Is Indian MD degree After MBBS Accepted in Australia?

Many medical aspirants prefer studying in India for its low-cost yet high-quality education. This is especially one of the best accessible options for Indian citizens. Post education, many graduates also seek international exposure, better pay, and a higher quality of living. Such standards are generally met by developed countries – one such being Australia. Australia is recognized and loved by many, but Study Mbbs in Australia is taken as a serious affair all across the world. As a consequence, each country has its own education patterns and licensing laws to be a practicing doctor in the country.

Therefore, a medical degree from India may and may not be recognized by other countries. Australia is one such country, where MBBS and MD from India are not directly recognized as valid, doctors from India cannot freely practice medicine in Australia. However, that does not imply that all hope is lost. The government of Australia does recognize the fact that doctors in India go through vital education and experience, and grants them an opportunity to prove their skillset. Applicants applying and succeeding are generally referred to as IMGs, i.e., International Medical Graduates.

 HOW TO PRACTICE IN AU

To test the proficiency of any applicant, the Australian Medical Council conducts assessments based on the type of application. Essentially, the applicants are divided into two groups – Trainee doctors who opt for a standard pathway, and a specialist doctor who applies for a specialized pathway.

1. Standard Pathway: A person applying for a standard pathway has to take an exam conducted by the Australian Medical Council. This pathway is best suited for the MBBS graduates in India as the bachelor’s program has a generalized curriculum for its students, and does not specialize a student in any one core segment of the medical industry. The exam has two components:

• MCQ Section, which has an overall passing rate of 60%
• Clinical Section, which has an overall passing rate of 25%

The eligibility criteria of applying for AMC, first and foremost, requires a portfolio. For this, the applicant must register themselves with the AMC website. The Australian Medical Council does not accept applications that do not mention a recognized medical college. This can be crosschecked with the World Directory of Medical Schools.

The next step involves making an EPIC account and confirming one’s identity, which is confirmed in about 3 days. The elaborate procedure does not end here. This EPIC account is used to establish one’s portfolio where all qualifications of the applicant are listed. The applicant must then request an EPIC to forward the portfolio to AMC, which then reviews and reaches out to its applicants.

This elaborate process is not only a length affair but a costly one too. It costs about ASD 500/- to register with AMU and roughly ASD 205/- to register with EPIC. In INR, the total cost boils down to an approximate of 38,000/-. After the entire process, the student is eligible to sit for the AMC’s MCQ exam only. The students who manage to clear the MCQ section are then further allowed to take part in the clinical section.

The standard pathway generates trainee doctors, working in trainee jobs while working and studying under different levels of supervision, upgrading from one to another.

2. Specialist Pathway: A person applying for a specialist pathway which also includes becoming verified as a doctor by the Australian Medical Council. Unlike the Standard Pathway, the Specialist Pathway does not have a common exam or even common exams under the same specializations. The applicants need to directly approach colleges to be assessed for their field of study. The college, after its assessment, deems the applicant to be either comparable or not comparable. When an applicant is deemed not comparable, the applicant cannot directly become a specialist and has to choose the standard pathway.

In some cases, an applicant may be deemed partially comparable, the applicant is allowed to work under supervisions and in some cases, he/she may have to take formal examinations. The specialized program is an even costlier affair and may cost up to AUD 10,000.

EXPLORING OTHER OPTIONS

• While the above options are more permanent, applicants looking for temporary experience in Australia can opt for Short Term Training Program in a Medical Speciality Pathway. The application process remains similar to the above procedures where the applicant applies for general registration and then seeks specialist training.
• Internships in Australia are not an option, either for graduates or post-graduates. The Medical Board suggests against it, and only students in Australia intern for a provisional year in their education.

IS IT WORTH IT?

Practising medicine in Australia is certainly prestigious and a great gift to resumes. However, the prospect of being a doctor in Australia having been educated in India is incredibly difficult and the stakes are very high. A lot of investment and hard work goes into it. Looking at the professional aspects, the junior salary packages are about AUD 70,000 while specialists generally earn AUD 300,000. The best bet for each applicant is to look into every minor detail of the application process, seek professional consultation, and ensure the profile is worth being accepted at the specialist program if being applied to. Many Indians have struggled to be recognized as specialists in Australia, but in order to spark hope, Indians are also 4^th on the list of a number of internationally accepted doctors in Australia.

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