The Federation of Ghana Medical Students’ Associations (FGMSA) has raised concerns over the implementation of the Common Registration Examination (CRE) by the Medical and Dental Council (MDC), arguing that the additional assessment could duplicate existing qualifying examinations.
In a statement dated October 1, 2026, the federation, which says it represents more than 6,000 medical and dental students, said it supports efforts by the MDC to harmonise and standardise final qualifying examinations across accredited institutions.
However, it questioned the need for graduates who have already completed nationally harmonised and regulator-supervised final examinations to sit another stand-alone examination before progressing into professional practice.
The MDC has previously explained that the common registration examination is intended to ensure that newly qualified practitioners meet the same professional standard, regardless of where they were trained.
The Council announced plans for a common examination for locally and foreign-trained practitioners, with the policy subsequently incorporated into its registration framework.
FGMSA said it had formally requested engagement with the Council after its April 18, 2026 communication announcing the implementation of the CRE but claimed that its request had not resulted in the stakeholder meeting it sought.
The students’ body is calling instead for stronger oversight of institutional final examinations, including common competency standards, standardised OSCEs, examiner training, external moderation and greater MDC supervision.
It also raised concerns about the financial, academic and psychological burden of an additional high-stakes examination, particularly because the framework provides for a maximum of five attempts within three years after graduation.
The federation said its objective is not to oppose rigorous professional standards but to ensure that assessment is effective, coherent and proportionate while safeguarding both patient safety and student welfare.
