Introduction
For the aspiring medical students of India who are unable to join the government medical universities, MBBS abroad has been one of the most preferred choices. Given the advantages, particularly in the terms of affordability, studying MBBS abroad offers more benefits to the aspiring Indian medical students.
But the world can be a big place! Therefore, it is no wonder, these students often struggle with choosing the right country and the right university for themselves. In the past few decades, some of the most common destinations of MBBS abroad for Indian students include Russia, China, Germany, Philippines, etc.
MBBS in Russia, MBBS in China, MBBS in Philippines, MBBS in Germany, etc are some of the popular destinations among the Indian students. However, the picture has drastically changed in the past few years. With the National Medical Commission (NMC) issuing the FMG Guidelines on 18th Nov 2021, the students are required to be very careful when choosing which country to choose for their MBBS studies in abroad.
| NMC FMG Guidelines 18th Nov 2023 The minimum course duration studied by the applicant in the medical university abroad should be 54 months (4.5 years) A course of theory, practical and clinical training equivalent to Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) of India; and an internship of twelve months in addition to the course, in the same foreign institution where the primary medical qualification has been obtained. The entire course, training and internship or clerkship shall be done outside India in the same foreign medical institution throughout the course of study and no part of it should be done anywhere else. For the students who have complete MBBS abroad, they have to appear and qualify the Indian medical licensing exam, Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE) to practice in India. |
Keeping the gazette in accordance, here is a detailed comparison and contrast between MBBS in several countries and how MBBS in Russia proves to be a great choice for aspiring Indian medical students in the coming years.
MBBS in Russia
MBBS in Russia is one of the most popular choices among the Indian students planning to study MBBS abroad. The country is particularly popular for its quality of education and healthcare at a global level. Therefore, as a result it is no wonder that every year thousands of aspiring Indian medical students choose Russia as their destination for pursuing higher studies in the field of medicine.
The count of students joining the country to study MBBS in Russia has increased to several thousand in the past few years. Among the students seeking MBBS abroad, Russia proves to be a great choice for the students seeking to pursue quality medical education without much disturbing their pockets.
Moreover, curriculum at most of the universities of MBBS in Russia is as per the prescribed requirements of NMC’s FMG Guidelines.
Advantages of MBBS in Russia:
- Globally Recognised & Reputed Degrees
Studying at the best universities in Russia offers a highly reputed and recognised medical degree recognised by various statutory bodies such as World Directory of Medical Schools (WDOMS), Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG), Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education and Research (FAIMER), National Medical Commission (NMC)/ Medical Council of India (MCI), and medical councils of various other countries, such as Australia, Canada, as well.
Therefore, with globally recognised and highly reputed degrees, MBBS in Russia brings several opportunities for the Indian students in the long run.
- Enriched Clinical Experience
The Russian medical universities are known to facilitate an extremely pragmatic curriculum to the students. MBBS in Russia often consists of mandatory clinical rotations/ observer-ship as the part of the final evaluation.
- Personal & Professional Upskilling
MBBS in Russia also offers several amazing opportunities of personal and professional skill development all through the course. With the opportunity of interacting with the students from different parts of the world, of different cultures and actively participating in the research activities, studying at the Russian medical universities turns out to be the reason for a complete personality makeover of the students making them more confident and reliant.
- Access to Advanced Resources
One of the most important advantages of studying MBBS in Russia is the smart infrastructural resources it offers. With the smart labs, digital libraries, use of simulation tools like that of Promobot in advancing the learning process, access to symposiums, seminars, workshops at the global level makes studying in Russian medical universities not only fun but also highly interactive and insightful.
- On Campus Coaching for Medical Licensing Exams
One of the main reasons that makes MBBS in Russia a unique and ideal destination for Indian students is the availability of on campus coaching of various medical licensing exams such as that of Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE), United States Medical Licensing Exams (USMLE), etc.
MBBS in Russia Vs MBBS in China Vs MBBS in Germany Vs MBBS in Philippines
| MBBS in Russia | MBBS in China | MBBS in Germany | MBBS in Philippines | |
| Duration | 6 Year | 6 Years | 6 years | 6 years |
| Medium | English | Chinese/ Billingual | German/ Bilingual | English |
| No of Universities (Recognised) | 28 | 45 | 42 | 40 |
| Avg Cost | ~INR 25 Lakhs | ~ INR 20 Lakhs | ~ INR 66 Lakhs | ~ INR 30 Lakhs |
| NMC based Curriculum | Yes | No | No | Yes |
Conclusion
MBBS in China and MBBS in Germany have been one of the most popular choices among the students given the country is near to India and has similar cultural values. However, most universities in the regions are either providing the education in Chinese or Bilingual in contrast to the NMC guidelines that states the complete education should be in English.
Moreover, in the past years, due to the covid and border restrictions, several universities of China follow an online teaching method for the international students, which is again not acceptable as per the NMC guidelines.
For MBBS in the Philippines, the students often find it difficult to adjust in the new country given the cultural difference and curriculum differences.
MBBS in Russia, on the other hand, provides a complete English medium education. Russian is taught as an additional language for the purpose of local communication. The Russian medical universities also provide coaching for the Indian medical licensing exam, FMGE.
Therefore, it’s no wonder that the number of Indian students opting to study MBBS in Russia is increasing day by day.
