Doctor of Medicine, commonly known as MD, is a postgraduate degree where graduates study medicine in detail. It is a two-year course that trains medical graduates in the study, prevention, diagnosis, and the treatment of adult diseases. Someone who holds an MBBS degree can pursue MD degree to obtain training on a specialization of choice. Some of the specializations include pediatrics, gynecology, obstetrics, ophthalmology, and dentistry. Graduates should know that the admission to MD course in many of the colleges is granted through the National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test PG, commonly known as NEET PG. On the other hand, colleges that do not come under the ambit of the exam have their own admission criteria. As per the Medical Council of India, there are a total of 220 medical colleges in India (both government and private) that offer around 17950 seats for MD course.
There are several advantages when it comes to pursuing a degree in Doctor of Medicine. Some of them are mentioned below:
Doctor of Medicine i.e., MD is a postgraduate degree, which can be opted after completing MBBS.
To pursue MD, aspirants must fulfill the eligibility criteria set by the authority. The eligibility criteria include a mix of educational qualifications, registration, internship requirement, etc. It should be noted that aspirants who seek admission through NEET PG must fulfill NEET PG eligibility criteria to qualify. On the other hand, those who seek admission through AIIMS, JIPMER or any other institutes where NEET PG scores are not applicable can also check the eligibility below.
The admission in MD to most of the colleges is granted based on NEET PG scores along with counselling sessions. However, other institutes/universities such as AIIMS, JIPMER & PGIMER conduct their own entrance exam along with group discussion/personal interview. Every institute conducts the exam in different patterns. The name of the major entrance exams for MD has been mentioned below.
Listed below are the major entrance exams on the grounds of which admission to MD is granted through various medical colleges. It is to be noted that the admission procedure of all these entrance examinations is different.
Listed below are division MD seats that are filled after the declaration of NEET PG result.
Doctor of medicine does not have any further division of course since it is a course itself. However, there are several specializations in this degree which are mentioned below.
All the specialties in MD (Doctor of Medicine) have been listed in the table below.
| Aerospace Medicine | Marine Medicine | Radiotherapy |
| Anatomy | Medical Genetics | Respiratory Medicine |
| Anesthesiology | Microbiology | Sports Medicine |
| Biochemistry | Nuclear medicine | Immunohematology and Blood transfusion |
| Biophysics | Pediatrics | Infectious Diseases |
| Community medicine | Palliative Medicine | Tropical Medicine |
| Dermatology, Venereology & Leprosy | Pathology | Hospital Administration |
| Emergency Medicine | Pharmacology | Radio diagnosis |
| Family Medicine | Psychiatry | Health Administration |
| Forensic Medicine | Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation | Geriatrics |
| General Medicine | Physiology | Pulmonary medicine |
It is to be noted that the syllabus for MD varies from institution to institution, as well as from the specialization. However, candidates can refer to the syllabus of major specialties in MD set by Medical Council of India (MCI) below.
The motive of training the students for MD in Aerospace medicine is to produce a postgraduate student who after undergoing the required training can deal with the requirements of the community and should be competent to handle all. The student should also acquire skills in teaching medical/para-medical students in the subject that the student has received his/her training. The student should be aware of his/her limitations.
Students should also acquire skills in teaching anatomy to medical and para-medical students and be able to integrate the teaching of Anatomy with other relevant subjects while being aware of her/his limitations. Students should also acquire skills in teaching anatomy to medical and para-medical students and be able to integrate the teaching of Anatomy with other relevant subjects while being aware of her/his limitations.
Students with training in anesthesiology should be able to recognize the health needs of the community. He or she should be competent to handle effectively medical problems and should be aware of the recent advances pertaining to his/her specialty. She/he should be a highly competent anesthesiologist with a broad range of skills that will enable him/her to practice anesthesiology independently. Students should also acquire basic skills in teaching medical/para-medical students. They are also expected to know the principles of research methodology and modes of the consulting library. They should attend conferences, workshops, and CMEs regularly to upgrade his/her knowledge.
The student who has obtained an MD degree in Biochemistry should be well-versed in basic concepts and recent advances in the subject and should have acquired skills and expertise in various laboratory techniques applicable to metabolic and molecular aspects of medicine and in research methodology. Training during the course should equip the student with skills to become an effective teacher, able to plan and implement teaching programs for students in medical and allied health science courses, set up/manage a diagnostic laboratory, generate, evaluate, and interpret diagnostic laboratory data, interact with clinicians to contribute to more effective patient care and carry out a research project and publish its results.
Community Medicine is an academic subject, a branch of medicine which deals with the promotion of health and prevention of diseases, involving people’s participation, utilizing professional management skills. The Community Medicine specialist will inculcate a holistic view of health and medical interventions primarily focused on Community Health/Population Health. Thus, he/she should be equipped with the knowledge, skills, competencies in primary, secondary & tertiary care, control and prevention of outbreaks/epidemics, community diagnosis, health needs assessment, epidemiological assessment, research and planning evidence-based health policies and programs.
Students having undergone the required training should be able to recognize the health needs of the community, should be competent to handle effectively the medical problems and aware of recent advances pertaining to the discipline. Students should acquire basic skills in teaching medical/para-medical students. The student should be able to counsel patients and relatives in infectious diseases like HIV/AIDS, STDs, cutaneous tuberculosis, leprosy, and any event of serious illness or death.
The salary in MD depends on the experience of the graduate, the hospital/institution as well as the location. The more you work in the field and gain experience the more you will get paid for it. However, if we talk about the starting salary in MD for freshers, then it is somewhere between INR 25,000 to 30,000. Graduates with an experience of a year two, can earn up to INR 40,000 to 45,000. And of course, as the experience grows, the salary can go up to INR 70,000.
| Level of Experience | Estimated Salary in INR |
|---|---|
| Freshers | Between 25,000 to 30,000 |
| Graduates with an experience of a year or two | Between 40,000 TO 45,000 |
| Graduates with more than two years of experience | Up to 70,000 |
After completing an MD degree, graduates can not only call themselves an MBBS/MD, however, they can also opt for some amazing career prospects. It is indeed true that an MD has better career prospects in the long run. Few big career opportunities that an MD graduate can opt for after completing the degree are mentioned below.
It is not easy but not impossible either. After completing the course, candidates can apply for MD jobs in the government sector. These government jobs will pay a hefty salary and will come along with many additional benefits. Candidates would be pleased to know that a lot of doctor recruitment exams are conducted by UPSC where MD qualified doctors can try their luck
MD graduates also have an option to set up their own clinic. Having set up a clinic, candidates can have their own rules made on a convenience basis. The beginning might not be great but if you cope through that then undoubtedly your future is safe and secure
Because of the ever-increasing demand and shortage of medical practitioners, there are many MD jobs in the private sector which are always in the hiring process for MD specialized doctors.
If you believe in serving the poor and needy then NGOs are the best options for you. Also, you must note that not all jobs in NGOs are unpaid as some will pay u well. If you think you got the nerve for it then go hit the nail
This is never an option for an MD degree holder, it is always a choice. Having said that, it does not at all mean that this is not a good option. It is great if you decide to study further and add more feathers to your cap. However, candidates must keep in mind that their super-specialty option will depend upon the specialization that they opted for while pursuing MD.