Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery
Encyclopedia
Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery, or in Latin
Medicinae Baccalaureus, Baccalaureus Chirurgiae (abbreviated in various ways, viz. "BMBS", MB BChir, BM BCh, MB BCh, MB ChB, MB BS, BM, BMed, MBBS etc.), are the two first professional
degree
s awarded upon graduation from medical school
in medicine
and surgery
by universities
in various countries that follow the tradition of the United Kingdom
. The naming suggests that they are two separate degrees; however, in practice, they are usually treated as one and awarded together. Usually, students who have graduated with a "Bachelor of Medicine" degree may also practice surgery, because it is equivalent to the "Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery" degree.
Professionals holding MBBS Degrees are referred to by the title of "Doctor" and use the prefix "Dr".
, Bangladesh
, Barbados
, China
, Egypt
, Fiji
, Ghana
, Guyana
, Hong Kong
, India
, Indonesia
, Iran
, Iraq
, Ireland
, Jamaica
, Jordan
, Kenya
, Kuwait
, Libya
, Malawi
, Philippines
, Malaysia, Mauritius
, Mexico
, Myanmar
, Nepal
, New Zealand
, Nigeria
, Pakistan
, Papua New Guinea
, Samoa
, Saudi Arabia
, Sierra Leone
, Singapore
, South Africa
, Sri Lanka
, Sudan
, Tanzania
, Trinidad and Tobago
, Uganda
, the United Arab Emirates
, the United Kingdom
, Zambia
and Zimbabwe
.
Historically, Bachelor of Medicine was also the primary medical degree conferred by institutions in the United States
and Canada
, such as University of Pennsylvania
, Harvard
, University of Toronto
, University of Maryland
, and Columbia
. Several early North American medical schools were (for the most part) founded by physicians and surgeons who had trained in England
and Scotland
. University medical education in England culminated with the Bachelor of Medicine qualification, and in Scotland
the Doctor of Medicine
, until the mid-19th century when the public bodies that regulated medical practice at the time required practitioners in Scotland as well as England to hold the dual Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degrees. Throughout the 19th century, North American medical schools switched to the tradition of the Ancient universities of Scotland
and began conferring Doctor of Medicine rather than Bachelor of Medicine, the first institution to make such a switch being King's College (now Columbia University) in New York
.
In the countries that award bachelors' degrees in medicine, however, Doctor of Medicine denotes a holder of a higher doctorate and is reserved for medical practitioners who undertake research and submit a thesis in the field of medicine. Nevertheless, those holding Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery are usually referred to by the courtesy title of "Doctor
" and use the prefix "Dr".
Despite their styling as two degrees, Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery are usually conferred together. At some institutions, such as Oxford and Cambridge, it was possible in the past to be awarded the two degrees in different years.
In many countries, the degrees are awarded after an undergraduate course lasting five or six years. In some cases, a graduate in another discipline may subsequently enter a special graduate-entry medical course, reduced in duration to account for relevant material covered or learning skills acquired during the first degree. In some cases the old first year courses (for six year degrees) in the basic sciences of physics, chemistry and biology have been abolished, and that standard has to be reached by means of school examinations before entry. However, in most countries a newly-graduated Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery must spend a specified period in internship before they can obtain full qualification as a medical practitioner.
If the awarding body titles the degrees in Latin
, the degrees are commonly named Medicinae Baccalaureus, Chirurgiae Baccalaureus, Medicinae Baccalaureus et Chirurgiae Baccalaureus, or Baccalaureus in Medicina et in Chirurgia, abbreviated as MB ChB, MB BCh or otherwise. If titled in English
, they are named Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery, Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery, or Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery, usually abbreviated as MB BS, and sometimes as BM BS, even though most MB BS-awarding institutions do not use Latin to name their degrees.
Below are described the specific names used, arranged by country.
confers BMed. This degree is equivalent to MB BS and any BMed graduate may practice in any field of Medicine of their own choice including surgery. In Australia, Doctor of Medicine (MD) is an advanced research degree requiring two years' full time enrolment, compared to a PhD which requires three years' full time enrolment. The University of Melbourne will soon award "MD" to their MBBS equivalent graduates as will several others including The University of Western Australia located in Perth.
At the Universities of Oxford
and Cambridge
, the preclinical course leads to an additional Bachelor of Arts
(BA), degree (upgradable after three or four years to Master of Arts), after which most students used to go elsewhere (but usually to one of the London teaching hospitals) to complete clinical training. They could then take the degrees of their new university: they used to have the options of returning to their old university to take the clinical examinations, or taking one of the old non-university qualifying examinations.
The Conjoint
diplomas: LRCP, MRCS, and the alternative diploma LMSSA were non-university qualifying examinations in medicine and surgery awarded jointly by the Royal College of Physicians of London
, Royal College of Surgeons of England
and Society of Apothecaries through the United Examining Board
from 1994 until 1999, when the General Medical Council
withdrew permission. Prior to 1994, the English Conjoint
diploma of LRCP, MRCS was awarded for 110 years, and the LMSSA was a distinct and sometimes less-esteemed qualification. These diplomas slowly became less popular among British medical students, but as recently as 1938 only a half of them qualified with university degrees. The diplomas came to be taken mostly by those who had already qualified in medicine overseas.
awards MB BS. Other "offshore" United-States-linked schools in the country award the North American MD. Recently, the University of Guyana acquired accreditation by CAAM-HP, establishing itself as a credible institute and teaching standards in comparison with University of West Indies.
The dual degree is awarded as:
Qualifications in medicine and surgery, LMS or LMP, were also formerly awarded after a shorter course, originally at a "medical school" rather than a "medical college". In addition, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Bombay formerly awarded a licentiate at LMS level, a membership (MCPS) at MBBS level and a fellowship (FCPS) at MD level. The State Medical Faculty of West Bengal (previously of Bengal) similarly gave licentiates and memberships on an external basis.
In India to obtain admission in a MBBS course, the basic criteria is that a candidate should have scored more than 60+% marks in physics, chemistry and biology aggregate in their 10+2 grade. In addition to that the candidate should have appeared for the PMT exams conducted by the government which are very tough and as per international standards. Around 1 Million candidates compete for 32000 MBBS seats.
