Is it better to do an MD in India or the US?

Medical Students: Is it better to do an MD in India or the US?
My sister is currently studying MBBS in India and is in her final year. She wants to do an MD in Pediatrics. She is very confused about her options. These are the questions she has:

1. She wants to work in India and is not interested in settling in US long-term. She has heard from multiple people that it is very difficult to relocate after studying and working in US for 2-3 years.
2. She says that they receive more immunological cases in US and more infectious diseases related cases in India. As she intends to work primarily in India, she feels that doing MD here would not give her the right exposure and experience which she needs.

I would appreciate it if people in the medical field (both India and US) could weigh in and give their opinions.

*** I do not have any medical experience or knowledge so my apologies if my question does not have sufficient technical details. This is just a summary of the conversation I had with her and any errors are mine.***


Answers

I believe what you're asking for is residency.

After MBBS, a medical graduate has choice of what they wish to specialize in.

In your sister's case, it's paediatrics.

To acquire residency in US, she'd have to pass USMLE (costs around $5000, including airfare for Step 2 CS).

If she wishes to work in India, she should do her residency in India. However, if she can acquire a residency in US, she should go for it. To experience it. It's true that most people never return, but that's because it's such a wonderful experience there.

I wish your sister luck in whatever field she chooses.




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Jignesh Shah
Written 2 Mar 2015 · Upvoted by Vinay Kumaran, Liver Transplant Surgeon
I have trained for medical school in India and my specialty and sub specialty training in the US.  I have worked in the US and then in India (after being in the US for several years).  My experience has been that the differences in the disease pathologies, patient communication, work culture make it difficult to translate training from US to India.  As has been mentioned, infectious diseases form the backbone of pediatric care in India whereas other pathologies such as immunology, behavioral issues form major concerns in the US.  In the US, physician-patient communication is very different from India.  What would be considered appropriate discussion in the US will come across poorly in India.  Majority of the Indian patients expect dogmatic physician with paternalistic style, whereas in the US, they expect a discussion of the treatment options.  Furthermore, in India age is revered and hence a young looking physician is not be acceptable to the patients (this may be more valid for procedures/surgical branches).  Also, one has to train and work in the kick-back environment of India to feel comfortable with the practice.  A US based training will leave you uncomfortable and queasy about it (and rightly so).

At the end of the day, one does not gain much by training in the US if one plans to practice in India.   The struggle to get in to a residency program as a foreign medical graduates and even when one succeeds, one wonders if an average community hospital based training programs that most foregin medical graduates get into are worth it.
26.8k Views · View Upvotes
Guru Nandha
Guru Nandha, Medical Student
Written 19 Jul 2013
An MD in the USA is different from an MD in India. In the USA, students finish a 4 year UG degree, before they begin medical school, to obtain an MD. Therefore, in the USA, MD is the primary medical degree. They specialize by training in a hospital, ie residency, and not while doing MD.
In India, students immediately enter medical school, ie to get an MBBS. MBBS is the primary medical degree in India, while MD is the specialisation and DM is the super-specialisation.
So, if your sister went to the USA for MD, she would have to complete MD then work in a hospital for several years till she becomes a board certified paediatrician,
Also, MD in the USA is very expensive, costing around USD 250,000(tuition fee) + USD 120,000(cost of living). She can't recoup that amount of money if she returned to India to work, because doctors here are not paid as much as in the USA. This is why most people who do their MD in the USA have to stay there and work, in order to pay off the cost of education there. Keep in mind that for several years after MD in the USA, she will be doing residency in a hospital where she wouldn't be paid very well, thus she has to carry the education debt till she finishes her residency, becomes a paediatrician, and starts working.
I would say that it is simpler to just do MD in a good Indian college, because she would be working in India anyway and it is much easier to get into a great place with lots of exposure.

Pros of USA:
 USA MD is internationally recognized
Physicians are much better paid there
More research opportunities

Cons of USA:
4 years for MD + 3 years of residency before becoming a paediatrician while just 3 years in India.
At least $400,000 in debt unless you are filthy rich.As an immigrant, extremely difficult to get accepted.
Doctors are sued a lot in the USA, and pay upto half                           their salary every year as malpractice insurance                                   premiums.
Different cases from India
37.5k Views · View Upvotes
This answer is not a substitute for professional medical advic... (more)
Monisha Mohan
Monisha Mohan, Desire to be better
Written 30 Jun
You can log on to usmlerockers.com or subscribe to UsmleRockers videos regarding the same on youtube. I saw it recently and it cleared all my doubts. The Seminar was conducted by a Doctor who himself has completed residency in US . He has shared his experiences and Pros and cons of the residency for various fields.

