Question 1

What is the MDC registration examination, and who has to take it?

Accepted Answer

It is the Medical and Dental Council's licensing exam. Under the Health Professions Regulatory Bodies Act, 2013 (Act 857), you cannot register as a doctor or dentist in Ghana unless you hold a qualification from an MDC-recognised institution and you pass the exam or are exempted from it. The current guidelines cover both foreign-trained and locally-trained graduates.

Question 2

I trained in Ghana. Do I sit Stage 1 only, or Stage 1 and Stage 2?

Accepted Answer

If you are a new graduate of an accredited Ghanaian school, you only have to sit Stage 1, because your school's MDC-standardised clinical exam covers Stage 2. You must attempt Stage 1 within one year of graduating. If you don't, you must sit both Stage 1 and Stage 2.

Question 3

I trained outside Ghana. What exams do I need to pass?

Accepted Answer

Both Stage 1 (200 single-best-answer MCQs over two papers) and Stage 2 (an OSCE). The only exception is if faculty of a Ghanaian medical or dental school supervised, observed or certified your training. You need at least 50% in Stage 1 to sit Stage 2, and 50% in Stage 2 to pass.

Question 4

Do foreign-trained doctors need a clinical attachment before the exam?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Before your first attempt you must complete at least six months of clinical rotation at an accredited facility in Ghana, and submit an official report from your supervising specialist. MDC issues an introductory letter for the attachment, for a fee. Host facilities may charge their own fees.

Question 5

What documents do I need to apply for the MDC exam?

Accepted Answer

You apply online. You need certified copies of your qualification certificates, transcripts, a passport photograph, a CV, and the certificates you used to get into medical school. Ghanaians also need passport pages and the Ghana Card. If you have practised before, you need a Certificate of Good Standing and your licence. If you are newly qualified, you need proof that your qualification is registrable where you trained. Non-Ghanaians also need a residence permit and a work permit.

Question 6

My documents are not in English. Who should translate them?

Accepted Answer

You need a certified English translation. The guidelines are inconsistent here. §4.3 says documents should be translated by the Bureau of Ghana Languages. §6 accepts a certified translation by an official or recognised professional translator. Ask MDC which one it will accept before you pay for a translation.

Question 7

How many times can I attempt the MDC exam?

Accepted Answer

At most five attempts at any stage (one plus four resits). If you fail the fifth attempt, you can no longer sit any MDC registration exam. A Stage 1 pass stays valid for one year, so take Stage 2 within that year. After a failed Stage 2, you must resit it within two years or start again from Stage 1. There is no remarking.

Question 8

When are the MDC exams held?

Accepted Answer

Normally three times a year, in February/March, June/July and October/November, and always in Ghana. MDC can change how many sittings there are. Exact dates and closing dates go up on the MDC website, and late applications are not accepted.

Question 9

How much does the MDC exam cost?

Accepted Answer

The MDC fees page lists the cedi equivalent of USD 350 (Stage 1) and USD 550 (Stage 2) for foreign-trained candidates, and GHS 2,050 for locally-trained candidates. The page is undated. The guidelines say current fees come from the Council Secretariat, so confirm before paying. Fees are non-refundable, but with approval they can be moved once to the next sitting.

Question 10

Can anyone be exempted from the MDC exam?

Accepted Answer

These people may be granted an exemption: specialists holding GCPS, West African Postgraduate College or other recognised postgraduate certificates; practitioners engaged by Ghanaian training schools or GCPS; those applying for temporary registration of three months or less a year; and highly distinguished practitioners, where MDC finds it in the public interest. Doctors who only serve a foreign embassy's staff are exempt from registration altogether. Anyone exempted must still prove English proficiency.

Question 11

I'm a specialist trained abroad. How do I register in Ghana?

Accepted Answer

You take MDC's Specialist Examination, currently an oral exam with a pass mark of 60%, unless you are exempt. MDC's Credentials Committee may review your training and decide whether you are examined at Membership or Fellowship level. Ghanaians who did specialist training abroad must also take this exam. Full details are in MDC's Specialist Register policy, which we haven't reviewed yet.

Question 12

How do I apply for provisional registration?

Accepted Answer

Fill in the form on the MDC online portal, print it, sign it, and submit it in person at the MDC head office or a zonal office (Kumasi, Tamale, Takoradi, Koforidua, Sunyani). You need certified copies of your certificates, a recent formal passport photograph, two reference letters from practitioners with at least 8 years in practice, and the ethics and induction fee. MDC does not accept cash.

Question 13

How long is housemanship, and where can I do it?

Accepted Answer

MDC publishes a list of institutions accredited for housemanship (March 2024), showing which rotations each one offers. GCPS's Membership requirements refer to 'two years of house officer rotations'. None of the MDC documents we have reviewed state how long housemanship lasts, so confirm the duration with MDC.

Question 14

What is the difference between MDC registration and GCPS admission?

Accepted Answer

MDC registration is your licence to practise in Ghana. GCPS admission is entry into specialist (residency) training. They are separate processes, and you need both. GCPS requires MDC registration: full registration in good standing for Ghanaian residents, and MDC registration for foreign residents.

Question 15

Who can apply for GCPS Membership (residency)?

Accepted Answer

You need full MDC registration in good standing, two years of house officer rotations, and one year as a medical officer at an accredited facility in Ghana. You must also pass the GCPS Primary (or an equivalent, or a faculty entrance exam) and an interview. You can apply right after housemanship if you were in the top 10% of your class, or if you are choosing a priority specialty.

Question 16

Can a foreign-trained, non-specialist doctor enter GCPS Membership residency directly?

Accepted Answer

GCPS admits foreign (non-Ghanaian) residents who are fully registered in their country of origin, registered with MDC, and have passed a recognised college's primary exam. The general Membership requirements (two years of house officer rotations and one year as a medical officer 'in the country') are listed without saying whether they apply to foreign residents. Neither list says whether experience abroad counts. The documents do not settle this, so ask GCPS in writing.

Question 17

When is the GCPS Primary exam, and how do I apply?

Accepted Answer

Twice a year. For the March exam, applications open 1 October and close 7 January. For the August exam, they open 1 May and close 28 June. Apply online through the GCPS RIS portal and pay by mobile money.

Question 18

How do I get into GCPS Fellowship training?

Accepted Answer

GCPS Members need one year of post-membership work at an accredited facility in Ghana and full MDC registration, then an interview. Ghanaian specialists trained abroad need MDC specialist registration, an MDC-certified Membership-equivalent qualification, and two years of specialist practice in Ghana. Non-Ghanaian specialists trained abroad apply in writing to the Rector's Office. Fellowship starts in January and July.

Question 19

How much is the GCPS residency fee?

Accepted Answer

The GCPS fees page lists GHS 11,152 for local residents and USD 14,870 for foreign residents. The page is undated, so confirm before paying.

Question 20

Does passing the MDC exam guarantee me a job?

Accepted Answer

No. Passing the exam gives you the legal right to practise in Ghana, but it does not guarantee a job. MDC suggests contacting the Ministry of Health's Human Resources for Health Development directorate about public-sector jobs.

MDC exam, registration & GCPS residency FAQs