The Indian MBBS is not equivalent to the US M.D. While a graduate with an MBBS can conceivably practice in countries that confer the degree, to practice in the US, those degrees are equivalent to an undergraduate degree and the first 2 years of medical school (which is 6 years). Those with an MBBS who wish to practice in the US would be required to take the USMLE, get an ECFMG certificate, then apply and complete a residency.
, medicine is an undergraduate study. The Bachelor of Medicine program is completed in 3.5 up to 4 years and graduating students are awarded the degree of S.Ked (Sarjana Kedokteran / Bachelor of Medicine). At this point, the graduate is not yet a doctor, but he or she may choose to work directly as a scientist or other non-clinician professions (usually still health-related). However, most S.Ked graduates will pursue the conventional path, which is to enroll in the clerkship
program for another 1.5 up to 2 years. This makes the total duration of medical school 5 or 6 years. After they finish clerkship, they will take their Hippocratic Oath
and be awarded the title of dr. (medical doctor, equivalent to M.D. in United States). Graduates who hold this title are licensed and may now practice medicine. Note that this title is written in lowercase "d", as opposed to uppercase "D", Dr., which in Indonesia refers to a Ph.D.
, medicine is a postgraduate study. Hence, the medical education program is completed in 7 years. The graduated students are awarded a postgraduate certificate in general medicine and referred to as general doctors. After this they may continue and specialize in the field of their interests in any of the medical schools available in the country in may medical fields offered by them, when upon graduation they will carry their specialist title.
awards BM BS. The other medical schools in both the Republic of Ireland
and Northern Ireland
—namely Queen's University Belfast, University of Dublin
(Trinity College
), some constituent institutions of the National University of Ireland
(University College Dublin
, University College Cork and National University of Ireland, Galway
), and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
—award the degrees of MB BCh BAO. The letters BAO stand for Baccalaureus in Arte Obstetricia (Bachelor of Obstetrics), a degree unique to Ireland which the Irish universities added in the 19th century as the legislation at the time insisted on a final examination in obstetrics. This third degree is an anachronism which is not registerable with the Irish Medical Council nor the British General Medical Council
(GMC).
LRCPI LRCSI, or simply LRCP&SI, denotes a holder of the historical non-university qualifying licenciates awarded jointly by the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland
and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
to students of the RCSI's medical school under the Irish Conjoint Scheme. Unlike the corresponding licentiates awarded by the Royal Colleges in Scotland and England (which were external qualifications), these qualifications are still registerable with the Irish Medical Council, but not with the British GMC. Students at RCSI still receive these licenciates but now also receive the degrees MB BCh BAO, due to RCSI's status as a recognised college of the National University of Ireland
. The RCSI students also received a Licence in Midwifery (LM) from each college, in the same way that the Irish universities granted BAO degrees, so their qualifications were sometimes expressed as L & LM, RCPI, L & LM, RCSI or more misleadingly as LLM, RCP&SI.
LAH formerly denoted a licentiate of the now-defunct Apothecaries' Hall, Dublin, and is no longer awarded.
(MBBS
) degree is awarded in Jordan
after completion of six years comprising three years of medical sciences and three clinic
al years. Currently, four state supported universities
grant the degree which are:
, Kenyatta University
, Moi University
, Maseno University
and Egerton University
award MB ChB.
Mount Kenya University awards a different degree, the Bachelor of Clinical Medicine and Community Health
.
(Benghazi). Both schools award MBBCh.
There is also a credited private university called Libyan International Medical University
.
MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine & Bachelor of Surgery) :
• Universiti Malaya (UM) - October 1949
• Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia (UIAM) - May 1995
• Universiti Teknologi MARA
(UiTM) - June 2003
• Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia
(USIM) - July 2005
• Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA) - July 2009
MD (Doctor of Medicine) :
• Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
(UKM) - May 1973
• Universiti Sains Malaysia
(USM) - June 1979
• Universiti Malaysia Sarawak
(UNIMAS) - May 1995
• Universiti Putra Malaysia
(UPM) - August 1996
• Universiti Malaysia Sabah
(UMS) - June 2003
• Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia (UPNM) - Sept 2011
22 Private Universities
• International Medical University
(IMU)
• Monash University Malaysia Campus
• Management and Science University - International Medical School (MSU-IMS)
• Melaka-Manipal Medical College (MMMC)
• Penang Medical College (PMC)
• Asian Institute of Medicine, Sciences & Technology (AIMST University)
• UniKL Royal College of Medicine Perak (UniKL RCMP)
• UCSI University
• Allianze University College of Medical Sciences (AUCMS)
• Cyberjaya University College of Medical Sciences (CUCMS)
• MAHSA University College
• Taylor's University
• Newcastle University Medical School
• Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR)
• Masterskill University College of Health Sciences (MUCH)
• SEGI University College
• Insaniah University College
• Perdana University (Graduate Entry Medical Program)
The Following is a short list of Medical Colleges in Nepal
:
Nepalgunj Medical College (NGMC)
B.P. Koirala
Institute of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medical and Health Science
Kathmandu Medical College
Kathmandu University, College of Medical Sciences
Manipal
College of Medical Sciences (MCOMS)
Nepal Medical College
Tribhuvan University, Institute of Medicines
and Otago
, style their degrees as MB ChB.
, medical graduates are traditionally awarded a Bachelor of Medicine (BMed) for a course of study lasting five or six years. However, as of 2010, 34 universities, including its frequently top-ranked medical schools, have been authorized by the government to award the MB BS degree as an equivalent to the BMed. These universities are:
Peking University Health Science Center
Zhejiang University
Shanghai Jiao Tong University
Fudan University
Capital Medical University
Tianjin Medical University
Dalian Medical University
China Medical University
Jilin University
Harbin Medical University
Southeast University
Nanjing Medical University
Soochow University
Zhejiang University
Wenzhou Medical College
Shandong University
Qingdao University
Zhengzhou University
Wuhan University
Huazhong University of Science and Technology
Central South University
Southern Medical University
Guangxi Medical University
Sichuan University
Chongqing Medical University
Xian Jiaotong University
Xinjiang Medical University
Nantong University
Fujian Medical University
Anhui Medical University
Hebei Medical University
Shantou University
Guangzhou Medical College
Ningxia Medical University
Nanchang University
Beihua University
Jiamusi University
Ningbo University
Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine
One such medical school is Ibn Sina National College for Medical Studies
.
, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow) award MB ChB.
