There are numerous ways to attain the title “DOCTOR.” After earning a Ph.D. in a specific discipline, one can receive it. It can be obtained by finishing medical programs like MBBS and BDS. It can also be acquired through various courses, including BPT, BHMS, BAMS, and other pertinent courses. Many students dream of becoming a doctor in India when they grow up. We will be discussing more about medical doctors in this article.
A student who aspires to become a doctor must put in a lot of effort and pursue their studies with a strong work ethic. It all begins with the planning and preparation, which shall start early, and focusing on the aim is a must. Individual doctors have a higher responsibility to society, and it is undoubtedly a prominent job that pays well, but choosing it demands some work.
Selecting a medical job requires a tight routine and discipline, especially becoming a doctor. Both sharpness and a swift learning curve are required from students. Indeed, the doctor’s voyage is not one of luxury or a stroll down the Silk Road.
Therefore, if you’re a student in India trying to figure out how to become a doctor in India? Then this article is for you!
About a Doctor
A person with the training and credentials to practice medicine to support the preservation or restoration of bodily and mental health is referred to as a doctor, sometimes known as a physician or medical practitioner. They communicate with patients, identify their medical issues, and treat their illnesses or wounds effectively. A doctor is a general phrase that refers to many different subfields and specializations. People can become general practitioners or specialize in one or two areas.
Tasks and Duties of a Doctor:
A doctor’s primary duty is to provide patients with medical care. They employ various techniques to treat illnesses, diseases, and allergies, including medicine, immunotherapy, and avoidance of triggers. A specialized physician may frequently be needed to operate on patients. They might also manage or get rid of internal organ tumors.
A doctor (or physician) is a qualified medical practitioner who oversees healthcare and associated facilities. In addition to seeing patients at hospitals, ERs, labs, and other institutions, doctors also practice independently. The following are some of the fundamental duties of a doctor.
- They enquire after and evaluate the patient’s worries. Doctors also interrogate patients and inquire about the different symptoms or concerns they are experiencing.
- Prognosis-making by doctors typically involves informed assumptions or even physical examinations.
- Following prognosis, doctors determine what the patient has wrong with them and diagnose them appropriately.
Area of Expertise:
These are a handful of the more well-liked specializations for a doctor from the many options available.
- Dermatologist
- Dentist
- Gynecologist
- Medical Analyst
- Anesthesiologist
- Pathologist
- Physician
- Researcher
- Radiologist
- Neurologist
- Surgeon
- Forensic Officer
- Pediatrician
Steps on how to become a doctor in India
The dream of many students is to become doctors. Candidates who become doctors can lead a respectable personal and professional life, helping many people while earning a good living. Planning and preparation must begin very early in a person’s life if they want to practice medicine in India after finishing class ten. The path to becoming a doctor is outlined below.
Finish Higher Secondary Education: those must successfully finish their higher secondary education (10+2) in Physics, Chemistry, and Biology/Biotechnology with a minimum grade of 50% (or 40% for those in the reserved category). English is the primary topic they are required to study.
Participate in the NEET UG Exam and INI CET: The NEET UG is the popular entrance exam that applicants must take and pass to be considered for admission to the best medical schools in India. Most medical colleges accept the National Eligibility and Entrance Test Undergraduate (NEET-UG) for admissions purposes. AIIMS conducts the INI CET exam that students need to qualify to get admission to AIIMS.
Apply for Admission: Once you have cleared any one of the entrance exams, you can apply to get admission to a medical college and pursue an MBBS course. Also, you must have completed 17 years of age at the entrance.
Complete the Course: To become a doctor, you must complete the MBBS course. It is a five-and-a-half-year course, including one year of internship. During your MBBS program, you will learn the basics of pre and para-clinical subjects such as biochemistry, physiology, anatomy, microbiology, pathology, and forensic medicine, including toxicology and pharmacology.
Consider a Medical Internship: Candidates must typically complete a one-year mandatory internship to be considered for the MBBS degree. You can work with actual patients while supervised by experienced medical professionals during your training in the wards and outpatient clinics.
Get Listed in the Indian Medical Register: You must register with one of the state medical councils in India to begin practicing medicine there.
After MBBS, you are designated as a doctor, and it’s not mandatory to study further, the career has just begun you can pursue Master’s courses such as MD, MS, and DNB in a specific specialization. After the Master’s, super specialty courses can be pursued, such as DM(doctorate of medicine) and MCH (Master of Chirurgiae) or DrNB.
