How to Become a Doctor in India?

Get answers to all your questions in this guide on how to become a doctor in India.

Upon asking kids “What do you want to become once you grow older?”, many answer “Doctor”. Many kids grow up with the ambition of becoming a doctor and helping people cure. When the entire world was hit by the COVID wave, doctors played a vital role in saving people from near-death experiences. In India, especially, the majority treats doctors second to God.

The real journey of becoming a doctor in India starts after passing Class 10. Read along, if you are looking for a guide that will answer all your questions like:

  • “How to become a doctor in India?”
  • “What course to choose after Class 10 to become a doctor?”
  • “Is NEET necessary to enter a medical college”
  • “How long does it take to be a doctor”, or many more.

Nearly 10-13 lakh students aspire to be a doctors in India but only 20-30% can become one. This comprehensive guide will cover everything one needs to become a doctor in India after clearing your Class 10. 

Serial No. Content
1 Is a Medical Career the Right Choice for You?
2 What is a Doctor?
3 How to Become a Doctor in India?
4 How to Become a Doctor in India Without NEET?
5 Conclusion
6 FAQs

Is a Medical Career the Right Choice for You?

Even though this article starts talking about the actual journey of becoming a doctor after Class 10 there are things you need to know before pursuing a medical career.

Questions like if a medical career is something you need to opt for and need to understand what a doctor is before entering into the field. The students might regret later on “yaar jaisa socha tha waisa toh yeh hai hi nahi”.

  • Would you like to have an in-depth understanding of cells, tissues, blood, or organs? Do you like studying Biology and that a medical career interests you? Get to know your interests before instead of regretting them later on.
  • One can’t become a doctor in India or anywhere in the world before they understand if they have the potential to become a doctor. You can take Career Assessment Aptitude or Interest Aptitude Tests online or go for counselling sessions to examine your potential.
  • Till Class 10, Science and Math are mandatory subjects. You can analyse from there if these subjects interest you or scare you. If you are an average student despite having interest then try to improve your understanding of these subjects.

Who is a Doctor?

Since the beginning, we have talked about how to become a doctor but one needs to know who doctor actually is.  A doctor is a certified skilled professional who is responsible for helping people achieve long life expectancy and increasing social welfare. 

We have general physicians, cardiologists, neurosurgeons, psychologists, and many more for curing physical to mental health.

There are doctors for humans, animals, and even plants but they are known by different terms like veterinarian and botanist/phytologist. Surviving any fatal diseases like cancer, cardiac arrest, stroke attack, or getting treated for minor wounds, we owe it all to doctors. 

How to Become a Doctor in India?

Once you are aware of your potential and interest, we can talk about the journey to becoming a doctor in India starting as a student. 

  1. Choose Subjects Related to Medical Field in Class 12

After clearing Class 10, a student must take Physics, Chemistry, and Biology as their main subjects. Choosing Maths is optional and choose only if you can handle studying for all subjects. Getting at least 55% aggregate in PCB and overall 50% is necessary for the General Category whereas 40% is mandatory for the reserved category. Students must clear their base for PCB since starting and make notes as it will help in medical entrance exams. If possible, make a study plan and include practising high-level questions after completing NCERT textbooks and exercise questions and NCERT exemplar books. You can also check the complete NEET syllabus for Physics, Chemistry and Biology for NTA NEET Exam.

  1. Apply for the Entrance Exam After Class 12

NEET or National Eligibility cum Entrance Test is the gateway to entering the medical field i.e. MBBS, BDS, and other medicinal ug courses. The student needs to score at least 600 marks to get admission to a medical college. 1200+ colleges (government and private) in India accept NEET scores as listed below:

  • 15% All India Quota (AIQ) seats
  • 85% State Quota seats
  • Deemed and Central universities
  • ESIC and AFMS
  • Private institutes
  • AIIMS institutes
  • JIPMER colleges.

More than 20.4 lakh candidates appeared for NEET 2023. The last cut-off was 720-137 for the General Category and 136-107 for reserved categories. There are colleges like Kasturba Medical College, AIIMS, Maulana Azad Medical College, and others, that have their medical entrances too.

  1. Enrol in a 5-year and 6 months long MBBS Course

Based on your NEET score, you will be allocated a seat in a medical college. The minimum age to enrol in the course must be 17 and a maximum of 25 years, although it is preferred to apply within two years of graduation. The course duration is 5 years and 6 months and students learn the fundamentals of pre and para-clinical subjects that include biochemistry, microbiology, pathology, and so on. The course includes a year of internship and after graduating, the candidate becomes eligible for practice.

  1. Pursue an Internship

To get MBBS degree eligibility, pursuing an internship is necessary. Students get a chance to work under the supervision of senior doctors and with patients who may need different treatments and therapies. The intern gets hands-on experience for a year in wards and outpatient wards. To clear the internship, the student must exhibit commendable skills and knowledge making them eligible for completing MBBS.

  1. Get Registration with the Indian Medical Register

Practising requires getting registered with one of the State Medical Councils in India. Getting registration requires obtaining an MBBS degree and an internship from any of the state medical board-approved institutes. The beginning of careers starts after getting registered. They can either practice as employee doctors in any healthcare facility, work under the supervision of senior doctors, or open their clinics.

  1. Apply for Higher Education (Optional)

The students who wish to complete their masters in MS, MD, DNB, or Doctorate of National Board (direct 6-year course in Neurosurgery, Pediatric Surgery, Plastic Surgery, and Cardiothoracic Vascular Surgery field. Master of Science and Doctor of Medicine can also be pursued through MBBS. 

How to Become a Doctor in India without NEET?

You can start your journey to become a doctor with these bachelor courses without giving NEET-UG exam

  • BSc. in Biotechnology
  • BSc. in Nursing
  • Bachelor of Veterinary Science
  • Bachelor of Pharmacy
  • Bachelor of Physiotherapy

The student must have at least 50 percent aggregate in the Science stream. 

Conclusion

If you want to become a doctor only with the prospect of earning money then this profession isn’t for you. Being a doctor requires one to have patience, compassion, a quick analytical mind, team skills, and most importantly prioritising patients over money. 

Becoming a doctor in India or anywhere in the world isn’t everyone’s cup of tea and requires sleepless efforts and determination to study and work hard. Courage is also required if you are opting for the medical profession. 

FAQs

  1. How long does it take to become a doctor?

      Ans. It takes 10 to 12 years to become a licensed doctor.

  1. What is the Salary of Doctor in India after MBBS?

      Ans. 0.5 lakhs to 12 lakhs per annum.

  1. How much does the MBBS course cost?

      Ans. In top colleges, it costs between 5 to 60 lakhs INR per year.

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