How many years does it take to become a doctor? It’s not just the MBBS; a one-year internship is also mandatory..
How to Become a Doctor in India: Becoming a doctor in India is considered more than just a career choice; the profession is revered as akin to the divine and is viewed as a supreme medium for serving society. That is why, every year, lakhs of young people across the country dedicate themselves to medical entrance preparations, cherishing the dream of donning the white coat. But is the path to becoming a doctor easy? While the profession offers immense respect, fame, and financial reward, it demands equal measures of hard work, unwavering patience, and years of rigorous study.
If you—or a child in your family—wish to enter the medical field, it is crucial to understand the entire process of becoming a doctor. You need to know where the journey begins and the various milestones that must be crossed to reach the goal. The journey—spanning from Class 12 studies to treating patients in a hospital—involves years of dedicated effort. Here is the complete A-to-Z process of becoming a doctor in India after Class 12.
Preparation Begins in Class 11
The journey toward becoming a doctor begins during one's school days. The first prerequisite is choosing the Science stream after Class 10, with Physics, Chemistry, and Biology (PCB) as the core subjects. Additionally, securing a minimum of 50% marks (40% to 45% for reserved categories) in the Class 12 board examinations is mandatory. Candidates must also be at least 17 years of age.
The First and Biggest Milestone: The NEET Challenge
After passing Class 12 (or even while studying in Class 12), one must appear for the country's largest medical entrance exam: NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test - UG). This is the sole pathway to securing admission into an MBBS or other medical courses at any government or private medical college in India. The exam consists of objective-type questions covering Biology, Physics, and Chemistry. A higher rank in this exam ensures admission to a better government medical college.
How Many Years Does It Take to Become a Doctor? The real academic journey begins after cracking the NEET-UG exam. In India, the primary course for becoming an allopathic doctor is the MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery). The MBBS course takes a total of 5.5 years to complete. It comprises:
4.5 years: Studying theory, practicals, and laboratory work, and learning the intricacies of the human body at a medical college.
1 year: Following this, a mandatory rotating internship must be completed at a recognized hospital, where one learns to treat actual patients. A stipend (salary) is also provided during this period.
Which course should you pursue to become a doctor?
If you wish to pursue fields of medicine other than allopathy, you can also opt for these medical courses through NEET:
BDS (Bachelor of Dental Surgery): A 5-year course to become a dentist.
BAMS (Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery): To become an Ayurvedic doctor.
BHMS (Bachelor of Homoeopathic Medicine and Surgery): To become a homoeopathic doctor.
BYNS and BUMS: Courses in Yoga, Naturopathy, and Unani medicine.
Specialization (MD/MS): To become an expert in a specific medical field.
After completing the 5.5 years of study and internship, you can begin practicing as a 'General Physician.' However, if you wish to become a pediatrician, cardiologist, or surgeon, you must pass the NEET-PG exam after MBBS. This is followed by a 3-year MD (Doctor of Medicine) or MS (Master of Surgery) course. Subsequently, super-specialization (MCh/DM) may take another 3 years; in other words, becoming a fully qualified specialist doctor can take anywhere from 8 to 11 years.
What is a doctor's salary?
There are excellent career opportunities after completing medical studies. You can start working as a ‘Junior Resident’ in any government or private hospital, open your own clinic or hospital, or pursue a career in medical research. The starting salary for an MBBS doctor ranges from ₹60,000 to ₹1,00,000 per month; this figure can rise to lakhs or even crores of rupees annually after completing an MD/MS and gaining experience.
Disclaimer: This content has been sourced and edited from News18 Hindi. While we have made modifications for clarity and presentation, the original content belongs to its respective authors and website. We do not claim ownership of the content.
