Medicine is a very popular stream in India. Many grow up dreaming about being successful medical practitioners who save lives. In India, over 10 Lakh students apply for National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), which is an all India entrance exam for many medical colleges in India and even abroad. But, the number of seats in government colleges is nowhere near that number.
In fact, the acceptance rate of Indian public colleges is one of the least in the world. The other option is to go for private medical colleges. This is not feasible for many Indian students as the fee is very high and generally means getting a seat in a mediocre college. So, there isn’t much a student can do to get a seat in a good medical college, if they haven’t secured a good rank in the entrance test. So, students are looking for other options. Of course, one can argue that this is the case for any course in India but in reality, the situation for medical students is by far the worst.
One alternative that people choose is to study medicine abroad in MCI (Medical Council of India) approved colleges. These colleges generally charge a reasonable fee and if one is talented enough, one can secure a seat in one of the top universities in the world. This is a lucrative option for many students as it has a lot of perks. Studying abroad has a lot of great benefits like being exposed to different cultures and lifestyles, getting recognized internationally, meeting new and diverse range of people, better job opportunities, exposure to various global technologies etc. And these are all very useful to having a good career.
In some countries such as Bangladesh, the cost of pursuing a medical degree is cheaper than in India. So, studying abroad might actually be more financially feasible, contrary to the popular belief. All this has made students from India to search for better options abroad. There are a lot of decisions to be made. The first one is to choose the country to study in. This can be tricky as there are pros and cons to studying in any country. US, UK, Canada, Australia etc. are all popular choices for studying abroad. And students typically return to India to practice medicine. This can be done by clearing a screening test given by the MCI. This has become very popular among Indian students.
Since even before Indian independence, the UK has been leading in the number of international students applying to its medical schools. This is because the UK has always been a leader in education. UK is a super power that is central to many world trades. It is no surprise that medical colleges in the United Kingdom are popular around the globe. In fact, many of them have taught fathers of many areas of medicine. Many colleges in the UK have been operational for over a century and have been at the centre of many breakthroughs in the field.
UK is known for its rich history and diversity. Its medical colleges aren’t any different. Many international students apply to various medical colleges in the country to avail world class education. In the UK, students are taught practically and this is why MBBS in the UK is very popular among international students. As the country harbors some of the world’s most able and modern hospitals, it is full of opportunities for medical professionals. Even in the area of research, it has some of the world’s largest research facilities and they have also aged well with time.
So, the UK is a wonderful country to pursue one’s studies. But, there are many other options too. As UK schools generally have a high tuition fee and cost of living in the country is high, many might not choose it. Scholarships are available to worthy students, but some might choose other options. It is important to remember that any country one chooses, they must concentrate on their learning or its no good. This is because irrespective of the college, it is the student who has to learn. College only provides opportunities and if one can’t grab them, they are no good.