KAMPALA, Uganda — The Government has reversed a proposal that would have required medical students to complete internship before they could graduate from medical school.
Health Minister Dr. Chris Baryomunsi said the Government has decided to retain the existing arrangement under which medical students graduate after successfully completing their final examinations, while internship remains a separate requirement for those seeking to practise professionally.
Baryomunsi said the decision follows recognition that academic qualification and professional licensing are distinct processes that should not be conflated.
Under the status quo, students who meet the academic requirements and pass their final medical examinations are awarded their degrees before proceeding to internship as part of the requirements for professional practice.
The reversal comes after concerns were raised over the proposed change, particularly its potential impact on students who had completed their academic programmes but would have been unable to graduate without first securing internship placements.
Baryomunsi said Government had agreed that there must be a clear distinction between obtaining an academic qualification and meeting the requirements to practise medicine.
The decision means medical graduates will continue to receive their academic qualifications upon successful completion of their university programmes, with internship undertaken separately before they enter full professional practice.
The Government’s position is expected to provide clarity to medical schools, students and other stakeholders following the controversy surrounding proposed changes to the internship system.
