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Every year, thousands of Indian MBBS graduates come across a challenging situation – they complete MBBS and fail to clear NEET PG (postgraduate entrance exam in India) or FMGE (Foreign Medical Graduate Examination) after having done MBBS abroad to be able to practice in India. Are you one of those students searching for either FMGE or NEET PG failed opportunities? Worry not; this does not mark the end of your medical career abroad. As FMGE failed students abroad, you can explore a wide range of global opportunities as doctors or go for higher studies abroad, or even look for a plethora of alternative healthcare career options. In this article, we will discuss some of the top international opportunities for NEET PG and FMGE failed students in 2025 in countries where licensing exams are easier and even non-clinical and alternative healthcare courses are in high demand.
The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) has announced that NEET UG 2025 round 1 seat allotment candidates can resign without losing their security deposit. The move aims to provide flexibility to students who wish to exit the admission process.
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No, even if you don’t clear the NEET PG or FMGE, it does not mean you lack the potential to make a career in the medical field. Rather, it can mean that maybe you can try a different career path. There are so many doctors in the world who have made a bright career abroad in other alternative fields like clinical, research, and healthcare management roles.
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These are some of the key reasons why you should look at global options after you could not clear NEET PG or FMGE.
Less competitive medical licensing exams in some countries
Earn better in foreign countries
Upskill yourself in advanced healthcare systems
No repeated medical entrance exam stress for specialisation
There are a number of promising alternatives for students who are not able to clear NEET PG/FMGE. One of them is pursuing clinical practice in other countries where the licensing requirements are different from India. Many countries, like the UK, Australia, New Zealand, the Gulf countries, Germany, Russia, and the Philippines, have their licensing exams for international students. If they can clear these exams, they can easily work as doctors by bypassing both NEET PG and FMGE.
The table below gives the licensing exams for different countries, with their language requirements and the average annual salary of a doctor after clearing the licensing exams.
Country | Licensing Exam | Language Requirement | Average Annual Salary (₹) |
---|---|---|---|
United Kingdom (UK) | PLAB (Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board) | 40–60 lakh | |
Australia | AMC (Australian Medical Council) Exams | IELTS/OET | 60–80 lakh |
New Zealand | IELTS/OET | 55–75 lakh | |
Gulf Countries (UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia) | IELTS/OET (varies) | 50–90 lakh | |
Germany | Approbation (Medical License) | B2/C1 German | 50–85 lakh |
Russia | Local state licensing (if MBBS done there) | Russian | 30–50 lakh |
Philippines | National Licensure Exam | English | 35–55 lakh |
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For most of the NEET/FMGE-failed students, the biggest challenge is taking the licensing exams like USMLE, PLAB, AMC, etc. in different countries like the US, UK, Australia, etc., to be able to work as doctors.
Country | Example PG Clinical Courses | Duration | Outcome |
UK | Clinical Dermatology, Surgical Sciences | 1–2 yrs | Research, private clinics |
Australia | Surgery, Medicine (various) | 1–2 yrs | Clinical research, academia |
New Zealand | Clinical Education, Health Sciences | 1–2 yrs | Teaching, research |
Germany | International Health, Clinical Research | 1–2 yrs | Hospital admin, global health |
Caribbean/Mauritius | Family Medicine, Internal Medicine | 1–2 yrs | Private practice, teaching |
There are several destinations for FMGE-failed students abroad. Some countries have simpler processes compared to NEET PG/FMGE, including:
Russia – Direct practice after local internship (if MBBS done there)
Philippines – National licensure exam for local practice
Mauritius & Caribbean nations – The study medicine in the Caribbean for Indian students process has a straightforward licensing for MBBS graduates
Even if you cannot practise immediately, you can upgrade your qualifications through medical postgraduate courses abroad that do not require NEET PG.
