Studying Medicine Abroad

While the world is your oyster in terms of what and where you want to study, as an Indian citizen studying medicine outside of India is next to impossible. In the United States, most med schools are funded in part by the government which means that a strong majority of the seats would be open to only US citizens and permanent residents. In 2013, about 1,088 non-US citizens/residents applied, 115 of which did get in. The average admit rate into med school was as low as 1% This means that competition is hard and the that you have to complete a four year undergrad degree before going to med school makes both financially and temporally draining as well. 

The UK has good medical programs and according to reports the government will fund up to 1,500 additional student places through medical school each year. The number of medical training places available to students each year will be expanded to ensure the National Health Society- the country’s public run healthcare program has enough doctors to continue to provide care in the future. While number of opportunities to study are increasing, the UK provides no guarantee for an internship, residency, or any employment opportunity since healthcare is largely state run and there aren't many private players are allowed to be in the sector. This makes the return on investment difficult to digest. Europe does have some medical colleges that run on a foreign student model where students get their medical degrees and then apply for a license to practice in India. Nothumbria University (UK) has a 2+4 program with St. Andrew’s University in Jamaica. Another popular option is Charles University in Prague which is very liberal on Indian students and is recognized by the Indian Medical Board. 

If you are serious about medicine (specifically, in being a doctor) and have no other citizenship other than Indian, working through the Indian education system would be the best. Contact us and we could help you plan your Medical career plan.