MD Vs MS: What After MBBS?

MD Vs MS: Which is better? This is a question that many aspiring medical students and healthcare professionals have grappled with when choosing their career path. Both MD and MS degrees offer rewarding and respected career paths in the medical field, but they require different skill sets and training. An MD degree focuses on general medical knowledge and patient care, while an MS degree specializes in surgical procedures and techniques. As such, deciding between the two can be a daunting task. It's important to consider factors such as lifestyle, earning potential, personal interests, and career goals before making a decision. This article will explore the differences between MD and MS degrees, including their respective career paths, training requirements, and opportunities for professional growth. By the end of this article, you'll have a better understanding of these two career paths and be better equipped to make an informed decision on which one is better suited for you.

Why Should One Take Up a PG Course After MBBS?

In order to be successful in the Indian medical industry, it is almost mandatory for Indian doctors to pursue a PG course after completing their MBBS. The completion of MS or MD courses after MBBS also opens up many job opportunities and a substantial hike in salary. 

Demand for MS and MS Doctors

It is quite obvious that post-graduate medical candidates will have a higher demand in the healthcare sector. Patients will prefer a specialist when it comes to particular health issues. For example, a patient with skin disease will not go to see an MBBS doctor and opt for a specialist doctor with an MD degree in dermatology. Similarly, in order to be eligible for performing any kind of surgery, an MBBS graduate needs to obtain an MS degree.

Career Prospects for doctors with a Postgraduate degree

While a candidate with an MBBS degree has favourable career prospects, a doctor with specialised skills in a particular field such as Obstetrics and Gynaecology will have in-depth knowledge of the topic. An MD degree in the field of speciality enables doctors to gain optimum skills for diagnosing illnesses, provide them with greater confidence, and improves their ability to communicate. A doctor with an MD or MS degree after an MBBS course will have an upward career trajectory by working as a skilled and knowledgeable specialist or a surgeon.  

Salary of doctors post their MS or MD course

As mentioned earlier, there is a huge difference between the income of an MBBS doctor and that of a doctor with an MS or MD degree. Hence, the chances of building a satisfying career by studying for a postgraduate degree after MBBS seems to be the most viable option.

MD VS MS

MD and MS are both medical degrees that can lead to careers in the field of medicine. MD stands for Doctor of Medicine, while MS stands for Master of Science. The main difference between the two degrees is the focus of the curriculum and the career paths they lead to. MD programs focus on general medical knowledge and training with a broad scope of practice. MD graduates are qualified to diagnose and treat a wide range of medical conditions and can practice in a variety of settings such as hospitals, clinics, and private practices.

MS programs, on the other hand, have a more specialized focus on a particular area of medicine such as surgery, neurology, or radiology. Graduates of MS programs are qualified to perform specialized medical procedures and may work in hospitals or clinics as specialists in their field.

Both degrees require several years of study and practical training, with MD programs typically taking four years to complete and MS programs varying in length depending on the specialty. Ultimately, the choice between MD and MS will depend on the individual's career goals and interests within the field of medicine.

An MD aspirant, after the completion of his/her course, will go on to become a physician in the field he/she took an MD specialisation in, meanwhile, an MS graduate will go on to pursue a career as a surgeon.

Experts, both academic and doctors who have been working in their respective fields have stated both MD and MS garner similar career opportunities, depending on the skill and aptitude of the candidate. They claim that choice should depend on what the candidate prefers to do. However, a career path in the field of surgery results in better pay than that of a Physician.

Specialisations in MD and MS

MD and MS courses are usually done in different medical specialisations, therefore, after your MBBS, you can specialise in the areas of your interest. Here are some of the specialisations in MD and MS, which you can pursue after an MBBS.

These are just some of the specialisations that are available across the medical colleges in India. The industry of medicine is an advanced industry, therefore, the number of specialisations that will be available to pursue after MBBS will be vast. Since medicine has been a course of choice for many people in India, the competition in the discipline has been high, forcing many candidates to pursue higher education in specific specialisations and super-speciality courses as well. However, to pursue a super speciality course, you must first complete one of the PG medical courses, which also includes MD or MS.