The University of St Andrews School of Medicine awarded MB ChB until the early 1970s, but since the incorporation of its clinical medical school into the University of Dundee
, St Andrews now only awards a pre-clinical BSc or BSc (Hons), and students go to a Partner Medical School (Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, or Manchester where they are awarded an MB ChB after a further three years' study.
The Scottish Triple Conjoint Diploma of LRCPE, LRCSE, LRCPSG (earlier LRCPE, LRCSE, LRFPSG) is an old non-university qualifying examination in medicine and surgery awarded jointly by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
, Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
and Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow
, previously through a Conjoint
Board and from 1994 through the United Examining Board
. These qualifications are still registrable with the GMC, but permission to award them was withdrawn by the Privy Council of the UK in 1999.
, University of Cape Town
, University of the Free State
, University of Stellenbosch, University of KwaZulu-Natal
and MEDUNSA all award MB ChB, whereas the University of the Witwatersrand
styles its degree as MB BCh. See Medical education in South Africa.
confers MB BS. The American Duke University
also has a medical programme based in Singapore, but it follows the North-American model of styling its degree Doctor of Medicine.
, University of Peradeniya
, University of Kelaniya
(Ragama), University of Ruhuna
, University of Sri Jayewardenepura
, Rajarata University
, University of Jaffna
and Eastern University of Sri Lanka
all award MB BS.
.
that have medical school
s, namely Makerere University
, Mbarara University, Gulu University
and Kampala International University
, all award the MBChB degree.
that have medical schools, namely Cardiff University
and Swansea University
, award MB BCh.
(UWI) confer MB BS, due to the historical affiliation of UWI to the University of London
. There are other medical schools in the West Indies, but these follow the North-American system leading to MD.
qualifications which lead holders to enter a particular career upon receipt. This is not the case with most other undergraduate degrees, so whilst the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery are undergraduate
or graduate degrees (depending on the institution), they are perhaps more accurately conceptualised as a so-called first professional degree
. Other professions whose qualifications follow a similar pattern include:
Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery are usually awarded as general/ordinary degrees, not as honours degrees, and as such the graduate is not classified
as for honours degrees in other subjects. However, at many institutions (for example the University of Sheffield
, University of Liverpool
, University of Leicester
and University of Manchester
in England and the University of Dundee
in Scotland) it is possible for the degrees to be awarded with Honours (i.e. MB ChB (Hons.)) or with Commendation, if the board of examiners recognises exceptional performance throughout the degree course. Very few of these are awarded.
More often, it is possible to study one subject for an extra year for an intercalated honours degree. This is usually a Bachelor of Science
(BSc), Bachelor of Medical Science (BMedSci), Bachelor of Medical Biology (BMedBiol) or similar: at Oxford and Cambridge in England and Dublin in Ireland Bachelor of Arts
degrees are awarded. At a few universities most medical students obtain an ordinary degree in science as well: when the University of Edinburgh had a six year course, the third year was followed by award of an ordinary BSc(MedSci). In Australia, The University of Melbourne in Australia offers an Arts Degree (BA) to a medical student on the completion of two extra years of undergraduate study, and Monash University offers a Law degree (LLB); if the optional Law degree is undertaken, on completion of their degree the student may choose to do a one-year internship at a hospital and become a doctor, or spend one year doing articles to practise thereafter as a lawyer. At the University of Nottingham and the University of Southampton, both in England, all medical students on the five year course obtain a Bachelor of Medical Sciences (BMedSci) degree without an extra intercalated year. The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
along with certain National University of Ireland
medical schools offers a BMedSci qualification on completion of a thesis based on 2–3 months of summer research; only students achieving honours in their preclinical courses are eligible to receive the degree. At Imperial College London
and University College London
, certain medical students are able to extend their intercalated year to an extra three years, thus temporarily exiting the MBBS course to complete a PhD
. Upon completion of the PhD, the student is required to sit the remaining 2 years of the medicine course in order to receive his/her MBBS degeee. The University of the West Indies
, Mona in Kingston, Jamaica
automatically awards a Bachelor of Medical Sciences
(BMedSci) degree to all students who have successfully completed year 3 of their MB BS programme.
Medical graduates are also eligible to sit various postgraduate examinations, including examinations for membership and fellowship of professional institutions (such as Membership of the Royal College of Surgeons
), postgraduate Masters degrees (such as a Master of Surgery
or Master of Obstetrics) and a postgraduate doctorate in medicine (e.g. Doctor of Medicine
, if earned in Ireland, the UK or Commonwealth nations), and board certification examinations.
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
Medicinae Baccalaureus, Baccalaureus Chirurgiae (abbreviated in various ways, viz. "BMBS", MB BChir, BM BCh, MB BCh, MB ChB, MB BS, BM, BMed, MBBS etc.), are the two first professional
First professional degree
A professional degree prepares the holder for a particular profession by emphasizing competency skills along with theory and analysis. These professions are typically licensed or otherwise regulated by a governmental or government-approved body...
degree
Academic degree
An academic degree is a position and title within a college or university that is usually awarded in recognition of the recipient having either satisfactorily completed a prescribed course of study or having conducted a scholarly endeavour deemed worthy of his or her admission to the degree...
s awarded upon graduation from medical school
Medical school
A medical school is a tertiary educational institution—or part of such an institution—that teaches medicine. Degree programs offered at medical schools often include Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, Bachelor/Doctor of Medicine, Doctor of Philosophy, master's degree, or other post-secondary...
in medicine
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
and surgery
Surgery
Surgery is an ancient medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a patient to investigate and/or treat a pathological condition such as disease or injury, or to help improve bodily function or appearance.An act of performing surgery may be called a surgical...
by universities
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
in various countries that follow the tradition of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The naming suggests that they are two separate degrees; however, in practice, they are usually treated as one and awarded together. Usually, students who have graduated with a "Bachelor of Medicine" degree may also practice surgery, because it is equivalent to the "Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery" degree.
Professionals holding MBBS Degrees are referred to by the title of "Doctor" and use the prefix "Dr".
History and nature
The degree is currently awarded in various forms in institutions in AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
, Barbados
Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is in length and as much as in width, amounting to . It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about east of the islands of Saint...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
, Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
, Guyana
Guyana
Guyana , officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, previously the colony of British Guiana, is a sovereign state on the northern coast of South America that is culturally part of the Anglophone Caribbean. Guyana was a former colony of the Dutch and of the British...
, Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
, Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
, Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
, Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
, Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
, Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
, Malawi
Malawi
The Republic of Malawi is a landlocked country in southeast Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the northwest, Tanzania to the northeast, and Mozambique on the east, south and west. The country is separated from Tanzania and Mozambique by Lake Malawi. Its size...
, Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, Malaysia, Mauritius
Mauritius
Mauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, Myanmar
Myanmar
Burma , officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar , is a country in Southeast Asia. Burma is bordered by China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, India on the northwest, the Bay of Bengal to the southwest, and the Andaman Sea on the south....
, Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
, Samoa
Samoa
Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...
, Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
, Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
, Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
, Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
, Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
, Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean, lying just off the coast of northeastern Venezuela and south of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles...
, Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
, the United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
, the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, Zambia
Zambia
Zambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....
and Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
.
Historically, Bachelor of Medicine was also the primary medical degree conferred by institutions in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, such as University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
, Harvard
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
, University of Maryland
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
, and Columbia
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
. Several early North American medical schools were (for the most part) founded by physicians and surgeons who had trained in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. University medical education in England culminated with the Bachelor of Medicine qualification, and in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
the Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
, until the mid-19th century when the public bodies that regulated medical practice at the time required practitioners in Scotland as well as England to hold the dual Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degrees. Throughout the 19th century, North American medical schools switched to the tradition of the Ancient universities of Scotland
Ancient universities of Scotland
The ancient universities of Scotland are medieval and renaissance universities which continue to exist until the present day. The majority of the ancient universities of the British Isles are located within Scotland, and have a number of distinctive features in common, being governed by a series of...
and began conferring Doctor of Medicine rather than Bachelor of Medicine, the first institution to make such a switch being King's College (now Columbia University) in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
In the countries that award bachelors' degrees in medicine, however, Doctor of Medicine denotes a holder of a higher doctorate and is reserved for medical practitioners who undertake research and submit a thesis in the field of medicine. Nevertheless, those holding Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery are usually referred to by the courtesy title of "Doctor
Doctor (title)
Doctor, as a title, originates from the Latin word of the same spelling and meaning. The word is originally an agentive noun of the Latin verb docēre . It has been used as an honored academic title for over a millennium in Europe, where it dates back to the rise of the university. This use spread...
" and use the prefix "Dr".
Despite their styling as two degrees, Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery are usually conferred together. At some institutions, such as Oxford and Cambridge, it was possible in the past to be awarded the two degrees in different years.
In many countries, the degrees are awarded after an undergraduate course lasting five or six years. In some cases, a graduate in another discipline may subsequently enter a special graduate-entry medical course, reduced in duration to account for relevant material covered or learning skills acquired during the first degree. In some cases the old first year courses (for six year degrees) in the basic sciences of physics, chemistry and biology have been abolished, and that standard has to be reached by means of school examinations before entry. However, in most countries a newly-graduated Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery must spend a specified period in internship before they can obtain full qualification as a medical practitioner.
Naming
The specific names and abbreviations given to these degrees depend on the particular institution, awarding body or country, and vary widely; this is mostly for reasons of tradition rather than to indicate any particular difference between the relative levels of the degrees, and they are considered equivalent.If the awarding body titles the degrees in Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
, the degrees are commonly named Medicinae Baccalaureus, Chirurgiae Baccalaureus, Medicinae Baccalaureus et Chirurgiae Baccalaureus, or Baccalaureus in Medicina et in Chirurgia, abbreviated as MB ChB, MB BCh or otherwise. If titled in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, they are named Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery, Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery, or Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery, usually abbreviated as MB BS, and sometimes as BM BS, even though most MB BS-awarding institutions do not use Latin to name their degrees.
Below are described the specific names used, arranged by country.
Australia
Most Australian medical schools confer MBBS degrees. However, The University of NewcastleUniversity of Newcastle, Australia
The University of Newcastle is an Australian public university that was established in 1965. The University's main and largest campus is located in Callaghan, a suburb of Newcastle in New South Wales...
confers BMed. This degree is equivalent to MB BS and any BMed graduate may practice in any field of Medicine of their own choice including surgery. In Australia, Doctor of Medicine (MD) is an advanced research degree requiring two years' full time enrolment, compared to a PhD which requires three years' full time enrolment. The University of Melbourne will soon award "MD" to their MBBS equivalent graduates as will several others including The University of Western Australia located in Perth.
Bangladesh
All medical schools in Bangladesh award MBBS. However Bangladesh medical college are now awarding in MD.Egypt
All Egyptian medical schools, public and private, award an MB BCh as the basic medical degree after completion of 6 academic years. Contrary to the US and Canada, an MD is awarded as an advanced research degree, comparable to PhD.England and Northern Ireland
Various abbreviations are used for these degrees in these areas:- MB ChB are used at the universities of Birmingham, Bristol, Lancaster, Leeds, Leicester, Liverpool, Keele, Manchester, Sheffield, and Warwick.
- MBBCh are used at Cardiff University.
- MB, BCh, BAO are used at the Queen's University, Belfast.
- MB BS are used at the University of East AngliaUniversity of East AngliaThe University of East Anglia is a public research university based in Norwich, United Kingdom. It was established in 1963, and is a founder-member of the 1994 Group of research-intensive universities.-History:...
, Hull York Medical SchoolHull York Medical SchoolThe Hull York Medical School , is a medical school in England which took its first intake of students in 2003. The school was opened as a part of the British Government's attempts to train more doctors, which also saw Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Peninsula Medical School and University of...
, Imperial College LondonImperial College LondonImperial College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom, specialising in science, engineering, business and medicine...
, the University of London (consisting of the UCL Medical School, St. George's, University of London, King's College London Medical School, and Barts and the London Medical School), and Newcastle University. - BM BCh are used at the University of Oxford.
- BM BS are used at the University of Nottingham, Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry, and Brighton and Sussex Medical SchoolBrighton and Sussex Medical SchoolBrighton and Sussex Medical School is a medical school formed as a partnership of the University of Brighton and the University of Sussex. Like other UK medical schools it is based on the principles and standards of 'Tomorrow's Doctor', an initiative by the General Medical Council outlining the...
- BM is awarded at the University of Southampton. Although no degree in surgery is formally awarded by Southampton, this degree is equivalent to the MB ChB, and students may go on to a career in surgery the same as any other graduates in medicine and surgery.
