours.
Pakistan sees around 2 million students appearing for board exams each year, with 1.1 million passing successfully. Among them, a significant number aspire to enter the medical field. However, the competition is so fierce that even high-achieving students struggle to secure admission. Each year, approximately 167,000 to 180,000 students appear for the MDCAT exam, while the number of students who get admission is only 68,680. This means that more than 100,000 students—many of whom have scored well—are forced to abandon their dreams or seek alternative options. The situation in Sindh paints an even grimmer picture. Out of 38,041 students who sat for the MDCAT, 22,366 passed, yet only 2,400 students secured admission into medical colleges. The rest are left with limited choices—either switch fields, go abroad (which is financially unfeasible for many), or spend another year preparing for MDCAT, uncertain about their future.
The obsession with medicine as the only respectable profession is deeply ingrained in Pakistani society. Many students do not even get the liberty to choose their career paths; instead, they are pressured by parents to pursue MBBS, often disregarding their actual interests and talents. This societal pressure, combined with a flawed admission system, has led to an alarming rise in mental stress among students. Many experience anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem when they fail to secure admission, despite working hard and scoring well. The rigid system offers little flexibility or alternatives for these students.
For students who fail to secure a government medical seat, private medical colleges remain an option, but at an exorbitant cost. The tuition fees in private institutions range from Rs. 1.2 million to Rs. 2 million per year, making it nearly impossible for middle-class families to afford. This results in either students giving up on medicine altogether or parents going into massive debt to fund their child’s education.
One of the biggest problems is the lack of awareness regarding alternative career paths. Many students believe that if they do not become doctors, their future is doomed. However, Pakistan offers several other rewarding fields such as biotechnology, physiotherapy, pharmacology, medical research, and health sciences, which are often overlooked. Additionally, Pakistan’s nursing and allied health sciences sectors are in dire need of professionals. Countries like the UK, Canada, and the UAE have a high demand for paramedics, radiologists, and medical technologists—fields in which Pakistani students can excel if guided properly.
The MDCAT system and the overall approach toward medical education in Pakistan need a major overhaul. The government must expand the capacity of medical colleges and build new institutions to accommodate the growing number of students. Standardizing the testing and admission process across provinces will ensure fairness and reduce controversies regarding merit-based selections. Schools and career counselors should educate students about other promising fields in medicine and health sciences. Many capable students abandon medicine due to financial constraints. The government should introduce more scholarship programs and student loans to support talented individuals. The government must implement fee regulations and improve the standard of education in private medical colleges to make them more accessible.
The obsession with MBBS in Pakistan has created an educational crisis where thousands of talented students are left stranded each year. While MDCAT aims to filter out the best candidates, the flawed system ends up discouraging bright minds instead. It is high time that Pakistan rethinks its approach to medical education and introduces reforms that provide students with more opportunities, fairer admissions, and broader career prospects beyond just MBBS.
Read: Medical Universities’ Entrance System: A Barrier to Merit and Accessibility
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Iqra Jokhio is a student of Mass communication at the University of Karachi