Master’s in Public Health (MPH) – USA, UK, Australia, Canada
Master’s in Hospital Administration (MHA) – Singapore, UK
Master’s in Health Informatics – USA, Canada
MSc in Clinical Research – Europe, Australia
Diploma in Tropical Medicine & Hygiene – London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
These degrees can lead to roles in:
Sector / Organisation | Role / Level | Salary Range (Annual) |
Global NGOs (WHO, UNICEF, Red Cross) | Entry-level international staff | US $50k – 60k |
P-5 (e.g., New Delhi) | US $110k – 139k | |
Senior management | US $150k+ | |
NGOs – India | Public Health Specialist | ₹12L – 15L |
Health Specialist (20+ yrs exp.) | ₹25L – 50L | |
Public Health Consultant | ₹8.6L – 15.5L | |
Pharma – Global | Pharmaceutical Scientist | US $185k – 192k |
Pharma – India | Freshers | ₹12L – 22L |
Mid-level | ₹22L – 40L | |
Senior | ₹40L – 70L | |
Pharmacovigilance Manager | ₹8L – 45L | |
Pharma CEOs | GSK CEO | £10.6M – £21.5M potential |
AstraZeneca CEO | £14.7M – £25M potential | |
Clinical Trials / CROs | CRA (NA) entry | US $58k base (~65k–70k total) |
CRA mid-level | US $75k base (~85k–90k total) | |
CRA senior | US $95k base (~110k–125k total) | |
CRA Europe | €65k | |
CRA APAC | US $55k | |
Sr. CRA / PM (U.S.) | ~US $200k + bonus | |
CRC (U.S.) | US $43k – 70k | |
Sr CRA II (Australia) | AUD $131k (incl. AUD $20k car) |
If you wish to stay in healthcare but avoid licensing exams, non-clinical roles are an excellent option.
High-Demand Non-Clinical Roles (2025):
Career Path | Average Salary Abroad | Qualification Needed |
---|---|---|
Medical Writer | ₹35–50 lakh | Medical writing |
Health Data Analyst | ₹40–55 lakh | MSc in Health Informatics / Data Science |
Public Health Specialist | ₹45–60 lakh | MPH |
Healthcare Quality Manager | ₹40–55 lakh | MHA / Quality management course |
Pharmaceutical R&D | ₹50–80 lakh | MSc/PhD in relevant field |
You can also pursue job-orientated certifications abroad that can help you quickly enter the workforce:
Clinical Research Certification – UK, Canada
Medical Coding and Billing – USA
Healthcare Quality & Patient Safety – UAE, Singapore
Radiology Technician Training – Australia, New Zealand
Assess your career goal – First, know your career goal clearly – whether it is a clinical, non-clinical, or hybrid role.
Evaluate budget & time – Check how much you can invest in exams/courses.
Check country eligibility – Go through the complete language requirements and visa conditions to be eligible to apply in a certain country.
Plan for long-term settlement – Be clear with your intentions whether you want to return to India or settle abroad.
In the FMGE 2025, 13,149 students passed out of 44,930 who appeared for the exam.
There are several options to consider when a candidate fails the FMGE. These include:
Retake the FMGE
Pursue postgraduate studies abroad
There is no limit to the number of attempts for FMGE. Candidates can take the FMGE as many times as they want, provided they are eligible for every attempt.
While both NEET PG and FMGE are considered to be challenging exams, FMGE is considered to be easier. The Foreign Medical Graduate Examination is designed for doctors who have qualified from foreign medical colleges before practising in India. NEET PG is the entrance exam for postgraduate medical courses in India.
Result Date:16 September,2025 - 16 September,2025
With 252 marks (AIR ~5,95,873) in NEET UG 2025, you won’t get an MBBS seat in any government college as even SC/ST cutoffs stay higher, but you may still have chances in private BDS, BAMS, BHMS, Nursing, or Paramedical courses, and in some states, MBBS may be possible only through costly private management quota seats; the exact options will depend on your state and category.
Hello aspirant,
MS Orthopaedics is one of the toughest and most demanded PG branches. For a general category candidate, usually above 500 marks are required to get Ortho in a government college. With 414 marks, your chances for MS Ortho in government institutes are very low. However, you can explore options in private colleges through state counselling and in deemed universities, though fees will be much higher. Another possible route is DNB Orthopaedics, where you may find some options depending on cut-offs, but even there, the chances are slim.
Use this tool for predict your rank : https://medicine.careers360.com/neet-pg-rank-predictor
Best of luck!
Hello,
According to your NEET PG rank 19824, you can get this course for the medical college in all india rank
You can try for this course according to their less competitiveness in state-level government colleges.
I hope it will clear your query!!
For Rounds: Round 1, Round 2, Mop-up Round, and Stray Vacancy.
Documents you needed: NEET PG Admit Card, Rank Letter, MBBS Marksheets, Internship Certificate, State Registration, Category Certificate (if applicable).
For a better guidance you can check this: https://www.careers360.com/campaign/neet-pg-counselling-companion
Thank you and all the best!
Hello,
With an AIR rank of 9011 in NEET PG, you have a very good chance to secure a postgraduate seat in various medical colleges in India, including some offering orthopedics or other specializations. While securing a top-tier, highly competitive institution for ortho might be challenging, you can aim for the good medical colleges and other specializations.
I hope it will clear your query!!
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