President Mirziyoyev has signed the Steps to fundamentally improve the system of training in medicine and pharmaceuticals Decree, the Legal Information Telegram channel reported.

Under the decree, starting with the 2027-2028 academic year, the parameters of the state-funded enrollment quota for medical undergraduate programs will be approved by the Ministry of Health. The Center for the Analysis of Public Health will serve as the lead body responsible for assessing current and future personnel needs in the sector.

Enrollment figures will be set based on the needs of individual provinces, the requirements of medical institutions, and demand for specialists across different fields.

New 5+1 scheme

A six-year general medicine undergraduate program will be introduced, structured as "5+1" and built on the existing general practice track. Under this model, final-year students will complete a full year of hands-on clinical practice.

In addition:

• Graduates of the general medicine undergraduate program will be qualified as general practitioners and will be able to work as family doctors under established procedures.
• Across all undergraduate medical programs, a system will be implemented requiring final-year students to complete a full academic year of practical training.
• Medical universities will be affiliated with dental clinics to provide practical training for students in dentistry programs.

According to the decree, training for specialists in narrow medical fields will shift, in stages, from clinical postgraduate study (ordinatura) to residency programs of varying length, built on international standards.

• Residency training for specialists will be carried out at state medical education institutions, funded through state grants.
• Starting with the 2026-2027 academic year, a residency track in family medicine will also be established, with graduates qualifying as family doctors.

Starting with the 2027-2028 academic year, all training for specialists in narrow fields will be conducted exclusively through residency programs, and admission to clinical postgraduate study (ordinatura) will be discontinued.

Funds freed up by reducing the state-funded quota for graduate degree admissions will be redirected to finance the residency system.

Students admitted to residency programs on state grants will receive a stipend from the state budget equal to 2.15 times the minimum wage. Those who successfully complete the program will receive a state-issued diploma corresponding to Level 7 of the National Qualifications Framework, in line with international standard classifications.

No more graduate programs for sub-specialized programs

Starting with the 2027-2028 academic year, primary and supplementary training for specialists in narrow medical fields will be carried out exclusively through residency programs. Accordingly, graduate degree programs will no longer be used to train narrow-field specialists in medicine; instead, they will focus on preparing academic, teaching and management personnel. Up to 20 percent of graduate degree slots will nonetheless be retained for currently active specializations.

In addition:

• Graduate degree programs will be open to applicants who hold a higher education degree in a related field, even if they lack specialized training in medicine.
• Students in the family medicine residency track will be trained at family clinics affiliated by the Ministry of Health with medical universities. Under this arrangement, medical services will be provided to the public jointly by university faculty and residents, allowing students to study and gain practical experience simultaneously.
• Private medical and educational institutions will be permitted to establish their own residency programs, funded independently, based on demand for specialists in narrow fields.