The government is preparing to introduce sweeping changes to the training of medical students and other health professionals, including a new requirement for trainees to complete internship before they can graduate, as well as a pre-internship assessment.
The reforms are contained in the proposed National Education and Training for Health Policy, which seeks to overhaul how health workers are trained, improve standards in medical education, and ensure graduates are better prepared for clinical work.
State Minister for Education Joyce Moriku Kaducu said the policy was developed through collaboration across ministries and will be backed by a National Internship Management Framework designed to streamline the internship process.
Under the proposed framework, trainees will first sit a pre-internship examination before being deployed. The system will also define how interns are selected, posted, supervised, and how training sites are approved.
Officials say the assessment will create a uniform standard, ensuring that all trainees meet minimum competence levels regardless of the institutions where they studied.
Rony Bahatungire, the Commissioner for Clinical Services at the Ministry of Health, noted that universities will no longer be allowed to graduate medical students before they complete their internship.
He explained that the overall duration of training will remain the same, but the sequencing will change so that graduation comes after internship.
Previously, students graduated midway through their internship year. Under the new system, they will only receive their degrees after completing the full internship period. Bahatungire said the goal is to produce more clinically competent professionals ready for deployment.
Despite the intended benefits, the proposal has generated significant debate within the medical community, particularly the requirement to delay graduation until after internship.
Jacob Mwandha, who represents medical interns, argued that the policy does not take into account graduates who choose career paths outside clinical practice, such as research or public health. He said making internship mandatory before graduation may not be relevant for all.
Mwandha also raised concerns that the move could be used to reclassify interns as students, potentially affecting their allowances.
He further questioned the logic of the reforms, pointing out that while authorities have expressed concern about the quality of graduates, they still intend to rely on the same universities to oversee internship training.
Opposition was also voiced by Alon Nahabwe, Secretary General of the Uganda Medical Association, who warned that merging internship with undergraduate training could disrupt both medical education and professional licensing systems.
Nahabwe cautioned that the policy could worsen existing delays in internship placements and increase financial strain on families due to the already high cost of medical education.
He stressed that internship is a form of national service rather than an academic year, noting that interns already handle substantial clinical responsibilities.
He added that redefining interns as students could create uncertainty around licensing, since they currently operate under provisional licenses that allow them to treat patients.
As an alternative, Nahabwe suggested strengthening admission standards for medical schools, enforcing uniform training benchmarks, and introducing a national qualifying examination for all graduates.
He also called for improvements in internship conditions, including increasing the number of accredited training sites, addressing the shortage of specialists, enhancing allowances, and providing better accommodation for interns.
Beyond the internship issue, the policy also targets broader challenges such as outdated curricula, inconsistent admission criteria, and variations in examination standards across institutions.
Government officials say the reforms are intended to create a more coordinated system that can produce a skilled and sufficient health workforce to meet the country’s needs.
According to Safinah Kisu Musene, Commissioner for Health Education and Training, the policy and its implementation guidelines will be officially launched on April 30, 2026, at the Source of the Nile Hotel.
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