President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on Friday reviewed a set of proposals aimed at reforming how medical and pharmaceutical professionals in Uzbekistan are trained, registered and kept up to date through continuous professional education.
Under the proposals, the country would create a single electronic registry covering all medical and pharmaceutical workers. The registry would be integrated with 16 separate databases, consolidating each specialist's education, qualifications and professional history in one place.
Before being entered into the state registry, specialists would also be required to pass an independent assessment of their theoretical knowledge and practical skills.
The evaluation would proceed in stages, testing fundamental and clinical disciplines first, followed by specialty-specific knowledge. A unified bank of tests and assignments, along with modern simulation facilities, would be established to support the process. Specialists who fail the exam would be given the opportunity to retake it.
Incentives for early registration
The plan also calls for financial incentives to encourage workers to join the new system voluntarily and ahead of schedule.
Physicians and pharmaceutical workers with higher education who pass the exam and are entered into the state registry would be eligible for a bonus of up to five times the minimum wage. Mid-level medical and pharmaceutical staff could receive a bonus of up to 2.5 times the minimum wage.
A dedicated center is also planned to handle state registration and the assessment of specialists' qualifications.
General Medicine to replace Therapeutic Care degree
Significant changes are also planned for medical education. Starting in the 2027-2028 academic year, the current "Therapeutic Care" degree track would be replaced with a six-year "General Medicine" bachelor's program.
Under the new structure, students would complete five years of academic study followed by a full year of hands-on clinical training. Graduates who successfully complete the program would be qualified to work as family doctors.
Admission quotas for medical universities would also be restructured to reflect actual workforce needs and staff shortages in specific regions and healthcare institutions. Training for narrow specialists would gradually shift to residency programs, while master's programs would be reoriented primarily toward preparing research and teaching staff.
Doctors to earn at least 50 credits a year
The proposals also include a new continuous professional education system for medical and pharmaceutical workers, based on a credit-module model.
Under the system, healthcare workers with higher education would be required to earn at least 50 credits per year, while mid-level medical and pharmaceutical staff would need at least 28 credits annually. These credits would later be factored into state registration and the confirmation of professional qualifications.
Specialists would be free to choose their own education provider, program and format of study. Credits could be earned through traditional or distance learning, online courses, on-the-job training, seminars and workshops. The plan also envisions a mechanism for recognizing credits earned through internationally accredited foreign programs and events.
President Mirziyoyev stressed that under the new system, medical education, independent assessment, state registration and continuous professional development must all function as an interconnected whole.
Officials have been instructed to roll out the new procedures in phases, apply international standards broadly, and ensure the reforms translate into better-quality medical care and improved patient safety.
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