Hope this helps. All the best.
4.4k Views · View Upvotes
Anirban Mandal
Anirban Mandal, I have some idea about studies in medicine(from Quora mainly)
Written 6 Jun
This might be mentioned in other answers

MBBS in India and an MD in US is an equivalent degree

Doing both would be a duplication of effort and not so good and worthy use of time

Rather she should go for a residency is she wants to study/learn/work in the medicinal field

She should give the USMLE exam and then apply for a resifency in the US after clearing USMLE.

She should then do residenc(ies) in the US in her field of choice i.e pediatrics

Side note: If she wants to do degrees after MBBS then she should do an MD, MS, DM or MCh in India or equivalently, residincies, sub-specialities or super specialities, MS, M.Ch or a PhD from USA

I hope my answer is useful ¡
5.9k Views · View Upvotes · Answer requested by Astha Agrawal
Nipunika Singh
Nipunika Singh, medical student
Written Sep 19
Depends on where you want to work in the future. It is really difficult to get a seat in md/ ms in India the ration of the seats and students is impractical. After doing MD from abroad you will have to clear an exam to start practicing in India. If you are confident you will be able to do it , then go for it.

On the other hand, many good colleges abroad help you prepare for USMLE and other exams if your family can afford and if you are able to cross any of these prestigious exams , you’ll receive a good rather very good platform to learn and practice for the rest of your life. You know bright future :)

As your sister is saying that it’s hard to relocate after studying in US for 2–3 yrs. Let me clear it out.. it’s nothing like that. You have more practical experience when you work there and if you plan on coming back it’s good, good. You’’ll be more recognised and your skills will be more fined.

Choose wisely! All the best:)
1k Views · View Upvotes · Answer requested by Mitul Pradhan
D. Prasad
D. Prasad, Former assistant professor and a student forever
Written Oct 11, 2015
If she really want to work in India i see no reason for her to go abroad. I agree that she'll learn a few unique cases but she'll also be used to better infrastructure, low stress(due to a skewed population density when compared to india) there. If she wants to be rooted in India she might be better off to work with limited infrastructure and huge stress.
             Is she pointing out that the current MD pediatricians(studied in India) are doing a poor job? US doctors will do much worse in Indian conditions and there are alarge number of factors to be accounted for.
12.3k Views · View Upvotes
Rajendra Singh
Rajendra Singh, fortunately-unfortunately MBBS,MD
Written Mar 9
For doing PG in US after mbbs from india following things must be considered-
1.You must have a sound financial background as money is required for exam fees,visas,plane tickets and many more things.
2.USMLE is a quite lengthy exam as it has three phases to clear so it is long and tiring as compared to our national PPG exams.
3.The problem with settling in an unknown country has its own challenges unless you have someone their i.e. friend or relative.
4.I think a PG degree from a good medical college from india is far much better then that from a foreign country i mean we have the best faculty of doctors in our colleges with excellent clinical exposure the problem only is the infrastructure of government setup and low salary.
5.However relocation after doing pg from india is quite easier.
7.1k Views · View Upvotes · Answer requested by Rahul Borude
Rajesh Saagar
Rajesh Saagar, consultant
Written Feb 25, 2015
If your sister is willing to practice in India after her studies then it is better to study in India itself. Because the candidates who hold a foreign Medical degree should take up FMGE once they wish to practice in India. The competition for the exam has slowly risen in recent years as many students from India started taking foreign medical course in recent years. So, think twice and then move on with a firm decision.
17.6k Views · View Upvotes
Chander Asrani
Chander Asrani, Being a board certified family physician and delivering comprehensive healthcare
Written Jun 12
In US the basic qualification in Medicine (graduation) is MD. Then there are various boards. She will have to gather requisite experience, clear the exams and then she will qualify as Board certified in Paediatrics.

