Studying medicine abroad

Studying medicine abroad in English is an attractive option for aspiring doctors and healthcare professionals from all over the world.

The opportunity to gain a high quality education, experience a new and exciting culture, and enhance career opportunities are some of the many reasons that you might choose to study medicine in a different country as an international student.

What is medicine?

Medicine is the scientific discipline focused on diagnosing, treating, and preventing diseases to promote health and well-being. As a field, it integrates knowledge from biological, chemical, and physical sciences with clinical practice to manage patient care. As a medical student you will study a range of subjects to understand the complex workings of the human body and disease processes.

Medicine also encompasses various specialties, each targeting different aspects of healthcare. Through clinical rotations and hands-on training, students develop practical skills in patient interaction, diagnosis, and treatment.

The discipline not only requires you to have academic knowledge but also to develop your compassion, communication, and problem-solving abilities. As a medical professional you will go on to play a vital role in society, improving the quality of life and extending life expectancy of your patients by addressing a wide range of health issues, from injuries to chronic illnesses.

How long is a medicine degree?

A medicine degree can be either undergraduate or postgraduate, depending on the country you choose to study in.

• Undergraduate (Direct-entry): In many countries, including the UK and Australia, you can enter medical school or a medicine degree directly. These degrees typically last 5 to 6 years, combining pre-clinical and clinical training to earn an MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery) or equivalent degree.
• Postgraduate (Graduate-entry): In countries like the United States and Canada, a medicine degree is a postgraduate qualification. You must first complete a bachelor’s degree, often in a related field, before you apply to medical school. The medical degree program (Doctor of Medicine, MD, or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, DO) usually takes 4 years, followed by a residency for specialised training.

In both pathways, after you have completed medical school, you will undergo additional training (residency) before you become a fully licensed doctor.

Why study medicine abroad?

One of the main attractions of studying medicine abroad is the opportunity to gain an excellent education from world renowned universities.

Many countries, especially in Europe, are home to highly ranked medical schools that provide competitive degrees and cutting edge research facilities. By choosing to study abroad, you can gain access to a wealth of resources and expertise that may not have been available in your home country.

As well as the educational advantages, studying medicine abroad also allows you to immerse yourselves in a different culture, and gain a global perspective.

Interacting with a diverse group of patients and fellow students, and experiencing healthcare systems that operate in different ways can broaden your horizons, and deepen your understanding of healthcare on a global scale.

It also fosters cultural awareness, which is not only beneficial in today’s connected world, but also works to develop bedside manner and teamworking skills, which will become essential when you become a medical professional.

What topics you will study

Whether your degree is classed as undergraduate or postgraduate, it will cover a wide range of subjects. The aim is to prepare you for diagnosing and treating illnesses, as well as promoting good health.

An overview of a medicine degree curriculum can be split into pre-clinical and clinical stages:

Pre-clinical

• Anatomy: the structure of the human body
• Physiology: the functions of the body’s various systems
• Biochemistry: the chemical processes and substances within the body
• Pathology: the study of diseases, their causes, and how they effect the human body
• Pharmacology: how drugs interact with the body and each other, and how they can be used to treat illnesses
• Microbiology: study of microorganisms, such as bacteria and viruses
• Medical ethics and law: understanding the ethical and legal responsibilities of being a practising medical professional

Clinical

• Clinical skills: taking patient histories, performing physical exams, and diagnostic procedures (such as blood tests or CT scans)
• Internal medicine: diagnosis and treatment/management of diseases in adult patients
• Surgery: techniques used in surgical treatments
• Paediatrics: medical care for infants, children and adolescents
• Psychiatry: mental health conditions and their treatment
• Obstetrics and gynaecology: women’s reproductive health and childbirth.

Once you have graduated, you will also take part in clinical rotations, also referred to as ‘residency’. This gives you the opportunity to gain hands-on experience under supervision.

Medicine specialisations

When you study medicine, you will have the opportunity to specialise towards the end of your medical degree. This specialisation will influence which area of medicine you work in, and will play a big part in your placement experience. Some specialisations include:

• General Surgery – prepares you specifically for performing a range of surgical procedures. Sometimes you can specialise further
• Oncology – this speciality focuses on cancer, including diagnosis, treatment and research
• Cardiology – referring to disorders of the heart and cardiovascular system
• Orthopaedics – specialising in conditions that affect the musculoskeletal system
• Neurology – involves the diagnosis and treatment of diseases and conditions that affect the nervous system, which includes the brain, spinal cord and peripheral nerves
• Gynaecology – this specialisation focuses on women’s conditions and diseases, particularly those of the female reproductive organs
• Radiology – using medical imaging (X-Rays, CT, MRI and PET scans for example) to diagnose and treat injuries, illnesses and conditions

If you are interested in working in the medical field, but aren’t sure that studying medicine is quite right for you, there are other degrees you might want to consider. These include:

• Nursing
• Pharmacy
• Dentistry
• Midwifery
• Healthcare science
• Clinical photography
• Medical sales
• Chemistry
• Biology

Accreditation and certification

Different countries have their own accreditation systems, and the degree you are awarded could vary depending on where you choose to study. The most common award titles are Bachelor of Medicine (BMed), Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) or Bachelor of Science (BSc). Once you have graduated from medical school, you will usually be awarded an MD (Doctor of Medicine).

Some countries may require you to be a registered healthcare provider as well as gaining your degree. For example, in the UK, medical qualifications need to be approved by, or meet the standards of the General Medical Council (GMC) before you are able to become a practising doctor.

Other medical registration boards include:

• Medical Board of Australia
• Medical Council of Canada
• Medical Council of New Zealand
• Medical Council of Ireland
• American Medical Association

As well as this, you will continue to gain accreditation and certification throughout your career as a doctor or surgeon, as it is important that your professional development never stops.

Career options

As a medicine graduate you have a wide range of career options, both within and beyond clinical practice. Here are some of the most common career paths:

Clinical Practice

• General Practitioner (GP): primary care doctors who diagnose and treat a wide variety of conditions and manage patient care across all ages.
• Specialist Doctor: after additional training (residency and fellowship), you can specialise in specific areas.

Non-Clinical Careers

• Medical Research: you could work in universities, research institutions, or pharmaceutical companies to study diseases, develop new treatments, or improve healthcare technology.
• Medical Education: teaching future doctors in medical schools or training programs.
• Public Health: you might choose to focus on community health, disease prevention, and health promotion, often in governmental or international health organisations.
• Healthcare Management: managing hospitals, healthcare facilities, or medical departments.
• Medical Journalism or Writing: communicating medical information to the public or writing scientific articles.
• Pharmaceutical Industry: roles in drug development, medical affairs, or regulatory positions.

With further specialisation or experience, many opportunities in both clinical and non-clinical fields are available to you.