Eligibility to Become a doctor in India
A degree in medicine, such as an MBBS, is a prerequisite for all other qualifications. In addition to MBBS, there are also BDS (Dentistry), BAMS (Ayurveda), BHMS (Homoeopathy), BSMS (Siddha), and BUMS (Unani) programs.
A minimum mark of 50% is required for students to complete their 12th grade in Physics, Chemistry, and Biology.
To enroll in MBBS programs, students must pass the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test, also known as NEET UG.
Different Courses that a doctor can pursue
Medical and Surgical Bachelor’s Degree (MBBS)
A typical medical graduate degree for becoming a doctor is the Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS). Almost every candidate has considered medical programs; when they do, MBBS is usually their first choice. It is a hybrid of the two professional medical and surgical degrees offered by the nation’s public and private universities. Basic, pre-, and Paramedical disciplines are included in this 5.5-year program. Students have five and a half years to finish a 12-month mandatory rotatory internship that includes working in hospitals.
Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS)
Bachelor of Dental Surgery(BDS) is a five-year undergraduate course that trains students to become dentists who take care of teeth, gums, and mouth. It is a 5-year undergraduate course including one year of compulsory internship. The minimum eligibility of 10+2 passed with at least 50% marks in physics, chemistry, and biology.
Students have to qualify entrance exam that is NEET UG to get admission to colleges. After completing BDS, students can pursue higher studies like MDS (Master of Dental Surgery) or PG Diploma in various dental specializations.
Master of Surgery (MS)
Before continuing their MS degree courses, students must earn their MBBS degree because the MS (Master of Surgery) is a postgraduate degree. A three-year postgraduate medical program called the Master of Surgery is intended for candidates with extensive knowledge and expertise in surgery. Candidates seeking an MS degree will learn about high-quality medical practices and advance the cause of science and medicine through in-depth training and research.
Doctor of Medicine (MD)
After earning an MBBS degree, candidates might pursue an MD (Doctor of Medicine) degree. Experts strongly advise students to pursue a Doctor of Medicine or MD degree for specialization after graduation if they want to flourish in the medical industry. These specialties include general medicine, cardiology, nephrology, neurology anatomy, and radiotherapy. An MD degree takes three years to complete.
Diplomate of National Board (DNB)
The DNB degree is regarded as equal to the MD and MS degrees. Aspirants must pass the National Board of Examinations (NBE) NEET PG entrance exam to enroll in DNB programs. The DNB program lasts three years and involves post-MBBS resident training in teaching hospitals approved by the board. In 29 broad specialties, NBE confers the Diplomate of National Board. Doctors who completed a PG Diploma course of 2 years in a particular specialty can undergo a 2 years Post Diploma DNB, after qualifying PD CET exam. DNB holders can find work as specialists or instructors in any medical or educational setting.
Doctorate Of National Board (DrNB)
Doctorate of National Board or DrNB is a super specialty degree, and it is for doctors who want to gain expertise in a particular discipline. It can be pursued after MBBS, where the course duration is 6 years with 4 super specialty disciplines. After completing the master’s (MD/MS/DNB), the course duration is 3 years with 27 super specialty disciplines.
The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) administers both the course and NEET SS and NEET PG are the two entrance exams conducted to admit doctors in DrNB and DNB, respectively.
Master in Dental Surgery (MDS)
A Master’s in Dental Surgery is a postgraduate degree for dentists to become more knowledgeable in the surgical aspects of dentistry. It is a 3-year degree with a minimum eligibility of BDS from a recognized institute and university.
The degree is designed to impart knowledge on advanced clinical practice, and research in any particular dental specialties that can be seen below
- Prosthodontics
- Conservative Dentistry & Endodontics
- Orthodontics
- Periodontology
- Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery
- Oral Pathology & Microbiology
- Paedodontics & Preventive Dentistry
- Oral Medicine & Radiology
- Public Health Dentistry
Doctor of Medicine (DM)
Doctor of Medicine (DM) is a three-year super-specialty advanced program pursued by doctors who want to continue their education and seek a career in the research of their particular discipline. The candidates should have a postgraduate degree because this is a doctorate.
