What is the Difference Between an MD, DM and MS?

Here’s the Difference

The field of medicine comes with a variety of degrees that may overwhelm aspirants. As our understanding of the human body and medicine evolved, the complexity grew and so did the need for such specializations. MD, DM, and MS are all exactly a consequence of that – they are post-graduate specializations. While MBBS, the bachelors’ level of medicinal studies, has a very generalized structure as compared to its higher education counterpart. Students at MBBS are trained in all fields, after which they may seek to pursue post-graduate programs or specializations. The most common, and often confused, are MD, DM, and MS. The best way to note the subtle differences in each is to understand each specialization elaborately, one by one.

What is MD?

The full form of MD is Medicinae Doctor (Latin) or more commonly referred to as Doctor of Medicine (English). It is a post-graduate program or Masters’ in the field of medicine. In most countries, specifically the United Kingdom and past British colonies, the MD program is a research doctorate or an honorary tag added to those who already hold the first level of professional degree. In countries like the US, MD is considered the first level of professional degree that grants you the post of a doctor.

The admissions in MD in India happen through the NEET-PG examination. The specific branch is opted out during the time of counseling, once the student has cleared the exam. The MD curriculum focusses on physicians. Thus, after studying this PG program, one specializes to become a physician specifically. The Medical Council of India has approved several branches under MD. Some of these are listed below:

• Anesthesiology
• Aviation Medicine
• Bio-Chemistry
• Bio-Physics
• Community Medicine
• Dermatology, Venereology, and Leprosy
• Forensic Medicine
• General Medicine
• Pharmacology
• Pediatrics
• Pathology
• And many more.

Some branches chosen in MD are considered an ultimatum, the final set of study, that no further education is required to adept in that skill. On the flip side, some branches still have a scope of further study to attain a third-level of education in the same field. However, one can always seek a Ph.D. afterward in the former as well.

What is MS?

MS is equivalent in its position to MD. MS stands for Master of Surgery and is very similar to MD. It is another type of post-graduate program in the field of medicine. Students graduating and seeking further-study have to either choose MD or MS as their core specialization. The only key difference is in the subjects. As the name suggests, the core intent of MS is to produce specialized surgeons. Some specialization subjects as approved by the Medical Council of India are:

• Urology
• Cardiac Surgery
• Pediatric Surgery
• Cosmetic Surgery
• ENT
• Neurology
• Ophthalmology
• Obstetrics
• Gynecology
• Orthopedic
• Among others.

Being a surgeon has very different requirements from that of a physician, hence the split in the specializations. A surgeon, must at all times, be prepared for emergencies and operating for immensely long time periods. Whatever the choice of an aspirant maybe, both MD and MS in India is a 3-year long commitment, before the student is handed his/her degree.

What is DM?

DM differs from MD and MS in all aspects. DM stands for Doctorate of Medicine and is the third-level study in the field of medicine. Thus, post-graduates, students who have completed their Masters’, apply for a course in DM. It is a super-specialty in the already specialized course. However, DM is only preferable and chosen by those who did their post-graduate program in MD. The reason is that super-specialization courses of DM are limited to courses that enhance the education of a physician, not that of a surgeon.

For MS post-graduates, another super-specialization course is available. This course is known as M.Ch., which stands for Master of Chirurgical. DM and M.Ch are similar to each other in the same way MD and MS are similar.

Some of the most important super-specializations in DM include:

• Cardiology
• Nephrology
• Urology
• Neonatology
• Oncology
• Rheumatology
• Gastroenterology
• Neurology
• Paediatrics Cardiology
• Clinical Pharmacology
• Endocrinology
• Clinical Immunology

The duration of both DM and M.Ch. is 3 years, after completing a 3-year long Masters’ first.

What to Choose

After graduating, one needs to only be focused and concerned about the specialty courses and not the super-specialty courses. However, one must know that neither a Masters’ nor a Doctorate is mandatory to practice medicine in most countries. It only adds further knowledge and value to the profession. Hence, whether a person chooses to practice or study further, is solely his/her choice.

The scope of both a physician and a surgeon are also equal. How well one performs is based on the individual itself. Both the courses and professions come with their own set of challenges, and it may take quite a bit of introspection to figure out what one is the most suited for. Graduates can also choose to work for some time after finishing their MBBS to have a better idea and practical experience before specializing in any of the courses. Similarly, super-specialty courses are not mandated and are solely based on a person’s will.

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