- MB BChir are awarded by the University of Cambridge.
At the Universities of Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
and Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
, the preclinical course leads to an additional Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
(BA), degree (upgradable after three or four years to Master of Arts), after which most students used to go elsewhere (but usually to one of the London teaching hospitals) to complete clinical training. They could then take the degrees of their new university: they used to have the options of returning to their old university to take the clinical examinations, or taking one of the old non-university qualifying examinations.
The Conjoint
Conjoint
The conjoint was a basic medical qualification in the United Kingdom administered by the United Examining Board. It is now no longer awarded. The Conjoint Board was superseded in 1994 by the United Examining Board, which lost its permission to hold qualifying medical examinations after 1999.Medical...
diplomas: LRCP, MRCS, and the alternative diploma LMSSA were non-university qualifying examinations in medicine and surgery awarded jointly by the Royal College of Physicians of London
Royal College of Physicians
The Royal College of Physicians of London was founded in 1518 as the College of Physicians by royal charter of King Henry VIII in 1518 - the first medical institution in England to receive a royal charter...
, Royal College of Surgeons of England
Royal College of Surgeons of England
The Royal College of Surgeons of England is an independent professional body and registered charity committed to promoting and advancing the highest standards of surgical care for patients, regulating surgery, including dentistry, in England and Wales...
and Society of Apothecaries through the United Examining Board
United Examining Board
The United Examining Board was formed in 1993 to administer non-university qualifying examinations in medicine and surgery. The diplomas offered by the United Examining Board were registerable with the General Medical Council in order to register as a medical practitioner in the United Kingdom,...
from 1994 until 1999, when the General Medical Council
General Medical Council
The General Medical Council registers and regulates doctors practising in the United Kingdom. It has the power to revoke or restrict a doctor's registration if it deems them unfit to practise...
withdrew permission. Prior to 1994, the English Conjoint
Conjoint
The conjoint was a basic medical qualification in the United Kingdom administered by the United Examining Board. It is now no longer awarded. The Conjoint Board was superseded in 1994 by the United Examining Board, which lost its permission to hold qualifying medical examinations after 1999.Medical...
diploma of LRCP, MRCS was awarded for 110 years, and the LMSSA was a distinct and sometimes less-esteemed qualification. These diplomas slowly became less popular among British medical students, but as recently as 1938 only a half of them qualified with university degrees. The diplomas came to be taken mostly by those who had already qualified in medicine overseas.
Ghana
All Ghanaian medical schools award an MB ChB as the basic medical degree after 6 academic years. These medical schools are Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (http://knust.edu.gh) and University of Ghana.Guyana
The University of GuyanaUniversity of Guyana
The University of Guyana, in Georgetown, Guyana is a public university established in 1963 by the Guyanese government.-History:Cheddi Jagan, then Premier of British Guiana considered that the University of the West Indies, to which his government had contributed since 1948, was not meeting the...
awards MB BS. Other "offshore" United-States-linked schools in the country award the North American MD. Recently, the University of Guyana acquired accreditation by CAAM-HP, establishing itself as a credible institute and teaching standards in comparison with University of West Indies.
Hong Kong
The awarding of qualifications in Hong Kong follows the British tradition.The dual degree is awarded as:
- MB, BS at The University of Hong KongThe University of Hong KongThe University of Hong Kong is the oldest tertiary institution in Hong Kong. Its motto is "Sapientia et Virtus" in Latin, meaning "wisdom and virtue", and "" in Chinese...
; and - MB, ChB at The Chinese University of Hong Kong.
India
Medical colleges, accredited by the Medical Council of India, award BM BCh ("Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery").Qualifications in medicine and surgery, LMS or LMP, were also formerly awarded after a shorter course, originally at a "medical school" rather than a "medical college". In addition, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Bombay formerly awarded a licentiate at LMS level, a membership (MCPS) at MBBS level and a fellowship (FCPS) at MD level. The State Medical Faculty of West Bengal (previously of Bengal) similarly gave licentiates and memberships on an external basis.
In India to obtain admission in a MBBS course, the basic criteria is that a candidate should have scored more than 60+% marks in physics, chemistry and biology aggregate in their 10+2 grade. In addition to that the candidate should have appeared for the PMT exams conducted by the government which are very tough and as per international standards. Around 1 Million candidates compete for 32000 MBBS seats.
The Indian MBBS is not equivalent to the US M.D. While a graduate with an MBBS can conceivably practice in countries that confer the degree, to practice in the US, those degrees are equivalent to an undergraduate degree and the first 2 years of medical school (which is 6 years). Those with an MBBS who wish to practice in the US would be required to take the USMLE, get an ECFMG certificate, then apply and complete a residency.
Indonesia
In IndonesiaIndonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
, medicine is an undergraduate study. The Bachelor of Medicine program is completed in 3.5 up to 4 years and graduating students are awarded the degree of S.Ked (Sarjana Kedokteran / Bachelor of Medicine). At this point, the graduate is not yet a doctor, but he or she may choose to work directly as a scientist or other non-clinician professions (usually still health-related). However, most S.Ked graduates will pursue the conventional path, which is to enroll in the clerkship
Clerkship
Clerkship may refer to:Medicine* Clinical clerkship - a period of medical education in which students – practice medicine under the supervision of a health practitioner....
program for another 1.5 up to 2 years. This makes the total duration of medical school 5 or 6 years. After they finish clerkship, they will take their Hippocratic Oath
Hippocratic Oath
The Hippocratic Oath is an oath historically taken by physicians and other healthcare professionals swearing to practice medicine ethically. It is widely believed to have been written by Hippocrates, often regarded as the father of western medicine, or by one of his students. The oath is written in...
and be awarded the title of dr. (medical doctor, equivalent to M.D. in United States). Graduates who hold this title are licensed and may now practice medicine. Note that this title is written in lowercase "d", as opposed to uppercase "D", Dr., which in Indonesia refers to a Ph.D.
Iran
Iran has a very old history in medicine and contributed widely to the medical profession from long ago to today. In IranIran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, medicine is a postgraduate study. Hence, the medical education program is completed in 7 years. The graduated students are awarded a postgraduate certificate in general medicine and referred to as general doctors. After this they may continue and specialize in the field of their interests in any of the medical schools available in the country in may medical fields offered by them, when upon graduation they will carry their specialist title.