A candidate can enroll in DM courses only after completing a master’s in medical science, mostly after MD and DNB. National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences conducts the NEET-SS entrance test, and the merit in the qualifying exam will lead to admission to the program.
Master of Chirurgiae (MCh)
A derived Latin designation for general surgery is MCh, or Master of Chirurgiae. Medical practitioners who work in surgical sciences would like to hold this degree. Like DM, MCh is an advanced course in the medical field, and the minimum eligibility is a master’s, which could be MS or DNB.
MCh is a 3-year super Specialty course that requires sophisticated surgical knowledge and a technical grasp of challenging techniques used in several surgical specialties. To enrol on the course, doctors must qualify for the NEET SS entrance exam conducted by the National Board of Examinations.
Admission Process and Entrance Exams
Admission Process
- In India, applying to medical school is a systematic process. The steps to become a doctor in India are summarized below:
- Online Registration: Begin by registering online using a valid email address, phone number, and birthdate on the official website.
- Document Submission: Upload every file needed to finish the application form.
- Fee Payment: Paying the required payments will confirm your application.
- Admit Card Download: Download the admit card from the official website a few days before the NEET exam.
- Appear in entrance exam: Show up for the exam on the date given on the admit card.
- Counselling Process: You will be chosen for the counselling procedure based on your NEET scores.
- Allocation for colleges: Accept the college recommended to you based on your score, and finish the admissions process by paying the costs.
Entrance Exams
Medical aspirants who dream of becoming a doctor in India must qualify for entrance exams at different levels, from graduate, master, and super specialty. Below is the list of different National-level and institute-level entrance exams in India.
| Name of Exam | Courses Offered | Conducting Body |
| National-Level | ||
| NEET | MBBS, BDS, AYUSH | National Testing Agency (NTA) |
| NEET PG | MD/MS/PG Diploma/DNB post-MBBS | National Board of Examinations (NBE) |
| NEET MDS | MDS/PG Diploma (Dental) | NBE |
| FMGE | Licensing Examination | NBE |
| DNB PDCET | DNB | NBE |
| NEET SS | DM, MCh | NBE |
| FET | FNB | NBE |
| Institute-Level | ||
| INI CET | MD, MS, DM(6 years), M.Ch(6 years), MDS | All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi |
| AIIMS INI SS | DM, MCh, MD(Hospital Administration) | All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi |
Jobs, Salaries, scopes after becoming a doctor in India
Salary
Although the medical field is highly competitive, it is one of the top-paying professions in India. The earning potential of a doctor and their specialization, education, location, and place of employment all affect their pay.
A doctor’s salary in India varies with an education. MBBS doctors in government hospitals have an average compensation of Rs. 80000-100000. Cash incentives, commissions, and other forms of extra payment are available. These salaries in the medical field increase with qualification, expertise in a particular specialty, and experience.
Scope
Most doctors have the choice to work in hospitals. Candidates can work outside of hospitals, nevertheless. Specialized doctors will always have a wider scope, be in high demand, and have good salaries compared to MBBS doctors. The list below includes a few of the industries that are currently thriving.
Indian Railways: You must pass the UPSC Combined Medical Services (CMSE) exam if you want to work for the Indian Railways after receiving your MBBS. The officers of this service are responsible for providing complete medical treatment to active railway employees, retired railway employees, and their dependents, as well as other categories of employees, such as vendors, contractors, and authorized porters.
Armed Forces: You can train and practice military medicine as a Navy doctor while providing medical care for service members and their families in peace and war.
Private hospitals/Nursing Homes: These medical professionals do routine assessments and care for residents in hospitals or nursing homes. Most medical professionals have had additional training in nursing home care and are internists or primary care doctors. These professionals meet with patients and discuss their health, treatments, and drug alternatives.
Government Sector: MBBS graduates can find a variety of government positions in the fields of teaching and PSU’s. Candidates must be intensely motivated, aspirational, and diligent to succeed in the public sector because hiring in the Indian government’s medical industry is highly competitive.
Conclusion
Finally, you must know the time commitment, qualifications, and educational requirements to become a doctor in India. Those who want to pursue careers in medicine must work hard and diligently, and this work must begin early in life.
Now, you should not have any uncertainties about how to become a doctor in India; we are always there to answer your questions.
If you have an interest in the medical field, then check out our other content deliberately written for medical aspirants.
