MBBS Total Seats In India increasing, PG seats Abysmal

PG Seats Abysmal relative to MBBS Total Seats In India; Doctors wondering ‘after MBBS what

With thousands of students graduating from medical colleges every year, post-graduation seats are nowhere coping up. The MBBS total seats in India are nowhere compatible with the students graduating looking to pursue a PG, limiting option after MBBS. Presently, there are 42,000 PG medical seats in our country, which is an increase from last year but is not compatible with the number of young doctors. Their only option is to explore other careers. This article will help you understand after MBBS what realistic options you have in clinical specializations and other non-clinical options after MBBS.

If you are looking for PG courses in the best medical colleges in India then your chances of actually getting into one are quite tough. Even among these, key clinical speciality seats are even more limited. This cutthroat competition limits the scope of these young doctors. You may know that medicine is all about specialization these days. The current reality mostly agrees that career advancement in clinical practice follows specialization in a field. Mostly a specialist earns way more than a general physician. But with almost scarce PG options, the question is what other options after MBBS or BDS are there for doctors?

We can compare the MBBS total seats in India with the MD/MS/Diploma courses.

As per the previous year’s data for admission in MBBS around 40,000 seats were available in government colleges whereas private colleges approximately 35,000 seats. On the other hand, the total of post-graduate seats from MS, MD, and Diploma courses combined is 36,000 which is less than half of the potential candidates. This ratio is even more skewed in alternate medical streams like BDS, BAMS etc. Let’s look at more specific data which portrays this staggering difference in medical seats.

The data above clearly show that there is a clear shortage of PG seats for doctors. The total MBBS seats in India do not match with that of PG seats. This leaves students at a disadvantage.

The data could get overwhelming as it hits the right chords. Under current capacity, we cannot do justice with the thousands of doctors graduating every year. These doctors have studied for almost twice the time as other graduates to earn their degrees. But now, they have largely no real career prospects ahead. The average salary of an MBBS doctor in India is about 6 lakhs per annum, BDS about 3 lakhs, and similar for others, outside of government jobs.

These doctors have knowledge and experience that could be leveraged into other non-clinical professions in healthcare to add great value. The healthcare ecosystem could greatly benefit from these interdisciplinary experts. It is imperative to utilize one’s skills in the right environment. Every graduate must really start asking what other option after MBBS can they pursue to nurture their interests in the field while simultaneously being creative.

Personal View Point

From a personal viewpoint, these non-clinical career options could offer a definite career path, much better remuneration, professional fulfilment through broader impact, innovation, and lifestyle alternatives. The MBBS total seats in India may be very high but take a step back and look at the future. Even the best medical colleges in India cannot ensure you a successful clinical career. The choice is wide, research properly and reach out for help if you require guidance for the question ‘after MBBS what should I do?’. If you are wondering about the bills to pay and professional fulfilment then do check out articles on our website. Also, if you thought there is no option after MBBS apart from an MD or MS, think again. Happy Realization!