Every year lakhs of Indian students appear for medical entrance exams to get an MBBS seat in Indian medical colleges.

Competition is strenuous and less than 5% of students of students get an opportunity to study MBBS in India. the main reason being MBBS seats are very less as compared to the number of aspirants.

Hence many Indian students travel abroad to study MBBS. We are sharing below some common myths and facts for you to understand before you make a decision whether or not to study MBBS abroad.

Myth:Foreign Medical Graduates are not given importance in India

Fact:

MBBS is a graduate medical program. After completion of MBBS from India or abroad, most of the doctors immediately start applying for Post Graduate programs. So, even after completing MBBS from abroad, foreign medical graduates are eligible to apply for PG entrance exams or even practice in India based on their qualification with a condition that they pass a screening exam conducted by the Medical Council of India (MCI).

There is no screening exam required to practice in India if candidate has passed his medical course from USA, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand.

They can apply for government jobs, apply at private hospitals and even have their own private practice. They get equal opportunities like any other doctor who has qualified from India.

Myth: MCI screening is impossible to clear in the first attempt.

Fact:

MCI screening test was introduced to test the knowledge of a doctor who has graduated from a foreign university. There are three papers of multiple choice questions in Pre-Clinical, ParaClinical and Clinical Medicine and its allied subjects including Obstetrics and Gynaecology. The language of the test shall be English. The test for each paper will be of three hours duration. The criteria to pass the exam is to score 50% in each paper.

As of now there is no restriction to number of attempts for this exam. If a doctor has studied MBBS from a good university abroad, has good knowledge about his craft, then to score 50% in this test is possible in the first attempt as well. It can be challenging but not impossible. If not in the first attempt, then subsequent attempts should do the trick.

Now the Health Ministry of Indian Medical Council are in process of implementing an exit exam known as NEXT (National Exit Test) which will be a common licensure exam for all medical graduates be it from India or abroad. License for practice in India will be provided only if they clear this exam.

Myth: It is expensive to study MBBS abroad.

Fact:

If an Indian student is planning to study MBBS in countries like USA, UK, CANADA, Australia, New Zealand then this statement holds true. To pursue MBBS in these countries is not easy as students do not get admission to medical program directly after 12th. They need to first clear pre medical program of almost 3 years. Then they need to appear for entrance test like MCAT in USA, to get a seat in medical program. It is a long, time consuming and expensive affair.

Indian students and many students from Europe as well go to countries like RUSSIA, UKRAINE, PHILIPPINES, CHINA to pursue medicine. MBBS in countries like RUSSIA is affordable as Indian students get to study in government medical universities where government funds the university. Tuition fee for MBBS in RUSSIA can start from Rs. 2,00,000 per year.

Important points to remember:

Studying MBBS in RUSSIA, UKRAINE, PHILIPPINES, CHINA is a good solution to the existing situation in India. Though it is extremely important to choose only reputed universities in these countries to ensure you get access to excellent education in English medium.

Do not focus on cheap universities. Select a university which can offer you quality education at affordable cost.

Also ensure that the university is listed with the Medical Council of India (MCI). Before leaving the country, register yourself with MCI to get their eligibility certificate.