5 Things To Know Before Finalizing Your University For MBBS Abroad

Are you planning to earn a medical degree from abroad? If your answer is ‘yes’, then you have certainly come to the right place. We are here to guide you to choose an appropriate path for your medical studies abroad.

According to reliable sources, every year the application to study MBBS abroad is increasing. However, from the year 2019 to 2020, there was a deep fall in the graph of aspiring students who were interested in studying abroad due to the pandemic COVID19. Thereafter, the number of applicants who are seeking various degrees including MBBS from abroad has started growing again.

So before you choose the right university abroad to study MBBS, there are five important things that you need to know!

Choose the Medium of Instruction Wisely

Every medical student should select those universities that follow an English medium curriculum as some of the universities don't have an English medium curriculum. Some universities follow a bi-lingual curriculum that can create a troublesome understanding for Indian students. So, it would be a wise decision if students choose the university that offers to teach the syllabus fully in English language only.

Calculate the Budget

Aspiring MBBS students should calculate one more important thing that is - the total expenditure for studying and staying abroad. You can enlist some points given below:

• Fees of the university and other tuition, if any
• Residential charges, like a hostel or mess rent
• Cost of food and other day-to-day living cost

Student services and amenities fees that students contribute for non-academic services as well as programs of the university

Finally, one needs to calculate the travel cost, including the year visa renewal fee.

It can be said without any shred of a doubt that the total calculation of the final budget can be a deciding factor when MBBS aspirants choose a particular university or country to pursue medicine.

Choose an Authorised Medical School

Always make decisions wisely while choosing a medical school for studying MBBS abroad. It is seen that most of the time medical aspirants forget to check out the recognition or accreditation of the selected university which already matches their budget. But they should remember that passing out from any university abroad can't add any value to a medical career only because the university is in 'Abroad'.

So, try only short-listing those universities that are accredited and recognized by the National Medical Commission and World Health Organization. If you are from India, you must check if the medical school is approved by the NMC or not. You also need to see the below-mentioned accreditation of approval.

• WDOMS – World Directory of Medical Schools
• Medical council of the governing body of that country
• ECFMG – Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates
• FAIMER – Foundation for the advancement of international medical education and research

Standard of Education & Other Factors Offered by the University

Do not judge by how many students are getting admitted from other countries, but look for how many native aspirants are admitted in that university because they have more options to choose from; if they prefer that medical school, you can talk to the already passed out candidates.

Now look into the other important factors offered by the University like laboratories, libraries, classrooms with modern facilities as well as academic competitions. You can also see if the university offers extracurricular activities like sports, cultural celebrations for the personality development of students, and so forth.

One thing is very essential to looking for a residential facility at the University. Because it can be a bigger problem than anything if any aspirant can't find a mess or hostel near the institute, it would be a problem for him or her. So, if the university offers accommodation- it will be best for the students from different countries.

Be Aware of the Fraudulent Activities of the Study Abroad Agencies

Don't step into any trap of fake marketing. Many agencies are reliable but many are not, so do the research on your own and then select the perfect path for your medical school by remembering the above key points.

The Bottom Line

Keep in mind that the ultimate goal of studying MBBS abroad is not getting the degree, but practising as a doctor in the country to come back to your home country and practice there. For this, you need to qualify for the medical licence exam FMGE, USMLE and others as per your choice should your plan.

Many medical schools offer on-campus coaching for preparing for medical licensing exams, such as FMGE/NExT, USMLE etc.