Career Prospects of MD and MS

As mentioned above, the career prospects of an MD or MS graduate are similar if not equally rewarding. Like many other professions, the skills and qualifications along with your aptitude in the area will directly affect your career growth. Both MS and MD have similar career opportunities, with both fields catering to different medical treatment procedures.

MD and MS are postgraduate courses, which means that the candidates will only be able to pursue the course after completing their MBBS. In the stream of medicine, a postgraduate course is usually pursued when medical aspirants wish to become specialists in specific areas. Therefore, regardless of the degree that you pursue under MS or MD, your career path will be defined as per the specialisation that you have chosen.

As per the statements of experts, the career path for both MD and MS depends on the skills acquired by the candidate along with their aptitude in the subject. They also claim that while a Physician cannot perform surgical treatments, a surgeon may be able to take up the profession of a physician, but with a little bit more education in medicine. Other experts and doctors state that many medical aspirants go for super-speciality courses as well, as this helps them improve due to the complications and advancements that have taken place in medicine.

MD and MS freshers can expect to earn anywhere between ₹50,000 - ₹60,000 per month. However, a lot depends on the kind of specialisation that had been chosen by the candidate along with the place of establishment where the candidate receives his/her job. Some specialisations may even allow freshers to earn near a lakh to 1.5 lakh per month. Like every other profession, the annual package along with the career growth will increase with the skill and experience that he or she gains from his job.

What’s Better - MD or MS?

The question as to which degree will be better for you depends completely on your aptitude and skills along with your interest. While choosing, one should factor in different aspects of the job. An MS graduate or surgeon will have to work with human tissue and blood, which might make some medical aspirants squeamish. If you are one of those who cannot stand the sight of blood and lacerations, then surgery is not the right option for you.

Talking to experts in the field, they stated that surgery requires one to be passionate about the field. Moreover, a great hand over the skills, knowledge and aptitude in the field is a major requirement as well. All the experts in the field state one thing - Both are equally good with good career opportunities and growth.

Therefore, the decision comes down to which course you think will suit you and whether or not you will be able to handle the sight of blood and gore and still have the ability to carry out surgical treatments with utmost discipline and skill. More importantly, you should ask yourself about the field that interests you, as MD and MS are not the only options to pursue after MBBS.

Also Read:Check out the NEET 2020 Exam Day Rules and Regulations

Course Duration and Exam Required for MD and MS

MBBS graduates who wish to pursue higher education in the field of medicine will be able to pursue a postgraduate degree in the field. The postgraduate degree, viz. MD or MS, are conducted for a duration of 3 years, in the specialisation of your choice. However, the trend these days have been to pursue a super-speciality course in Doctor of Medicine (DM) or Master of Chirurgiae (M.Ch). Pursuing these additional courses will add another 2 -3 years, depending on the speciality chosen by you.

However, like any other medical courses offered in India, all the candidates must have a valid NEET score. To pursue MD and MS courses, the candidates are required to sit for NEET-PG. All MD/MS Colleges in India take admissions based on the scores obtained by the candidate in NEET PG, therefore, it is necessary for all aspiring candidates to sit for the entrance.

Check out the list of exams for MS and/or MD degrees in India

List of MD/MS Colleges in India

If you are interested in pursuing an MD or MS course in India, then you can check the list of MD/MS Colleges in India. You will be able to pursue, both MD or MS from the colleges that have been mentioned below.

Also Read:Check out the List of AIIMS Colleges Located in India

As mentioned above, aspirants of the postgraduate medical programmes, MD and MS will be able to pursue their degree in different specialisations in MD or MS Colleges in India. All aspirants must go through the eligibility criteria for the MD or MS courses that are offered by the colleges, institutes or Universities. NEET-PG score is an important eligibility criterion, which should be met by all the aspiring MD and MS students.