Six-year medical degree leaves Moroccan students uncertain over hospital training

Morocco’s medical students have raised concerns over what they described as continued uncertainty surrounding the implementation of the new medical training reform, warning that students still lack clear answers on how the changes will affect their training.

In a statement on Tuesday, Morocco’s National Commission of Medical, Dental, and Pharmacy Students said that the uncertainty has continued nearly two years after the student boycott ended, calling for urgent dialogue and clear answers on the future of medical, dental, and pharmacy training.

One of their main concerns is the reduction of medical training from seven years to six, as well as cutting hospital training as an external doctor from three years to two.

The commission said these changes affect the quality of clinical training and called for a clear plan to ensure students complete all the required skills and receive proper supervision.

It also raised concerns over the overlap between the 2023 and 2024 cohorts in training and hospital placements, saying there is still no clear information on whether hospital and university facilities can accommodate the increased numbers and provide students with equal access to hospital departments.

The commission said the situation is also unclear for students repeating modules, particularly those from the 2023 cohort.

It said some may have to retake several modules, requiring a clear and specific transition framework to avoid leaving students subject to different decisions from one institution to another.

It also highlighted challenges facing pharmacy and dental students, including a sharp increase in enrollment without enough lecture halls, laboratories, practical training spaces, and hospital facilities.

The commission said that some dental faculties don’t have specialized hospital centers, as in Fes, while the faculties of Oujda and Kenitra, established this year, have no hospital infrastructure.

It noted that students continue to bear the costs of medical materials and equipment needed to treat patients.

The commission emphasized that dental students are ready to take all legitimate forms of protest when the next academic year begins if their concerns are not addressed, holding the relevant authorities responsible for any impact this may have on the academic year.