Studying medicine is a dream for many students and pursuing MBBS abroad for Indian students is no less than a golden opportunity. A report presented, “it is roughly estimated that 45-50 thousand students every year move abroad to study medicine.” No doubt the tuition fee is a factor, and the main reason is the demand-supply gap in medical seats in India. These days, studying MBBS abroad is more advantageous than studying in India.

Pranay Mishra, the Director and CEO of Education Vibes, a trusted study abroad consultancy has shared some vital points of studying medicine in foreign countries, like Russia, Georgia, Philippines, Kazakhstan or Kyrgyzstan, and explained other important things that would be helpful for Indian students for choosing the best country and college abroad.

Mishra has explained better ROI is one of the most important things for which Indian medical aspirants are choosing MBBS in foreign countries. The cost of studying includes the VISA fee and accommodation in countries like Russia, Georgia or Kazakhstan is comparatively less than the fee charged in any private medical school in India. High standard medical education, clinical training, globally recognised degree, infrastructure and all new medical facilities are some of the reasons Indian students are attracted to MBBS abroad.

Currently, there are 106333 total medical seats in India, out of which 55468 seats are for government medical colleges and 50685 for the private medical colleges. The total number of candidates registered for NEET 2023 was 2087462, where appeared for the exam was 2038596, and the number of candidates qualified was 1145976.

When it comes to the fees, the private medical schools in India charge exorbitantly high tuition fees. It has been found that if a student studies MBBS from a private medical school in India, he/she would have to spend 75 lakh INR or even more. Whereas, if he/she pursues MBBS in Russia at Bashkir State Medical University, Orel State University, Samara State Medical University, Kabardino Balkarian State University and Yaroslav-the-Wise Novgorod State University, it will be between 14-30 lakh INR.

On the other hand, you can pursue MBBS in Russia, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan, to name a few, are approved and recognised by NMC (National Medical Commission) and WHO (World Health Organization), so the degree is globally recognised. After completing MBBS from the “mentioned” countries, students can practise in India, clearing the FMGE/NeXT. One doesn’t need to have a high NEET score, just NEET qualification is required to get admission.

Mishra has also added, Education Vibes has a tie-up with many renowned coaching classes in India which provide the FMGE/NeXT exam online classes to abroad students from 2nd year to medical degree.

Here are the latest guidelines brought out by the NMC to medical aspirants:

* NMC has cut 9 chapters from chemistry and 6 chapters from biology, and added some sub-topics.

* NEET will be conducted for a total of 720 marks, of which 360 are for biology, 180 for physics and 180 for chemistry.

* The new NMC rule states that students pursuing Physics, Chemistry, Biology, or Biotechnology along with English.

* The scores in Physics, Chemistry, and Biology individually will be taken into consideration in that order.

* The commission also introduces the reduction in the maximum duration of completion of the MBBS course from 10 years to 9 years.

* According to the newly-notified GMER, to be eligible to apply for the NEET UG, candidates must have completed the age of 17, on or before January 31 of the year of admission. Previously, the deadline for calculating the minimum eligibility age was December 31 of the admission year.

Let’s close by saying Indian students need to evaluate the options for studying MBBS abroad carefully, at the same time considering their career goals, monetary resources, language proficiency as well as cultural adaptability before moving, and for that matter an MBBS abroad consultant can be the best help. It is, therefore, advisable to research properly, like the medical universities, tuition fees, student VISA and all, and consult with a veteran study abroad professional to make an informed decision.