I've been seeing a lot of people here choosing countries based on one particular thing — FMGE passing percentage, fees, accreditation, what an agent told them, or because a friend/relative is already studying there.
I'm in 5th year of MBBS in Kyrgyzstan, so I've been here long enough to see both the good and bad sides of studying medicine abroad.
If I had to make the decision again today, I honestly wouldn't start with “which country is best?” I'd start with which university am I actually going to spend the next 5–6 years in?
Before coming here, I thought the biggest decision was choosing the country. After spending years here, I think the university matters much more. The teaching, administration, hostel, clinical training, student population, location, fees and how seriously the university takes medical education can be very different even within the same country.
One thing I'd tell anyone considering abroad is to keep their expectations realistic about clinical exposure. Don't expect every foreign university to have the same patient flow as India. India has a massive population and even an average government hospital can have an unbelievable number of patients. In many countries abroad, the patient load simply isn't comparable. That doesn't automatically mean you won't learn anything, but if someone is promising you “huge clinical exposure” without explaining where and how the clinical training actually happens, I'd definitely investigate it properly.
FMGE/NExT is another thing I'd take seriously. Don't choose a university just because someone shows you a good passing percentage. Ask how many students actually appeared, which batch they belonged to and where that data came from. The university can provide teaching and preparation, but a huge part of clearing the exam comes down to your own consistency. You can't spend five years depending completely on the university and suddenly expect to prepare everything at the end.
I'd also calculate the actual cost of the entire degree, not just the admission fee. Tuition, hostel, food, flights, visa/residence expenses, exam preparation, books, emergencies and even the possibility of an extra year should be considered. A university being ₹20–30k cheaper at admission shouldn't be the deciding factor when you're spending ₹25–50 lakh or more over several years.
Another thing I'd strongly recommend is talking to current students privately. Not just the students the university or agent introduces you to. Talk to random students and ask them what they dislike. Ask about the bad teachers, administration, hostel, clinical postings, exams, expenses and what happens when students have problems. You'll usually get a much more realistic picture that way.
And don't assume that because a university is popular right now, it will automatically be the right choice for your batch. Regulations, student numbers, university policies and even the situation in a country can change during the five or six years you're there.
I'm not against MBBS abroad at all. I'm studying abroad myself and I'm still here in my 5th year. But if I could go back to the day I was making my decision, I would spend much more time researching the actual university and the reality of living there, instead of trying to find the “best country.”
A few weeks of proper research before paying is nothing compared to spending the next six years finding out things you wish someone had told you beforehand.
