Medical School News, 24 September 2026: More Seats, Bigger Shortages and New Pathways Worldwide

India: 140,664 MBBS seats confirmed for 2026-27

India's National Medical Commission has updated its seat matrix for the 2026-27 academic year. In total, 140,664 MBBS seats are available across 839 medical colleges. Of these, 127,028 seats were renewed and 13,636 are new. State counselling rounds are still running this week, with Uttar Pradesh holding choice filling for its second round until 24 September.

The expansion is huge. Demand still outpaces it by a wide margin, which is why hundreds of thousands of Indian students look at medical schools abroad every year.

Pakistan: 138,158 candidates sat the MDCAT

In Pakistan, 138,158 candidates sat the 2026 Medical and Dental College Admission Test. The number shows one thing clearly. The dream of becoming a doctor is alive, and the competition for a seat at home is intense.

United States: a shortage of up to 86,000 physicians by 2036

The Association of American Medical Colleges projects that the United States will be short of up to 86,000 physicians by 2036. More than 83 million Americans already live in officially designated Health Professional Shortage Areas. A major bottleneck is residency: in 1997 Congress froze the number of Medicare funded training positions, and that cap still shapes where new doctors can train.

Hawaii gives a local picture. The number of physicians actively caring for patients there rose from 3,038 in 2025 to 3,332 in 2026. Even so, the state had 23% fewer doctors than it needed last year.

Canada: a six-year route from undergraduate to MD

On 23 September 2026 the University of Windsor announced a partnership with the American Canadian School of Medicine. Students complete two years at Windsor and then move into medical education, finishing with a Windsor undergraduate degree and an MD in six years. It is one more sign that universities are building shorter, more direct routes into medicine.

United Kingdom: a new medical school opens in London

St Mary's University in Twickenham, London, welcomes the first cohort of its new School of Medicine this autumn. The General Medical Council confirmed it was assured of the programme's progress before launch. The school describes itself as one of the UK's first socially accountable medical schools, with community placements from year one.

Germany: record numbers, and a rural quota that grows

Bavaria will welcome 2,264 first-year medical students across the 2026/27 winter and 2027 summer semesters, the highest number in its history, and plans 2,700 additional places by 2032/33. North Rhine-Westphalia raised its rural doctor quota to 227 places. Students admitted this way commit to ten years of family practice in an underserved region after specialist training.

France and Morocco: reform and expansion

France will replace its PASS and LAS entry system with a single first year for all health programmes from September 2027. Morocco offered 7,340 places in medicine, pharmacy and dentistry across 12 institutions for 2026-27 and is shortening its general medicine degree from seven to six years.

What this means for you

Every country in this roundup is doing the same thing. It is adding seats because it does not have enough doctors. The World Health Organization projects a shortfall of 11 million health workers worldwide by 2030. If you want to become a doctor, the world needs you.

Home systems remain crowded, though, and waiting several years for a place at home is a real cost. English-taught medical programmes at European universities offer a direct route with an internationally recognised degree. Which university fits your profile and budget is something we check individually in a free consultation. Book your free consultation.