How tough is doing MD/MS after MBBS in India?
In India, a NEET-PG exam (from 2024 onwards NExT) is the common entrance test to get admission to MD/ MS/ DNB (Post MBBS) courses. The NEET-PG exam is conducted by the National Board of Examination (NBE), the exam is of 800 marks in total. Every year, around 1.6 - 1.8 lakh MBBS graduates appear for this exam for a total of around 65k PG seats across the country which includes central and state counselling of all MD/MS/DNB/Diploma seats in different specializations.
Is the NEET PG exam so tough to crack?
NO, but it is very competitive in nature which may create a hype of fear. For decades, different authorities have conducted the entrance exam for medical PG admission in India. As the PG seats are limited compared to the number of aspirants, the admission process requires some levels of assessment in the entrance exam paper. However, if you aspire to get into the top 5 specialty PG seats, it is definitely going to be tough, but NOT impossible, as you might need to get in NEET PG merit of within 5000 (varies depending on the case).
What is more important NEET PG Score or the Merit?
Of course, the MERIT number is more important. Essentially, the score is the result of your entrance exam, which shows the number of students who obtained that score, and the merit places them on a waiting list or queue. Based on the Merit list, the authority processes admission counselling and assigns PG seats.
What are the chances of getting a medical PG seat with a merit of around 20,000 - 25,000?
It is also a very good merit number. At this merit, you can expect to get some clinical PG seats in specialty like Respiratory Medicine, Emergency Medicine, Anesthesiology, ENT Surgery, Ophthalmology and para-clinical seats of Pathology, Microbiology, Biochemistry, Transfusion Medicine (References with the cut-off trends in the year 2022).
What are the career options after MBBS without going for the NEET PG exam?
Fellowships can provide you with a wide opportunity to practice without going for NEET PG. After finishing MBBS, you can go for a 1-2 years fellowship in these 5 clinical subspecialties
Does Fellowship offer a good opportunity compared to MD/MS/DNB?
Residency is a structured degree program that helps you to learn a broad foundation in clinical medicine, so you can become a specialist in a particular field. Fellowship on the other hand is an optional training program that helps you to provide specialized knowledge and skills in a particular field of medicine.
If you are interested in gaining a broad foundation in clinical medicine, residency may be a suitable option. And if you already have foundational knowledge and want to focus on a specialized field and enhance your expertise, then fellowship may be a suitable option for you.
Where can I find a fellowship of my interest?
Click here to find the list of all the offered fellowships across India. You can search, filter and apply to the fellowship of your choice by visiting Docthub. You can also visit Docthub to explore different offerings to help you enahce and upgrade your clinical knowledge and practice.