Purely my suggestion - MD in India as the diversity of cases she will get to see here are not going to be available in US/ UK. After few years in practice, she tries fellowships in her are of interest (infections, endocrine, kidney etc) and gets THE EDGE.
3.3k Views · Answer requested by Gerald Ekwen, Sai Charan, and 1 more
Ninad Salastekar
Ninad Salastekar, Medical Resident
Written Oct 11
The short (and subjective) answer is- if you ultimately want to live in the US then do MD in the US. If you want to live in India, MD in India is most practical and economically feasible.
362 Views · Answer requested by Chahal Naveen
Partha Shakkottai
Partha Shakkottai
Written Mar 28
It is very difficult to get MD in California. It takes 5 years of schooling and about the same numbers of years of residency wherever it is available in the nation. If you want to work in India, do it there. USA is not worth the bother. My daughter in  law who had an MBBS from India,passed several MCATs, did't  get residency in California and gave up because she didn't want to move to another state for residency .She had to take care of my grand son.
5.1k Views · View Upvotes
Devik Aggarwal
Devik Aggarwal, Education Consultant
Written Jan 29, 2015
Hi, I appreciate your concern about your sister's career also I would say, you have very clearly put forward your question.
Coming back to your question, I would say, as she is interested in living in India only then I would advise her to do her MD in India only as she will learn and experience about the diseases and cures in Indian environment.
See, there is vast difference between India and US.. in terms of geography therefore, the problems/diseases people suffer are also different and the cure that is adapted for Indians might not be adapted for US citizens.. I hope I am making my point clear.
When you are looking for MD colleges/universities I would advise you to look for Santosh University as it is one of the leading and old universities in this field. So, if you are looking to apply then visit this link - Apply
6k Views · View Upvotes
Joe Buddha
Joe Buddha, living life super easy
Written Oct 23
M.D. in US is equivalent to M.B.B.S in India. The major difference is just that it doesn’t give you the authority to work as a Medical Practitioner . Doctor of Medicine (MD) is a professional degree given in some countries like the USA, Canada etc. Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) is the degree given in the United Kingdom, Ireland and other commonwealth countries like India and is considered equivalent to the MD.

Your sister would be appearing for USMLE I believe . In my opinion M.D. in India is a better option as a for a girl or boy. Yeah , there are problems like that as you said. The level of hard work one does for USMLE , if the same is done for PG exams of India , you can have any choice of residency that way.
Yes, what she says is right.
372 Views · Answer requested by Rubina Haroon
Anonymous
Anonymous
Written Feb 23, 2015
She is thinking too much too soon. There are many opportunities in India post MBBS like research/Public Health Volunteering. Most people obsess with PG and end up not knowing the basics of healthcare practice including patient interaction.

Request her to quit thinking so much about the future, and live her life one step at a time. India is the best place for PG. The teachers are cooperative, and the system is not bad.

The USMLE is a risky venture with very unsure results.
Better Safe than Sorry, and by the way, many people do Peds Residency from the USA after becoming Indian MD.

India is not bad. Don't listen to stereotypes generated by the public to lead to astray . There are many specialities to look to . Don't be narrow minded about pediatrics. What she needs to do is do good research herself into what will assist her later in getting a Faculty Position in a government medical college later, and not focus so much on gossip .

Clearly she needs to rethink her priorities.
Cheers,
5.7k Views · View Upvotes
Preeti Gupta
Preeti Gupta, medical student
Written Sep 25, 2015
it is totally your individual choice whether you want to pursue MD in India or USA. both have equally excellent opportunities. You may consult your professors or any of the experts in case you want to clear your mind about the same. For MD preparation in India, you can use MyPGMEE - one platform that will provide you guidance about all the PG medical entrance exams
6.8k Views · View Upvotes
Kavita Kumari
Kavita Kumari, Medical PG Student
Written Oct 13, 2015
Both have their own value. You can choose any one of them. Have a focused approach and a proper study plan. If you want to prepare for PG entrance exam then you must first complete studying from the standard books. Make sure that you get your doubts clarified. Solve mcq's by joining some online portals. I used MyPGMEE for PG medical entrance exam so I recommend it to all PG medical aspirants.
8.1k Views · View Upvotes
Om Lakhani
Om Lakhani, MBBS, MD, PGDIP (ENDOCRINE)
Written Jan 22, 2015
The rule is simple. If you want to work in USA take up Pediatrics residency in US. If you want to work in India then take up Pedia residency in India.  Doesn't work any other way.... trust me.
14.8k Views · View Upvotes
Stephen Stokes
Stephen Stokes, Medical School USC
Written Sep 22, 2015
I received my medical degree in the US but I know several who came from India to practice. In my opinion it is not worth coming to the US unless you are planning on staying in the US. The expense and training are specific to a US population. The transition from India to the US is not easy and it's not easy returning either unless you spend many years in the US first.

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