Ireland
The University of LimerickUniversity of Limerick
The University of Limerick is a university in Ireland near the city of Limerick on the island's west coast. It was established in 1972 as the National Institute for Higher Education, Limerick and became a university by statute in 1989 in accordance with the University of Limerick Act 1989...
awards BM BS. The other medical schools in both the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
and Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
—namely Queen's University Belfast, University of Dublin
University of Dublin
The University of Dublin , corporately designated the Chancellor, Doctors and Masters of the University of Dublin , located in Dublin, Ireland, was effectively founded when in 1592 Queen Elizabeth I issued a charter for Trinity College, Dublin, as "the mother of a university" – this date making it...
(Trinity College
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
), some constituent institutions of the National University of Ireland
National University of Ireland
The National University of Ireland , , is a federal university system of constituent universities, previously called constituent colleges, and recognised colleges set up under the Irish Universities Act, 1908, and significantly amended by the Universities Act, 1997.The constituent universities are...
(University College Dublin
University College Dublin
University College Dublin ) - formally known as University College Dublin - National University of Ireland, Dublin is the Republic of Ireland's largest, and Ireland's second largest, university, with over 1,300 faculty and 17,000 students...
, University College Cork and National University of Ireland, Galway
National University of Ireland, Galway
The National University of Ireland, Galway is a constituent university of the National University of Ireland...
), and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland , is a Dublin-based medical institution, situated on St. Stephen's Green. The college is one of the five Recognised Colleges of the National University of Ireland...
—award the degrees of MB BCh BAO. The letters BAO stand for Baccalaureus in Arte Obstetricia (Bachelor of Obstetrics), a degree unique to Ireland which the Irish universities added in the 19th century as the legislation at the time insisted on a final examination in obstetrics. This third degree is an anachronism which is not registerable with the Irish Medical Council nor the British General Medical Council
General Medical Council
The General Medical Council registers and regulates doctors practising in the United Kingdom. It has the power to revoke or restrict a doctor's registration if it deems them unfit to practise...
(GMC).
LRCPI LRCSI, or simply LRCP&SI, denotes a holder of the historical non-university qualifying licenciates awarded jointly by the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland
Royal College of Physicians of Ireland
The Royal College of Physicians of Ireland , was founded in 1654 and is a postgraduate medical organisation comprising Members and Fellows...
and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland , is a Dublin-based medical institution, situated on St. Stephen's Green. The college is one of the five Recognised Colleges of the National University of Ireland...
to students of the RCSI's medical school under the Irish Conjoint Scheme. Unlike the corresponding licentiates awarded by the Royal Colleges in Scotland and England (which were external qualifications), these qualifications are still registerable with the Irish Medical Council, but not with the British GMC. Students at RCSI still receive these licenciates but now also receive the degrees MB BCh BAO, due to RCSI's status as a recognised college of the National University of Ireland
National University of Ireland
The National University of Ireland , , is a federal university system of constituent universities, previously called constituent colleges, and recognised colleges set up under the Irish Universities Act, 1908, and significantly amended by the Universities Act, 1997.The constituent universities are...
. The RCSI students also received a Licence in Midwifery (LM) from each college, in the same way that the Irish universities granted BAO degrees, so their qualifications were sometimes expressed as L & LM, RCPI, L & LM, RCSI or more misleadingly as LLM, RCP&SI.
LAH formerly denoted a licentiate of the now-defunct Apothecaries' Hall, Dublin, and is no longer awarded.
Jordan
The Bachelor of Medicine and SurgeryBachelor of Medicine and Surgery
Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery, or in Latin Medicinae Baccalaureus, Baccalaureus Chirurgiae , are the two first professional degrees awarded upon graduation from medical school in medicine and surgery by universities in various countries...
(MBBS
MBBS
MBBS was a popular BBS system in the Nordic countries during the mid-1990s. It was created by a team of Oslo-based enthusiasts, led by Mike Robertson. As many BBS systems of that era, it was only available for the DOS platform. Since one process could only handle one node, multitaskers such as...
) degree is awarded in Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
after completion of six years comprising three years of medical sciences and three clinic
Clinic
A clinic is a health care facility that is primarily devoted to the care of outpatients...
al years. Currently, four state supported universities
Public university
A public university is a university that is predominantly funded by public means through a national or subnational government, as opposed to private universities. A national university may or may not be considered a public university, depending on regions...
grant the degree which are:
- Jordan University of Science and TechnologyJordan University of Science and TechnologyThe Jordan University of Science and Technology , often abbreviated JUST, is a comprehensive, state-supported university located on the outskirts of Irbid at Ar Ramtha region, in northern Jordan....
- University of JordanUniversity of JordanThe University of Jordan , is a government-supported University located in Amman, Jordan...
- Mutah UniversityMutah UniversityMu’tah University is located in Kerak Governorate in Jordan, it was founded on 22 March 1981 by Royal Decree, to be a national institution for military and civilian higher education.-Academics:...
- Hashemite UniversityHashemite UniversityThe Hashemite University is a university in Zarqa, Jordan. It is named after the Jordanian royal family — the Hashemites — and was established by royal decree in 1992.- History :...
Kenya
The national universities with medical faculties in Kenya, namely the University of NairobiUniversity of Nairobi
The University of Nairobi is the largest university in Kenya. Although its history as an educational institution goes back to 1956, it did not become an independent university until 1970 when the University of East Africa was split into three independent universities: Makerere University in...
, Kenyatta University
Kenyatta University
Kenyatta University, located in Nairobi, Kenya is the second largest public university in the country . The University is located in Kahawa, about from Nairobi's city centre, along the Nairobi-Thika road.- History :...
, Moi University
Moi University
Moi University is a Kenyan public university located in Eldoret, western Kenya. It is one of seven fully fledged public institutions of higher learning in Kenya...
, Maseno University
Maseno University
Maseno University is a university based in Maseno, near Kisumu, in Kenya and was founded in 1991. It is one of the seven public universities in Kenya. The University is located in Maseno Township along Kisumu-Busia road, some 25 km from Kisumu City and 400 km west of Nairobi. It has two campuses:...
and Egerton University
Egerton University
Egerton University is a public university; the main campus is in Njoro, near the city of Nakuru, Kenya. The chancellor is Ambassador Bethuel K Kiplagat and the vice chancellor is Professor J. K. Tuitoek.-History:...
award MB ChB.
