House Job After MBBS in Pakistan: Provisional vs Permanent Registration Explained

After MBBS in Pakistan you cannot practise independently straight away. The usual path is: provisional registration, then a one-year house job, then permanent registration with the medical regulator. This guide explains each step in plain language so you know what to expect.

The regulator is the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PM&DC, also written PMDC). Rules, forms and fees are updated by the regulator itself, so always confirm the final details on its official website.

Foreign graduate? Practise for the National Registration Examination in the PMDC NRE QBank. Your first 20 questions are free.

What Is a House Job?

A house job is the supervised one-year clinical training that follows the MBBS final professional exam. You work in a recognised teaching hospital, rotating through core departments under senior doctors. Dental graduates complete an equivalent house job after BDS. It is a registration requirement, not an optional extra.

Step 1: Provisional Registration

Provisional registration is the temporary licence that lets you work as a house officer. Graduates of Pakistani medical colleges usually apply through the regulator's online portal once the college has confirmed their final result. Typical documents are:

• CNIC (or passport for overseas Pakistanis)
• MBBS or BDS degree or result certificate
• Recent passport-size photograph
• Fee payment receipt through the approved channel

Step 2: Complete the House Job

You then join a recognised hospital for the full one-year house job. Keep your joining letter and request a completion certificate at the end. Gaps and unrecognised hospitals can delay your next step, so check that your hospital is approved before you accept a post.

Step 3: Permanent Registration

When the house job is finished you apply for permanent registration, usually with the house job completion certificate attached. Permanent registration is what lets you practise independently and is normally needed for postgraduate training such as FCPS.

What About Graduates of Foreign Medical Schools?

This is the part that changes most often. Sources disagree on the exact order, and the regulator has issued fresh notices recently. Several current guides say foreign graduates must pass the National Registration Examination (NRE) before full registration, and that the degree and institution are verified first. Do not rely on a blog or a WhatsApp group for this: read the latest notice on the regulator's website. Our NRE syllabus guide and NRE portal guide explain the exam side.

What Comes After Registration?

Most graduates either apply for postgraduate training or prepare for entry exams. If FCPS is your goal, read the FCPS career roadmap and the FCPS Part 1 preparation guide. For dates, see the FCPS Part 1 schedule.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a house job compulsory after MBBS in Pakistan?

Yes. A one-year house job is part of the route to permanent registration, so you cannot skip it.

What is the difference between provisional and permanent registration?

Provisional registration is the temporary licence for the house job year. Permanent registration follows once the house job is completed and lets you practise independently.

How long does the house job last?

One year of supervised training in a recognised hospital.

Do foreign MBBS graduates need the NRE?

The current guidance from the regulator and recent guides says foreign graduates must clear the NRE before full registration. Check the regulator's latest notice because the process has been revised several times.

Where do I apply?

Through the regulator's official online portal. Never pay anyone who claims to speed up registration.

Your Next Step

Preparing for the NRE? The PMDC NRE QBank has explanation-backed MCQs across clinical and basic sciences. Open the QBank; your first 20 questions are free.

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