Are you among the hundreds and thousands of students aspiring to study MBBS abroad? But do not know how to begin your search for the best university? Then here is an ultimate guide for you to start your search to your next destination and start with your medical education abroad. 

2023 offers a multitude of opportunities for the students with MBBS abroad. With the increase the criteria to filter out the best for yourself can be a bit troublesome. With new emerging destinations and the old ones providing more choices, it becomes important for the new ‘crops’ that are boarding their flights to study MBBS abroad to have a much more distilled understanding regarding which university to choose. 

Primarily, there are 5 key factors that must be considered when finalising the next destination for your MBBS abroad 2023. 

1. Affordability

One of the key criteria for the students when they start their search of finding the best university for MBBS abroad is 一 Affordability. Unlike the general opinion, this criteria does not only include fees. The cost of tuition, commonly referred to as fees , is simply one of the many expenses that the students must consider.

Along with that the students and parents must also consider other costs such as that of hostel and mess charges, expected average cost of living, travel expenses (within the country as well as to the country and other form of charges such as that of Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF), Statement of Liability, enrollment charges, etc if any.

It is important to look at all the possible expenses before deciding on a budget. It is advisable to start analysing the approximate expenses, six monthly, annually and then for the complete period. Before deciding on a university or country, it is important to have a clear budget to start the expedition. 

2. Recognitions

Recognitions and accreditation are some of the most important aspects for the students to consider before finalising their university. Many times, if the university falls into the budget, the students often overlook the recognition. 

The recognitions can be understood as the value the obtained medical degree would behold once after its completion. It acts as its validity in various aspects. An unrecognised degree would be of no value. One such major checkpoint of recognition is the World Directory of Medical Schools (WDOMS).  

Apart from that, the medical institutions are also often recognised by the governing body of the respective states. As several students study MBBS abroad, the medical council of every country also recognises the medical universities abroad. 

Some of the major recognitions the Indian students must look for apart from WDOMS when finalising their university are: 

Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG):

ECFMG certification is the standard for evaluating the qualifications of physicians before they enter U.S. graduate medical education (GME), where they provide supervised patient care. It is also a requirement for IMGs (International Medical Graduates) to take Step 3 of the three-step United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE).

Universities recognised by ECFMG, implies that the students would be eligible to appear for the USMLE, after the completion of their exam. 

Foundation for Advancement of International Medical Education and Research (FAIMER): 

FAIMER promotes excellence in international health professions education through programmatic and research activities. At its core, it is an extension of ECFMG, which regulates the overall learning experience and skill development among the students and helps them in being eligible for USMLE. 

A FAIMER accredited university means that the university is following all the laid out criteria and pathways of medical education and therefore assuring the quality.

Medical Councils: 

Every country has its own governing body monitoring its health infrastructure. Usually called as medical councils, these bodies recognise the medical degree and thus make the student eligible to appear for the medical licensing exams.

For example, the students graduating from the universities recognised by the medical council of Canada can appear for the medical licensing exams of Canada.

3. Facilities

Another good thing to know when finalising the university to study MBBS abroad is the facilities provided by the university and the arrangements by your chosen overseas education provider (if any).

This includes, academic facilities such as laboratories, libraries, classrooms, academic clubs and competitions, etc as well as that for the extracurriculars.

The highly reputed universities provide all the necessary arrangements for the holistic development of the students and therefore, the extracurricular are of extreme importance for the personality growth.  

Facilities such as that of various sports, theaters, entertainment, etc help in building up the learning environment and break the monotony for the students. Festivals and cultural celebration conducted by the university are also important as they instill a value towards them and cater to cross-cultural exchange. 

Another major challenge faced by the students during their MBBS abroad is that of finding accommodations and managing stays. Many times, with the increasing number of students joining the popular universities, getting a hostel or dorm is very difficult. The students need to be first assured about accommodation and then the mess arrangements.

4. Exposure

One of the most important things the students must be aware of is the exposure the university provides to the students. This includes the academic, clinical as well as personal exposure the student can find for their personal and professional growth. 

Finding out the academic exposures available at the university can be a bit of a tedious job, but you can always use google to atleast get the basic information about the academic participation of the university. Clinical exposure are usually integrated into the medical curriculum as well as the co-curriculum activities followed by the university. 

The personal exposure can usually be associated with the extra-curricular and recreational activities facilitated by the university in building up the overall personality of the students. 

5. Career Value

It is important to realise the impact of your choice on your dream. Be assured of the career advantages the university can provide you. The relations you build during these college days can potentially pave the way for more opportunities in the future. Joining the university implies that you are joining a fraternity, it is necessary to be confident that this fraternity is of charismatic and leading individuals who can help, guide and partner with you over new initiatives. 

Several universities have career counselling cells which advise the students as per their individual strengths, aptitudes and competencies. With this the students can formulate their strategies and decide on their end goals.