Mount Kenya University awards a different degree, the Bachelor of Clinical Medicine and Community Health
Bachelor of Clinical Medicine and Community Health
The Bachelor of Clinical Medicine and Surgery is an academic degree awarded to Clinical officers by universities in East Africa. It is currently offered by Mount Kenya University and Kampala International University....
.
Libya
There are two major medical universities in Libya, University of Tripoli (Tripoli) and Garyounis UniversityGaryounis University
University of Benghazi , formerly known as the Garyounis University, is a public university in Benghazi, Libya.- History :It is the oldest and first Libyan university. It was founded on 15 December 1955 as The Libyan University...
(Benghazi). Both schools award MBBCh.
There is also a credited private university called Libyan International Medical University
Libyan International Medical University
The Libyan International Medical University is a private university established in Benghazi, Libya, with the purpose of teaching medicine. It is the first private medical university in the Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya...
.
Malaysia
11 Public UniversitiesMBBS (Bachelor of Medicine & Bachelor of Surgery) :
• Universiti Malaya (UM) - October 1949
• Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia (UIAM) - May 1995
• Universiti Teknologi MARA
Universiti Teknologi MARA
Universiti Teknologi MARA is a coeducational public university with its main campus located in Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia.It is the flagship institution of the Universiti Teknologi MARA...
(UiTM) - June 2003
• Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia
Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia
Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia or USIM is a public university in Malaysia with a main campus located at Nilai, Negeri Sembilan. Formerly known as Kolej Universiti Islam Malaysia or KUIM which was established in 1998, USIM presently has 8 faculties with 18 academic programmes with academic...
(USIM) - July 2005
• Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA) - July 2009
MD (Doctor of Medicine) :
• Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
The National University of Malaysia is a public university located in Bangi, Selangor which is about 35 km south of Kuala Lumpur...
(UKM) - May 1973
• Universiti Sains Malaysia
Universiti Sains Malaysia
Universiti Sains Malaysia is a public university with its main campus in Penang, Malaysia. There are three branch campuses: one in mainland Penang , one in Kelantan on the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, and a offshore collaboration with a university in India...
(USM) - June 1979
• Universiti Malaysia Sarawak
Universiti Malaysia Sarawak
Universiti Malaysia Sarawak or UNIMAS was officially incorporated on 24 December 1992. UNIMAS is Malaysia's eighth University, established just after the declaration of Vision 2020...
(UNIMAS) - May 1995
• Universiti Putra Malaysia
Universiti Putra Malaysia
Universiti Putra Malaysia , or UPM, is a leading research intensive public university located in central Peninsular Malaysia, close to the capital city, Kuala Lumpur. It was formerly known as Universiti Pertanian Malaysia or Agricultural University of Malaysia...
(UPM) - August 1996
• Universiti Malaysia Sabah
Universiti Malaysia Sabah
Universiti Malaysia Sabah or UMS is the ninth Malaysian public university located in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia and was established on November 24, 1994...
(UMS) - June 2003
• Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia (UPNM) - Sept 2011
22 Private Universities
• International Medical University
International Medical University
The International Medical University is a private international medical university in Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It offers courses such as Medicine, Pharmacy, and Nursing as well as postgraduate studies...
(IMU)
• Monash University Malaysia Campus
• Management and Science University - International Medical School (MSU-IMS)
• Melaka-Manipal Medical College (MMMC)
• Penang Medical College (PMC)
• Asian Institute of Medicine, Sciences & Technology (AIMST University)
• UniKL Royal College of Medicine Perak (UniKL RCMP)
• UCSI University
• Allianze University College of Medical Sciences (AUCMS)
• Cyberjaya University College of Medical Sciences (CUCMS)
• MAHSA University College
• Taylor's University
• Newcastle University Medical School
• Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR)
• Masterskill University College of Health Sciences (MUCH)
• SEGI University College
• Insaniah University College
• Perdana University (Graduate Entry Medical Program)
Myanmar
All five medical schools (UM1, UM 2, DSMA, UMDY, UMG) in Myanmar award MB BS.Nepal
All 12 medical schools in Nepal award MB BS.The Following is a short list of Medical Colleges in Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
:
Nepalgunj Medical College (NGMC)
B.P. Koirala
Koirala
Koirala is a predominantly Brahmin as well as Khatri Chhetri surname of Nepal. All koirala share the same gotra, Moudgalya, which means all of them share the same forefather, so a koirala can't marriage with another koirala.It can refer to:...
Institute of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medical and Health Science
Kathmandu Medical College
Kathmandu University, College of Medical Sciences
Manipal
Manipal
Manipal is a university town situated in the state of Karnataka in India. It is a suburb within Udupi city and is administered by Udupi City Municipality. It is located in the rocky hinterland of the Malabar Coast of south west India, about 8 km from the Arabian Sea...
College of Medical Sciences (MCOMS)
Nepal Medical College
Tribhuvan University, Institute of Medicines
New Zealand
The two New Zealand medical schools, AucklandUniversity of Auckland, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences
The University of Auckland's Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences was established in 1968 at its present site in Grafton, Auckland...
and Otago
University of Otago Dunedin School of Medicine
The Dunedin School of Medicine is one of three medical schools that make up the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Otago. All Otago University medical students who gain entry after a first year "Health Sciences" program, or who gain graduate entry spend their second and third years studying...
, style their degrees as MB ChB.
Pakistan
All sixty-nine medical colleges and schools in Pakistan award MBBS.People's Republic of China
In the People's Republic of ChinaPeople's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
, medical graduates are traditionally awarded a Bachelor of Medicine (BMed) for a course of study lasting five or six years. However, as of 2010, 34 universities, including its frequently top-ranked medical schools, have been authorized by the government to award the MB BS degree as an equivalent to the BMed. These universities are:
Peking University Health Science Center
Peking University Health Science Center
Peking University Health Science Center is a respected medical school in China attached to Peking University, and is affiliated to 14 other hospitals in the Beijing Metropolitan Area. It enjoys a reputation as the best medical school in the country...
Zhejiang University
Zhejiang University
Zhejiang University , sometimes referred to as Zheda, is a national university in China. Founded in 1897, Zhejiang University is one of China's oldest institutions of higher education...
