Nursing program admission quotas to double

Starting next year, all medical universities will open programs in advanced nursing, with admission quotas doubled, and from 2027, quotas will increase by at least 20 percent. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev announced this today, November 10, during a meeting with medical and pharmaceutical workers.

The goal is to raise the share of highly qualified nurses to 10 percent in the near future. Nurses with higher education who work alongside doctors will be appropriately rewarded. Starting next year, salaries for these nurses will include a 100 percent bonus.

At the same time, the system for training mid-level nurses is being reformed. In partnership with the UK-based Pearson company, one technical college in each region has begun training nurses according to international standards. Subsequently, educational programs from countries such as Germany, Switzerland, and the United States will be introduced. This will create a corps of nurses who meet international requirements and are proficient in foreign languages.

’’We are bringing advanced medical equipment and building new clinics. Who will work in them? Of course, the sons and daughters of New Uzbekistan.

Therefore, we must continue reforms in medical education and develop family medicine institutes capable of providing high-quality medical care to all members of a family, regardless of age,’’ the President said.

Starting next academic year, medical universities will launch general medicine faculties at the bachelor's level, including pediatrics and therapeutic specialties. These faculties will also offer residency and master’s programs in family medicine. Students in residency programs will study free of charge while working as family doctors and receiving a salary. Residency graduates will receive a specialized diploma in family medicine and a 150 percent salary bonus.

Additionally, a three-stage system will be introduced to evaluate the quality of medical education. Bachelor-level students will be assessed on their knowledge of fundamental and clinical sciences. Doctors completing residency will take specialty exams, after which they will be registered by the state and granted a license to practice medicine.

It was emphasized that nurses, who spend most of their time with patients and perform procedures, must now be trained not only to carry out simple tasks but also to assist doctors in diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. To achieve this, the Nursing Academy will be placed under the administration of Tashkent State Medical University, forming the basis of a new Higher Professional Medical Academy. Starting next year, the Academy will begin training highly qualified nurses in collaboration with universities in the United States, Germany, and the United Kingdom.