Higher medical education system to be reformed in Uzbekistan

A large-scale reform of the higher medical education system is launching in Uzbekistan. The "General Medicine" (Lechebnoye Delo) specialty will be transformed into a six-year "General Medicine" program based on the 5+1 model: five years of study and one year of clinical practice.

As reported by the press service of the Ministry of Health, unified requirements for mastering educational programs are being introduced: the minimum passing score will be 70% for medical specialties and 60% for the training of mid-level medical personnel. Admission to fee-based contract programs will require scoring at least 60% of the maximum possible score.

Admission quotas for undergraduate programs will be determined based on the actual needs of the healthcare system. Medical universities will be required to have their own or designated clinical bases. The principles of evidence-based medicine and training in simulation centers will be integrated into the educational process.

Starting from the 2027/2028 academic year, the training of specialized doctors will be conducted entirely through residency. Admission to clinical residency (ordinatura) will cease. Master's programs will no longer serve as a stage for training specialized doctors and will be oriented solely toward training scientific and pedagogical personnel.

Residency will be funded by state grants. Quotas will be approved taking into account regional needs and staff shortages. Residents will be awarded an increased stipend amounting to 2.15 times the minimum wage. Graduates will receive a Level 7 diploma of the National Qualifications Framework, granting them the right to pursue doctoral studies.

Additionally, it has been proposed to make state registration of medical and pharmaceutical workers mandatory in Uzbekistan starting from 2030. In the future, specialists who have not registered will not be allowed to engage in medical or pharmaceutical activities.