KUALA LUMPUR, May 6 — Newcastle University acknowledged today that medical graduates from its Malaysian campus have been placed on lower priority for training in the United Kingdom than UK graduates.
Prof Quentin Anstee, pro-vice chancellor of Newcastle University’s faculty of medical sciences, noted that the UK government’s “recent” changes to medical training prioritisation in the UK prioritise graduates who undertook the majority of their training in the UK for training posts in the National Health Service (NHS).
“Like many other medical graduates that trained outside the UK, our Newcastle University Medicine Malaysia (NUMed) graduates have been placed on a reserve list and, while this reflects a change in prioritisation, they still retain an opportunity to be allocated a training post,” said Anstee in a statement posted on NUMed’s Facebook page today, which limited comments on the post.
“The allocation process is ongoing and so it is premature to assume that NUMed graduates will not be allocated NHS training posts in the UK.”
Newcastle University’s statement today was issued two whole months after the UK’s Medical Training (Prioritisation) Act 2026 became law on March 5 after receiving royal assent.
In an op-ed published by Free Malaysia Today last Monday, economist Prof Geoffrey Williams wrote about how the UK’s new law has left nearly 850 medical students at NUMed in limbo, saying training posts in the UK are now reserved exclusively for students who completed their studies in that country.
He added that NUMed, with its campus in Iskandar Puteri, Johor, has 107 students in its current graduating cohort and 750 following them.
According to an explainer by the British Medical Association (BMA), the Medical Training (Prioritisation) Act affects recruitment into specialty training and the foundation programme across the UK, as the UK now prioritises UK medical graduates over international medical graduates.
For foundation programme places starting this year, the prioritised group includes those with a primary medical qualification from medical schools in the UK or the Republic of Ireland, as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland.
For specialty training places (core and higher) starting in 2026, the prioritised group includes those with a primary medical qualification from medical schools in those countries listed above, as well as any doctor who has completed or is currently on the relevant qualifying UK training programme.
“We have consistently been clear that access to postgraduate training is not guaranteed. However, we fully acknowledge that the ability of many graduates to progress into the UK Foundation Programme in recent years has understandably shaped student expectations,” said Anstee.
“Our immediate priority is to support our students by helping them explore all available options, including alternative routes to General Medical Council (GMC) registration, such as a housemanship which is currently only available to Malaysian students, alongside providing information on international medical career pathways and dedicated career events.”
Newcastle University claimed that the MBBS degree awarded by NUMed remained a GMC “accredited” primary medical qualification.
“It continues to be recognised as a high-quality UK medical degree, enabling graduates to pursue medical registration and training opportunities in a wide range of countries. NUMed graduates have a strong track record of progressing into successful medical careers across the UK and globally, and we remain fully committed to supporting our current students to achieve the same outcomes,” said Anstee.
NUMed’s website still touts “your UK-certified medical future, right here in Malaysia”, claiming to provide Malaysia’s “first and only MBBS degree recognised in the UK”.
NUMed Says 103 Graduates Placed On ‘Reserve List’
In a separate statement, NUMed confirmed that all 103 of its graduates who applied for the 2026 UK Foundation Programme cycle were placed on the “reserve” list despite holding a GMC-accredited UK qualification and meeting all academic and regulatory standards.
NUMed said it has established regular communication with students and their families through town halls, detailed email briefings, and individual academic mentoring.
A dedicated Careers Day by the UK university’s Malaysian campus will be held on May 8, featuring speakers on the US Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE), Australian medical licensing, career opportunities in the pharmaceutical sector, the Malaysian Armed Forces Medical Corps, and other pathways.
Additional wellbeing support has also been introduced in response to heightened anxiety among the student community.
“NUMed is actively supporting students to explore all available options, including alternative pathways to General Medical Council (GMC) registration, as well as providing information on international medical careers and dedicated careers events,” said Prof Dennis Wong, Regional Provost and Group CEO (East and Southeast Asia).
Newcastle University has been engaging with the British High Commission in Malaysia, the British Council, the UK Department for Business and Trade, and the Medical Schools Council since January.
“Newcastle is collaborating with other affected transnational education institutions to present a coordinated position and has engaged directly with UK Members of Parliament, members of the House of Lords, and relevant government officials,” said NUMed in its statement.
Editor’s note: This article was updated with NUMed’s statement.
Correction note: CodeBlue earlier mistakenly reported that NUMed’s home page used MMC’s logo to describe the GMC. The website shows both GMC and MMC logos.
