Here’s why you should study MBBS abroad
One of the best applications of science has been the field of medicine. From ages, it has been the most interesting field of study, and students across the globe choose to travel to different countries to get the best education in medicines.
India has become one of the best exporters of medical students across the world. The number of students that are going abroad to study medicine is reported to be growing exponentially, for the last two years. Studying for a career in medicine can be one of the best and most satisfying investments.
Factors to Consider in Pursuing A Career in Medicine
According to research conducted at the University of Berkeley - California, medical education remains a very profitable investment, no matter which area of medicine you choose. However, there are multiple questions to consider when you are going for a career in medicine:
- Do you want to study in your home country, or do you want to study abroad?
- What sort of financial commitment are you willing to make?
- Which field of medicine do you want to study?
- Which degree do you want to opt for?
- Where are you looking to work after finishing your degree?
- What are the future career prospects for medical professionals in that country?
These questions need to be deeply reflected upon and answered before you plunge into attempting medicine as a career. Several Indian students go for a career in medicine abroad. If you are planning to take a similar step, then understanding such details can be extremely important.
Studying MBBS Abroad
If you are looking to study medicine abroad, then the permutations and combinations of careers available are immense in terms of scope. The range of areas of study offered by medical universities includes neurology, cardiology, pathology, gynaecology, radiology, general medicine, dermatology, urology, and many more. Medical universities are available across the world, including the Caribbean, Europe, and the United States.
Deciding on when and where to study abroad involves a careful review of tuition fees, overall expenses, and your ability to fund them. Furthermore, you should also research on the quality of education offered by the institutions where you are planning to apply, the language of instruction and your comfort in that language, the requirements for admission, and the global recognition of the degree offered.
If you have a plan for the aforementioned factors and end up choosing the right college, you can end up with a very rewarding career as a medical professional. Not only will you get financial dividends on your effort and investment, but you will also end up with the ability to have a long and satisfying career.
Understanding Academic Requirements
The academic requirements often depend on the country where you are planning to study. For example, in the USA, requirements for applying to medical school usually include:
- Completion of 12 years of formal education under a recognized board
- A decent MCAT score (the baseline is usually considered at 500) to study medicines in the USA
- Clearing TOEFL/IELTS
- Fulfilment of stated course prerequisites, which can vary from one college to another, but usually include subjects such as physics, chemistry, and biology.
Different countries and continents will have different academic requirements. However, if you delve deeper, you will be able to find a combination of courses to make your medical education path easier. You can always opt to study a pre-med program at Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) and then complete the medical studies at the American University of Antigua (AUA) to create a pathway to practice medicines in the US.
AUA’s Global MD program provides students with research opportunities, medical training, and extraordinary global healthcare experience. The University has two ground-breaking programs in collaboration with FIU (Florida International University). Students studying at AUA can complete all their core clinical rotations at hospitals affiliated with FIU and can obtain the Clinical Clerkship Certificate program. Within a 10-week course curriculum, students can attend clinical rotations at FIU affiliated hospitals during their 3rd and 4th years of study. This helps them boost their knowledge of residency applications in the future.
Estimated Costs and Degree Duration
The duration and cost of medical degrees vary based on the type of degree, the duration, the country in which you are planning to pursue the degree, and many other factors. Pursuing MBBS in the United States can take four years, but admission requirements include the completion of a bachelor’s degree. Costs for an MBBS in the US fall in the range of $200,000 over four years if you are pursuing admission via the MCAT route.
Selecting the Right College
Once you have decided the field of medicine to study, the degree to pursue, and the country to pursue it in, the question arises of selecting a list of prospective colleges. To make that list, you can look at research on factors such as the city in which the college is based, the accreditation of the degrees granted by the college, the batch size of new students that the college will be admitting, the reputation of the college and the university overall, the scholarships offered, and the reviews provided by students already studying there. Such deep research can help you pick the colleges that are a good match for you and ensure that you give yourself the best possible conditions to become a medical professional.
AUA is accredited by the United States Department of Education, the Caribbean Accreditation Authority for Education in Medicine and other Health Professions (CAAM-HP), approved by the New York State Education Department, recognized by the Medical Council of India (MCI) and several other government jurisdictions, international accrediting bodies, and external agencies.
Visa and Accommodation
Colleges usually provide on-campus accommodation. However, you need to do your homework on living expenses, which can vary from country to country. Some students studying abroad opt for off-campus accommodation as well. However, keep in mind that the on-campus residential experience during a medicine degree can often be crucial to augment your learning from your peers.
Furthermore, as an Indian student in a foreign country, you will also need a student visa. Research on how to get one is an important step that you must take. A few points that you can keep in mind while doing your research on the visa include checking whether the country you are going to study in requires a visa for Indians or not, finding the visa fees, ensuring that you have blank pages on your passport, and keeping photocopies of all your visa related documentation.
Medicine: A Noble Career
Medicine is defined as the “science and practice of establishing the diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, and prevention of disease.” This definition may sound quite dry and scientific, but a medical professional has one of the most important responsibilities in human society - always to improve health, sometimes to diagnose and treat illnesses, and often to save lives.
AUA is one of the most popular universities in the Caribbean that allows you to fulfil your long time plans of learning about medicines and practice the same in the US, Canada, and India.
