If you want to pursue a career in Medicine, the first course that comes to mind of students is the MBBS course. To become a doctor, you must complete an MBBS course; it’s vast and tough, with a good reward. The life of a doctor is not easy because serving people is their prior importance in life.
The doctor’s profession is among the world’s best and most desirable careers. As per the AISHE report, the total number of students enrolled in the MBBS course is 297856 in a year.
We aim to provide all the information related to MBBS courses, from duration, eligibility, entrance exam, subjects, colleges, and scopes.
Let’s begin,
What is MBBS?
The full form of MBBS is Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery. The course structure of MBBS includes in-depth practical knowledge and practice of performing clinical procedures.
During the course, students undergo different training in the wards with the actual patients, which helps them gain hands-on experience and knowledge and develop skills in different hospital cases. Such knowledge and skill give the student insight into how to proceed with the investigation and the possible treatments for that particular patient.
The education is imparted to the students based on the experiences of senior doctors, history, different diagnosis processes, how to examine patients, and the management of patients.
MBBS Course Duration
It is an undergraduate degree program in Medicine and Surgery. The total duration of the MBBS course is 5 ½ years with 4½ years of course study and a compulsory internship of 1 year in various specialities on a rotational basis.
MBBS course eligibility criteria
- Candidates must pass class 12 with Physics, Chemistry and Biology/Biotechnology as major subjects.
- For NEET UG, a minimum of 50% marks (the reserved category has 40%) is required and is taken together in Physics, Chemistry, and Biology/Biotechnology. For all AIIMS, 60 % marks (reserved category 50% marks) are required.
- The students must have completed 17 years of age during the admissions.
National level Exams
Candidates keen to pursue their career as a doctor can apply for any of these entrance exams, which are conducted at the National and University levels in different parts of our country. Below, we have listed the important entrance examinations conducted in India for MBBS.
NEET
National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (NEET) is a single National Level examination organized by the National Testing Agency for admission to MBBS, BDS, Nursing, and Aayush in various Medical Colleges for Undergraduate courses across the country. NEET is one of the popular exams among medical candidates and the number of students enrolled for the exams is more than 20 lakhs.
The total duration of the Entrance Exam is for 3 hours with multiple-choice questions on the subjects of Physics, Chemistry and Biology.
Earlier the AIIMS (All India Institute of Medical Sciences) exam was conducted by the Institute itself. The Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr. Harsh Vardhan declared that there will be no separate Entrance Exams for AIIMS and JIPMER (Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research) from the year 2020. NEET will only be the One Medical Entrance Exam which will facilitate admission to all Medical Colleges, including AIIMS and JIPMER for UG courses for all the aspirants.
Exams replaced by NEET
1. Delhi University
2. BHU PMT
3. Aligarh Muslim University (AMU)
4. CMC (Christian Medical College) Vellore
5. Manipal University
6. Bharti Vidyapeeth Deemed University (BVP)
MBBS Course Syllabus
The syllabus for MBBS is divided into three phases, namely Pre-clinical, Para-Clinical and Clinical. These are the phases with different subjects that are covered during the entire course duration of MBBS.
Here we have listed down the different phases along with the semesters and subjects.
| Phase | Semesters | Subjects |
| Pre- Clinical | Semesters 1 and 2 | Anatomy, Biochemistry and Physiology |
| Para- Clinical | Semesters 3, 4 and 5 | Microbiology, Pharmacology, Pathology, Forensic Medicine, Community Medicine and Clinical postings in wards. |
| Clinical | Semesters 6,7,8 and 9 | Community Medicine, Otorhinolaryngology, Dermatology and Venereology, Ophthalmology, Anaesthesiology, Psychiatry, Surgery, Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Orthopaedics, Paediatrics and Clinical Postings |
Specializations in MBBS
We have listed major specialization areas for Post Graduation which can be pursued after the completion of MBBS.
1. General Medicine
2. General Surgery
3. Neurology
4. Cardiology
5. Nephrology
6. Gynaecology and Obstetrics
7. Paediatrics
8. Ophthalmology
9. Dermatologist
10. Anaesthesiology
11. Orthopaedics
12. Psychiatry
13. Gastroenterology
14. Immunology
15. Pathology
16. Endocrinology
17. Haematology
18. ENT (Ear, Nose and Throat)
Best Medical Colleges in India
The top Medical Colleges in India where one can pursue their MBBS are listed below.
1. All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi
2. Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu
3. Armed Forces Medical College, Pune, Maharashtra
4. Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi
5. King George’s Medical College, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
6. Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu
7. Madras Medical College, Chennai, Tamil Nadu
8. St. John’s Medical College, Bengaluru, Karnataka
9. Institute of Medical Sciences, BHU, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
10. Lady Hardinge Medical College for Women, New Delhi
11. Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Karnataka
12. University College of Medical Sciences, New Delhi
13. Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai, Tamil Nadu
14. Government Medical College and Hospital, Chandigarh
15. Dr. D. Y. Patil Vidyapeeth, Pune, Maharashtra
MBBS course fees in India
Most of the candidates dream of studying in a government college for the reason that these colleges provide quality education to their students. The Government medical colleges have lower fees as compared to the private medical colleges. Therefore, most students prefer pursuing careers at a good government college. Everything about the MBBS course in India, from duration, syllabus, fees and scope.
