The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) has warned that the sharp decline in candidates appearing for the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) indicates growing disinterest in medicine as a career among young people.
According to official figures from the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC), the number of MDCAT candidates has fallen from 204,253 in 2022 to around 138,000 in 2026.
The number of candidates stood at 194,133 in 2021 before reaching 204,253 in 2022. It then fell to 180,534 in 2023, 182,000 in 2024, 140,071 in 2025 and around 138,000 this year.
The PMA said the decline continued despite an extension in the registration period. After the MDCAT was rescheduled to September 20, the PMDC reopened registration from August 17 to 21, but only 2,063 additional candidates registered.
The association attributed the decline to rising private medical college fees, poor financial prospects for young doctors, delayed house-job stipends and a shortage of paid postgraduate residency positions. It also cited violence against healthcare workers and limited legal protection for medical professionals.
The PMA said students are increasingly choosing fields such as computer science, artificial intelligence, biotechnology and health data analytics because they offer better career prospects, starting salaries and international opportunities.
PMA Secretary-General Dr. Abdul Ghafoor Shoro urged health authorities and the PMDC to address these issues instead of lowering MDCAT passing standards to fill vacant seats. The association called for private medical college fee caps, timely stipend payments, regular medical officer positions and legislation to protect healthcare professionals.
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