In the pursuit to fulfill their ambition to become doctors, each year, lacs of medical aspirants appear in NEET which filters students who qualify to pursue undergraduate medical, dental and other healthcare programs and puts a check on the eligibility of the students who are looking forward to pursuing a career in medicine.
While the majority of NEET candidates want to become doctors, NEET is the gateway for getting admission into other medical programs as well including Dental and AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homoeopathy) Programs. Accordingly, there are three major categories:
- Admission to MBBS College/ University;
- Admission to BDS College/ University; and
- Admission to AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homoeopathy) Medical Programs
But looking at the limitations of seats available and the tough fight for qualifying the cut-off score, students find themselves in a dilemma and if they have enough financial resources, another option is studying medicine abroad. This article walks you through the opportunities and requirements you need to apply for foreign medical colleges.
Foreign Medical Education: MBBS Abroad
Given the acute shortage of medical seats in India, medical education abroad has become a very lucrative option for aspiring doctors in India. Each year, a growing number of students go to foreign countries to chase their dream of becoming a doctor.
Students with substantial financial resources and good scores switch to countries like the USA, Canada, UK, etc. while students with limited financial resources who are looking for quality programs go for medical education in Guyana, Barbados, Russia, China, Ukraine, Bangladesh, and other affordable countries.
Foreign medical universities which are recognized by the Medical Council of India offer an exciting opportunity to pursue medical education abroad at an affordable price.
Exam(s) required to study MBBS abroad
From March 2019, an order passed by the Medical Council of India (MCI) made it mandatory for all Indian students wanting to study MBBS abroad to appear for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET). Candidates should note that the upper limit for appearing for the NEET is 25 years for General candidates and 30 years for SC/ST/OBC candidates.
The NEET score is valid for a period of three years.
So, NEET Exam is required if you want to pursue MBBS abroad.
Candidates wanting to pursue MBBS or medical studies abroad could also be required to appear for an English proficiency test to prove their knowledge of the English language. Depending on the English language requirements of the university, the candidates can opt for TOEFL, IELTS, PTE, or OET.
Also published on Medium.