Uzbekistan reforms medical education with 5+1 model and 70% pass threshold

September 5, 2026 at 02:13 PM2 min

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Uzbekistan's Health Ministry announced a reform of higher medical education, converting the General Medicine track into a six-year program with five years of study and one year of clinical practice. The reform sets a minimum passing score of 70% for physician specialties and 60% for nursing staff. Starting from the 2027/2028 academic year, narrow specialist training will move entirely to residency, with clinical internship admissions discontinued.

Key Facts

The General Medicine track becomes a six-year program with five years of study and one year of clinical practice.
Minimum passing score is set at 70% for physician specialties and 60% for nursing staff.
From the 2027/2028 academic year, narrow specialist training will be fully conducted through residency, and clinical internship admissions will cease.
Residency will be funded by state grants, with quotas approved based on regional needs and staff shortages.
Residents will receive a stipend of 2.15 times the minimum wage and a level 7 diploma under the National Qualifications Framework.

Program Structure

The Ministry of Health announced that the General Medicine direction will be transformed into a six-year program called 'General Medicine' following a 5+1 model. The model comprises five years of academic study and one year of clinical practice. Medical universities will be required to have their own or affiliated clinical bases. The curriculum will incorporate evidence-based medicine principles and training in simulation centers.

Admission Requirements

A minimum passing score of 70% is introduced for physician specialties and 60% for secondary medical personnel. Admission to paid contract programs will require at least 60% of the maximum score. Bachelor's program admission parameters will be formed based on the actual needs of the healthcare system.

Residency and Postgraduate Training

Starting from the 2027/2028 academic year, training of narrow specialists will be fully conducted through residency. Admission to clinical internship will be discontinued. Master's programs will no longer serve as a stage for training narrow specialists and will focus only on preparing scientific and pedagogical personnel. Residency will be financed through state grants, with quotas approved considering regional needs and staff shortages. Residents will receive an increased stipend of 2.15 times the minimum wage and a level 7 diploma under the National Qualifications Framework with the right to doctoral studies.