MBBS in the UK: An Overview
Getting an MBBS degree from the UK can be a dream come true for Indian students who wish to pursue medicine as a career. The UK hosts many foreign students from abroad, and Indians make up a sizeable chunk of this population. Just in London, over 400 000 students are pursuing their education, which is massive by all standards. The UK, with its rich heritage of excellent educational opportunities, attracts Indian students every year in large numbers.
Getting an MBBS degree from the UK can mean spending 5 to 6 years on it. The country has many top MBBS colleges, ranking well in the world’s best places for MBBS. The top MBBS colleges in the UK include Cambridge University, Oxford University, University College London, King’s College London, etc.
There are a total of 34 MBBS colleges in the UK offering various degrees in medicine available.
Importance of MBBS Degree from UK: Benefits and Requirements
Indian families are well-known for their penchant for having their children pursue a career in medicine. The country idolizes the doctor profession. Getting an MBBS degree from a UK university can bring many benefits if a student wants to pursue a career in this profession. Let’s have a look at them:
- No Additional Donations: If one were to secure a medical seat in a private medical college in India, they would probably be asked for a donation or capitation fee in addition to tuition fees. This will not happen if they pursue a degree in the UK. The financial hurdle of realizing money for additional donations can mean going for a medical seat in the UK is a better option.
- High-Quality Training: The best MBBS colleges in the UK have high-quality curriculum and training with cutting-edge medical technology to ensure a world-class education. Access world-class training and a hands-on approach when they select a UK university to pursue a medical degree. The teaching methodology in UK medical colleges is practical: one gets to witness doctors performing right from the first year of study. This kind of training brings out some of the best medical minds in the world.
- Get Access to the Newest Medical Research: If a student dreams of scaling new heights in their career as a doctor, the UK can be a great place to get a degree. It is perfect for giving access to the newest medical research and ground-breaking technologies. Be a part of pioneering technologies in the medical field by observing and learning from the best minds in the business.
- Huge Work Opportunities: With an MBBS degree from the UK, an Indian student can get massive work opportunities in the UK or back in India. The UK itself wants young sharp minds in their health care system. There is also a lot of opportunity to get into medical research. Also, the degree is recognized worldwide, so no matter which country they prefer to practice from, there will be no dearth of career opportunities for them.
The requirements for pursuing an MBBS degree from the UK by Indian students are as follows:
- Age: One has to be at least 18 years of age to pursue an MBBS degree.
- Entrance test: They will have to submit their scores for the medical entrance test such as NEET, GAMSAT, BMAT, or UKCAT. They must show a minimum of 50% score on any of these tests. For UKCAT, they need a score of a minimum of 650.
- IELTS: As an international student who wishes to pursue MBBS from the UK, one must score more than 7.0 in their IELTS.
- Marks of Higher Secondary: One must achieve a minimum of 80% in the higher secondary results. They need a compulsory 80% in Biology and Chemistry in this exam.
MBBS Courses and Specializations Offered in the UK
One will find the MBBS degrees offered in the UK different from those offered in India.
To practice as a medical doctor, they need a minimum of an MB degree in the UK.
After getting an MB, one can choose to go for specializations. They can further pursue their dreams by studying to get awarded degrees such as BS, ChB, or BCh (Bachelor of Surgery). They can practice as a surgeon when they get any of these specializations.
If one wishes to be an obstetrician, one can choose to complete the obstetrics part of the curriculum and become a BAO.
A student can also go for specializations in Anaesthetics, Paediatrics, Radiology, Ophthalmology, Cardiology, Pediatrics, and many more.
Top Ranking Universities for MBBS in the UK
The UK has many universities offering MBBS for international students. Getting into a top-tier medical college in this country can be a big career move. Regardless of what university a student enters, one can be sure it will open up amazing work opportunities.
So how are medical colleges in the UK ranked? They are ranked for their academic excellence, internationally recognized programs, quality medical research, and pleasant student study environment. According to QS Rankings 2022, here are the top-ranking universities for MBBS in the UK:
- University of Oxford
- University of Cambridge
- UCL
- University of Edinburgh
- University of Manchester
- Cardiff University
- Queen’s University Belfast
Scholarship Support Offered for International Students
UK has many scholarships for international students who wish to pursue MBBS degrees. Studying medicine can be costly in India, and going abroad is a lot more so. With a scholarship, you get tuition fees and many living costs waived.
- British Chevening Scholarships: This fully funded scholarship program is for international students who have showcased strong academic potential and exemplary leadership qualities. It covers a student’s tuition fees, travel and living costs, and more.
- Hull York International Medical College Scholarship: This scholarship is available for surgical and medical students who wish to pursue higher education in the UK. It covers a significant part of tuition fees.
- John Abernethy Scholarship: This scholarship program offered by the Queen Mary University of London is available for British and international students who wish to pursue a career in medicine. This scholarship will have students maintain a certain academic performance if they wish to continue getting financial benefits.
- King’s College London GHSM Scholarships: This is primarily for international students who do not have the means to get an MBBS degree from the UK. Full-time entrance students can avail of the scholarship program for their undergraduate and post-graduate medicine degrees.
- The International Pharmacy Scholarship: Another scholarship one must look into is it covers tuition fees for 5 years if they study medicine from the University of Birmingham. Every year, the college gives scholarships away to five international students of outstanding merit.
Career Prospects for Indian Students After Completing MBBS in the UK
A medical degree from the UK can open up many doors in one’s career. Not only will they be able to practice as a doctor, but they will also be able to get into fields as varied as lecturing, research, and more. Being a globally recognized medical degree, it is easy to take the pick about the career opportunities one wishes to pursue. One can choose the country they want to practice and live in, and it can be India or anywhere else.
Let’s look at some career opportunities directly related to an MBBS degree from the UK.
- Surgeon
- Psychiatrist
- Anesthetist
- Cardiologist
- General practice doctor
- Clinical radiologist
- Neurologist
- Pathologist
- General practice doctor
If they wish to do something different and want to know which paths they can take in their career, here are some ideas:
- Toxicologist
- Science writer
- Research scientist
- Epimediologist
- Clinical researcher
- Health service manager
- Higher education lecturer
- Naturopath
- Medical science liaison
Pursue a PG in Medicine in the UK
After getting an MBBS, a person of Indian origin can decide to study further and go for PG in their course of choice in the UK. Getting an MSc or MD from the UK is great because it is a globally recognized degree. The course will have the student get intensive medical training, including foundational training, GP, general training, and more advanced training in the area of the specialization.
This can be wonderful if one wishes to return to India and start practicing here. The Medical Council of India allows them to register as an MD in Internal Medicine in India if they get a degree from the UK. There is no need for them to take the screening test in India. If they wish to go the lecturing or teaching route, they can start as an assistant professor in any medical college in India with a degree.
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