5 Key Requirements You Must Know before Studying MBBS Abroad

Key Requirements Must Know to study MBBS abroad for Indian Students

All the medical courses offered in foreign countries are not the same as the MBBS in India. The learning modules, duration, and courses offered vary by country and its educational system. It is advised to visit the official website of their selected college to ensure all the details, like duration, structure and mode of instruction, are the same as marketed. Here are the 5 Key requirements You Must Know before studying MBBS abroad.

1. Ensure that the course is equivalent to MBBS

Medical courses offered in foreign countries are different from the typical MBBS course offered in Indian universities and colleges. Countries like Australia, the Philippines and Canada require a pre-graduate course after 12th grade before they become eligible for their medical programs, and other countries offer an MD course (some don’t require a pre-medical course), which is equivalent to MBBS.

Here is a detailed structure of the medical courses offered, with duration.

• All the MD courses in foreign countries are considered post-graduate degrees

• According to the National Medical Commission rules, a standard medical course should have at least 4.5 years (54 months) of teaching, excluding the pre-medical course. NMC does not validate pre-medical courses, so any medical course less than 54 months of duration is invalid.

• The student must complete their internship in the college from which they obtained their graduation degree. The duration of the internship must be 12 months.

• The entire medical course should be completed in 10 years from the date of enrollment, including the internship.

• The student must complete the full course (54 months + 12 months) in the same University where they enrolled. No immigration is allowed from one college to another.

• Indian students studying MBBS abroad must be able to obtain a practising license in the country of their study.

Also read -

• NMC guidelines for MBBS abroad

• What is the 54-month rule for abroad medical courses

2. English Taught MBBS Course

According to the updated National Medical Commission rules, only students who have English as their primary medium of instruction are eligible to practice in India. Other than them, students who pursue their medical course in any other language are not eligible to practice in India. This has been made mandatory by the National Medical Commission of India for Indian students studying MBBS abroad. This is to match the standards of foreign courses with Indian clinical practices.

Here are a few points to consider while selecting Enligh-taught medical courses:

• False information from websites and travel agents might deceive the applicants into believing that colleges offer English-taught courses. Please check the official website of the college or university to ensure that the offered course is English-taught.

• The selected college or university must be accredited by the World Directory of Medical Schools (WDOMS) to be considered credible.

• All the modules and subjects in the course must use English as a primary medium of instruction.

• Prepare for the language proficiency test beforehand, which the college or university is asking for.

Also read -

• MBBS Abroad without NEET

3. Eligibility Criteria to Study MBBS Abroad:

Age limit:

• Indian students studying MBBS abroad must be 17 years old at the time of admission.

• There is no upper age limit for admission to medical courses abroad

Academics:

• The candidate should have at least 50% aggregate in Physics, Chemistry and Biology. (Countries like China require math as well)

• A valid NEET score is required for candidates who intend to return to India for practice after their graduation.

• An English proficiency test, such as IELTS or TOEFL, is required to demonstrate language proficiency. Some universities exempt students from this requirement if they score well in their 12th-grade English subject.

Also read - Study MBBS in China

Entrance Exam:

Countries have entrance exams to test students’ ability in physics, chemistry and biology. These tests also assess the candidate’s logical reasoning and subject matter.

IMAT: International Medical Admission Test is an exam conducted by the Educational Ministry of Italy for students who are planning to pursue a medical course

MCAT: Medical College Admission Test is conducted in the USA and Canada. All the students need to clear their pre-medical course to appear for this exam

NMAT: National Medical Admission Test is conducted in the Philippines after completing a pre-medical course for admission to the MD course.

UCAT: Universal Clinical Aptitude Test is a test conducted in both the UK and Australia to test candidates’ efficiency after their pre-medical course for admission to medical colleges.

CSCA: China Scholastic Competency Assessment is a test conducted in China by the Educational Ministry of China to evaluate students’ background knowledge in maths, biology, physics and chemistry.

TMS & TestAS: Test for Medical Studies and Test for Academic Studies are the tests for students who intend to pursue a medical course in Germany. TMS is for the medical course, while TestAS is for every student to assess general and subject-related abilities.

Also read - MBBS abroad eligibility criteria and admission requirements.

4. Documents Required to Study MBBS Abroad:

Passport: an approved proof of identity is mandatory for students travelling overseas to study medical courses. It needs to be obtained beforehand to avoid hassle.

Academic Transcripts: official transcripts from the school are needed to apply to foreign universities. Both the original and the notarised copies in the foreign language are required.

LORs: A minimum of 2 Letters of recommendation are required for students. They may need to either upload it to the website portal by themselves or request their professors to upload it.

Acceptance Letter: The letter issued by the university is needed as proof of acceptance to the course. This also supports VISA approval, as an official approval requires proof from the university.

Medical Reports: Medical reports of the candidate are required to assess their overall health condition. Countries often check a person’s health for diseases like HIV, AIDS, and other impairments.

Income certificate: This is essential for students who are self-funded. Universities check parents' income to support students with financial aid or scholarships. Also, a few countries consider this certificate as proof of substantial income to allow students to stay for the course duration.

NOC: No Objection Certificate is issued by the police department of the candidate’s respective state to confirm that the applicant is not involved in any criminal activities during their residence in their home country.

Domicile certificate: This is to verify the applicant’s permanent residence in their home country. Moreover, the residence should be at least 10 years old to confirm the candidate’s nationality.

Guardian Attestation: A guarantee letter from the guardian is needed for students below 18 years of age. The guardian should take care of the student in times of emergency, including financial assistance and residential requirements. In countries like China, the guardian should be a citizen of the country and should be financially able to support the student.

5. Obtaining the license to practice after MBBS in Abroad

This is one of the most crucial stages for students who graduated from foreign universities. Students who intend to practice either in a foreign or their home country need to comply with these requirements.

In the country of graduation:

In most countries, clearing an exam is mandatory to enable students to practice. Most of these countries conduct exams in their local language, which is difficult to pass. Therefore, choosing countries that don’t require an exam to obtain a license or where the exam is in English is preferred.

According to the National Medical Commission, obtaining a license in the country of study is necessary to obtain a license in the home country.

To Practise in India:

NEET score: The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test score is required to apply for a license in India. The score is used to get an eligibility certificate to apply for the NExT exam.

NExT: National Exit Test is an exam that replaced FMGE. After clearing this exam, the candidate can register with NMC to practice in India.

License in the country of Study: According to the NMC, the candidate who is eligible to practice in the country of their study is eligible to practice in India. Without an abroad practice license, the candidate cannot practice in India.

CRMI: CRMI stands for compulsory rotational medical internship. This is for graduates who completed their entire course (54 months + 12 internship) in foreign universities. These students are expected to work for another 12 months to obtain the license in India, even though they completed their internship in their country of study. This is the NMC norm for the students to work in various specialities as part of CRMI within 2 years of passing final exams.

Also read - Is FMGE too tough for international students?