Healthcare professionals were at the frontlines during the pandemic and battled many challenges but emerged as real heroes by helping others. We realised the important role doctors play in our lives during the unprecedented health crisis. In India, many students who want to care for others aspire to be doctors. If you too want to pursue this noble profession, here are the top Indian medical colleges you must know and other interesting details.

Key Highlights

• Why pursue medical courses?
• Top 10 Indian medical colleges
• Best Indian medical colleges: Public and private
• Master’s courses to pursue at top universities for a medical degree
• Eligibility criteria for master’s course for medical students

Why pursue medical courses?

• According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, the shortage of doctors is projected to reach 120,000 by 2032. So, there is a huge demand for doctors.
• You can choose from a wide range of specialisations such as Biomedicine, Veterinary, Dentistry, Urology, and more.
• This profession also attracts high salaries so you can build a lucrative career.
• Get a chance to participate in some ground-breaking medical research.

Top 10 Indian medical colleges

50 medical schools appear in National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) Rankings 2023 - Medical. All India Institute of Medical Sciences is the top educational institution as per these rankings. Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) and Christian Medical College rank 2nd and 3rd on the list.

NIRF Rankings 2023: Medica	Rank
All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Delhi	1
Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER)	2
Christian Medical College	3
National Institute of Mental Health & Neuro Sciences	4
Jawaharlal Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education & Research	5
Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham	6
Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences	7
Banaras Hindu University	8
Kasturba Medical College, Manipal	9
Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology	10

Public colleges	Private Colleges
All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Delhi	Christian Medical College
Madras Medical College	Kasturba Medical College of Manipal
Stanley Medical College	St. John’s National Academy of Health Sciences
Medical College, Kolkata	Siksha 'O' Anusandhan
Grant Medical College, Mumbai	Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research

Master’s courses to pursue at top universities for a medical degree

Post completion of your Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS), you can pursue your master’s. Two primary master’s degrees are a Doctor of Medicine (MD) and a Master of Surgery (MS). 

• Doctor of Medicine (MD)

The course duration is 2-3 years, depending on the varsity you select. The rigorous study program will impart knowledge related to diagnosis, prevention, and treatment. The syllabus will be related to pre-clinical and non-surgical procedures and will introduce you to several experiments and observations in the laboratory.

• Some areas of specialisation for MD

• Radio-Diagnosis
• Anaesthesiology
• Tuberculosis and Respiratory diseases
• Skin and Venereal diseases
• Paediatrics
• Dermatology
• Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

• Master of Surgery (MS)

If you aspire to be a surgeon, you can pursue an MS degree after completing your bachelor’s. The program will involve patient care, surgical techniques, anatomy, physiology, and research. Similar to MD, MS, too, has multiple specialisations. You can choose your speciality depending on your area of interest and career plans.

• Some areas of specialisation for MS

• General Surgery
• Obstetrics
• Orthopaedics
• Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT)
• Traumatology & Surgery
• Neurologist

Eligibility criteria for master’s course for medical students

• To pursue an MS or MD course, you must complete your MBBS degree.

• National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) is conducted by National Testing Agency (NTA) for students aspiring to pursue MD and MS courses. The Institute of National Importance Combined Entrance Test (INI CET) and the All India Post Graduate Medical Entrance Examination (AIPGMEE) are other entrance exams. You can appear for the entrance exams as per your university-specific requirements. For reputed universities such as AIIMS, you should score 710 and above. Any score between 700-117 is accepted by most colleges. However, keep track of cut-off marks.

So, these are some of the best medical colleges in India. If you have selected your dream university, don’t let financial constraints stop you from pursuing your academic aspirations. Many medical students opt for student loans in India to pursue their higher education independently. At Avanse Financial Services, we offer loans for students that cover the holistic cost of education, including tuition fees, accommodation costs, living expenses, and other education-related expenses. If you have any queries, please feel free to connect with us. All the best.