MBBS fees highly depend on the college where you are pursuing your MBBS. If you are studying at government colleges, the fees could be as low as 5,000 per annum, whereas in private colleges, it could be as high as 18 lakhs per annum.
We have listed fees for some of the top colleges in India:
| University/College | Fees |
| All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi | Rs 5856 per year |
| Christian Medical College, Vellore | Rs 56,000 for the first year and Rs 37,000 for the rest of the year |
| Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham | Rs 18 Lakhs per year |
| Banaras Hindu University | Rs 13,000 per year |
| King George’s Medical University | Rs 54,600 per year |
| Kasturba Medical College, Manipal | Rs 17 lakhs per year |
| St. John’s Medical College | Rs 6,28,000 for the first year and Rs 5,70,000 for the rest of the year |
| Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research | Rs 25 lakhs per year |
| Aligarh Muslim University | Rs 45000 per year |
MBBS doctor’s salary in India
MBBS graduate Doctors earn an average salary of Rs 8 to 12 lakhs per annum whereas in private hospitals it can start from 6 lakhs per annum. The salary of a doctor gradually increases with years of experience.
Like any other field doctors with a specialization and experience will have large demand and get good pay as well. An ophthalmologist with 5 years of income can get 16-20 lakhs per annum and Urologist with 5 years of experience can earn more than 30 lakhs per annum in private hospitals.
You saw the clear difference between an MBBS salary and a specialized doctor’s salary, we always recommend if you can study further you should always think of it. Now we will see all the career options after MBBS.
After MBBS
There are many options for the MBBS graduates. One can become a physician, surgeon, specialist doctor, medical professor/lecturer and research scientist after completing an MBBS.
We have listed a few top career opportunities that will give an individual a fair idea of how to make a better decision. We recommend you check a detailed curated article covering all the career options after MBBS.
1. MD and MS – MD and MS – After completing MBBS, graduates can pursue higher studies by pursuing an MD (Doctor of Medicine) or MS (Master of Surgery). To secure seats, one can apply for NEET PG or college-level exams (INI CET). MS and MD are 3-year degree courses.
Doctor of Medicine (MD) is a non-surgical process where a patient is treated through diagnosis. There are few specializations where surgery may be needed to some extent. MBBS graduates who pursue MD are called physicians, and the profession is best for those not interested in performing surgeries.
The most common specializations in MD are Dermatology, Paediatrics, Cardiology, General medicine, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Orthopaedics and Neurology.
Master of Surgery (MS) is entirely about surgeries. There are various specializations in surgery that an MBBS graduate can choose according to their interests. Being a surgeon is a tough job, requiring hard work, commitment, and passion.
The most common specializations in MS are Orthopaedics, Gynaecology, Cardiology, Urology, Ophthalmology and Paediatrics.
2. Diplomate of National Board (DNB)- It is a 3-year postgraduate master’s degree program offered by the National Board of Examinations, New Delhi, an autonomous academic body under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
The Government of India approves the DNB course as equivalent to postgraduate and postdoctoral qualifications offered by other universities.
The MBBS graduates can apply through NEET PG (National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test for postgraduate courses) and DNB PDCET (Diplomate National Board Common Entrance Test) can be taken by doctors who hold post-diploma degrees along with MBBS. The most common specializations in DNB are Cardiology, Ophthalmology, Paediatrics, Nephrology, Neurology, Haematology, Obstetrics and Gynaecology.
3. Masters in Health Administration (MHA)- It is a 2-year postgraduate degree program in health administration that MBBS graduates can pursue. The course helps the doctors in administering multi-speciality hospitals and clinics. Many hospitals have created a demand for doctors with the MHA course to enhance their hospital functions and services.
4. Clinical Research– According to the changing times, pharmaceutical companies have created a high demand for good clinical researchers in India. Interested MBBS graduates have a great growth prospect in the research and development area. Research opportunities are offered by the Indian Institute of Medical Research (ICMR), Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) and St John’s Research Institute.
The MBBS graduates can pursue higher studies by opting for a PhD program in research and development offered by various renowned institutes such as the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) and Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR).
5. Combined Medical Services– CMS is a good option for medical professionals who want to serve in Central government institutions such as railways, government hospitals and municipal corporations. UPSC conducts the CMS exam for the central and state Government health services, offering the job profile of administering health services.
6. Civil Services– Many MBBS graduates are fascinated with civil services such as IAS, IPS and IFS. Once selected for civil services, the graduates won’t be able to serve the patients. Therefore, one needs to be clear in decision-making whether to pursue civil services or postgraduate in MD/MS in various specializations according to their interests.
Conclusion
If you dream of becoming a doctor, it’s time to chase for it with all the hard work and dedication. The candidates considering an MBBS course must develop an attitude of self-learning and acquire necessary skills throughout their lifetime.
Fees for private colleges are comparatively higher than government colleges in India, which is why many students pursue MBBS courses abroad. If you have pursued an MBBS course abroad, you must qualify for the FMGE exam to practice in India, which the Medical Council of India conducts. There are a few exceptions for the doctors who have studied in the countries of the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, who need not take the FMGE exam to practice in India.
We recommend candidates secure their seats in either state or central government colleges, where they can get quality education at affordable fees. The medical field is competitive, and you should start planning and preparing from today.
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