Shanghai Jiao Tong University
Shanghai Jiao Tong University
Shanghai Jiao Tong University or SJTU), sometimes referred to as Shanghai Jiaotong University , is a top public research university located in Shanghai, China. Shanghai Jiao Tong University is known as one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in China...
Fudan University
Fudan University
Fudan University , located in Shanghai, is one of the oldest and most selective universities in China, and is a member of the C9 League. Its institutional predecessor was founded in 1905, shortly before the end of China's imperial Qing dynasty...
Capital Medical University
Tianjin Medical University
Tianjin Medical University
Tianjin Medical University was founded in 1951; was the first medical institution approved by the State Council of the People's Republic of China. Hsien-I Chu, a renowned endocrinologist, was the first president of the university...
Dalian Medical University
Dalian Medical University
Dalian Medical University is a university in Dalian, Liaoning, China under the provincial government. It was founded in 1947 in the southern part of Dalian city, China by Mao Ze Dong.....
China Medical University
China Medical University
There are two institutions called China Medical University.* China Medical University in Shenyang, Liaoning, People's Republic of China* China Medical University , Taichung, Taiwan, Republic of China...
Jilin University
Jilin University
Jilin University is a leading national university under the direct jurisdiction of China's Ministry of Education.-History:Founded in 1946 as the Northeast College of Administration in Harbin, Heilongjiang, Jilin University merged with many Universities and colleges and changed its name many times...
Harbin Medical University
Harbin Medical University
Harbin Medical University is a public university located in Harbin, Heilongjiang, China.It was established in 1926 as Harbin Medical College. It was renamed to University in 1958.-External links:http://www.hrbmu.edu.cn/english/index.htm...
Southeast University
Southeast University
Southeast University , colloquially Dongda is a public, coeducational research university located in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China....
Nanjing Medical University
Nanjing Medical University
Nanjing Medical University is a university in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China. It was established in 1934 in Zhenjiang, but subsequently relocated to Nanjing in 1957. The university has two main campuses: Wutai and Jiangning...
Soochow University
Soochow University (Suzhou)
Soochow University , colloquially known in Chinese as Suda is a university in Suzhou, Jiangsu, China. The school is part of the Chinese Ministry of Education's Project 211, and a Jiangsu provincial key comprehensive university.-History:...
Zhejiang University
Zhejiang University
Zhejiang University , sometimes referred to as Zheda, is a national university in China. Founded in 1897, Zhejiang University is one of China's oldest institutions of higher education...
Wenzhou Medical College
Wenzhou Medical College
Wenzhou Medical College , designated as a key university in Wenzhou, Zhejiang, is an institution of higher learning under the leadership of Zhejiang Provincial Government.- History :...
Shandong University
Shandong University
Shandong University is a public comprehensive university in Shandong, China. It is one of the largest universities in China by student population and is supported directly by the national government....
Qingdao University
Qingdao University
Qingdao University is located in Qingdao, China. The modern Qingdao University was founded in 1993 with incorporating 3 other local colleges of Qingdao.-Composition:...
Zhengzhou University
Zhengzhou University
Zhengzhou University , colloquially known in Chinese as Zhèngdà is a public university located in Zhengzhou, Henan, People's Republic of China.- History :...
Wuhan University
Wuhan University
Wuhan University is a university located in Wuchang, Hubei, China. It is directly under the administration of the Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China. It is regarded as one of the top ten universities in China, and its history dates back to 1893, making it one of China's...
Huazhong University of Science and Technology
Huazhong University of Science and Technology
The Huazhong University of Science and Technology is a public, coeducational research university located in Wuhan, Hubei province, China. As a national key university, HUST is directly affiliated to the Ministry of Education of China. HUST has been referred as the flagship of China's higher...
Central South University
Central South University
Central South University is located in Changsha, a historic and cultural city in Hunan province, central south of the People's Republic of China...
Southern Medical University
Southern Medical University
Southern Medical University , formerly known as First Military Medical University, affiliated to the People's Liberation Army of China, is a Chinese institution of higher learning, located in Guangzhou, the capital city of Guangdong Province, China. It was founded in 1951. It became one of national...
Guangxi Medical University
Guangxi Medical University
Guangxi Medical University is located in Nanning, Guangxi, China and is one of the oldest higher education medical institutions in China. In 2010, the university was voted one of the top 20 universities in China for medicine study -History:...
Sichuan University
Sichuan University
Sichuan University is one of the oldest national universities in China. It is ranked No. 8 among the Chinese universities according to the 2010 Academic Ranking of World Universities....
Chongqing Medical University
Chongqing Medical University
Chongqing Medical University , previously referred to as the Chongqing University of Medical Sciences , was established in 1956 in Chongqing, China...
Xian Jiaotong University
Xinjiang Medical University
Xinjiang Medical University
Xinjiang Medical University is a medical university in Ürümqi the capital of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China. It was ratified by the National Ministry of Education in 1998 and entitled by Jiang Zemin...
Nantong University
Nantong University
Nantong University , colloquially known in Chinese as Tong da , was established in 1912. The university is located in Nantong, Jiangsu province, China.-External links:*...
Fujian Medical University
Fujian Medical University
Fujian Medical University is a university located in Fuzhou, Fujian, China. Fujian Medical University was founded 1937, whose precursor was Fujian provincial Medical Vocational school. The name of the school was changed to Fujian Provincial Medical college in 1939 and was called Fujian Medical...
Anhui Medical University
Anhui Medical University
Anhui Medical University is a key national university in Hefei, Anhui province, China.-History:The university was originally established as the Shanghai Southeastern Medical College on May 29, 1926. It relocated from Shanghai to Hefei and was renamed Anhui Medical College in 1949...
Hebei Medical University
Hebei Medical University
Hebei Medical University is a university in Shijiazhuang, Hebei, People's Republic of China,under the provincial government.... a capital city of Hebei Province which is 4 hours away from Beijing by car and 1 and a half hours by train, Hebei Medical University Established in 1894, it is one of...
Shantou University
Shantou University
Shantou University is a provincial level University in the Guangdong city of Shantou. It was authorised and established in 1981 by the State Council and Guangdong Government under the “Project 211” program. Mr. Li Ka-shing, a global businessman and philanthropist, contributed HK $3.1 billion to...
Guangzhou Medical College
Ningxia Medical University
Nanchang University
Nanchang University
Nanchang University is an institution of tertiary education located in Nanchang, Jiangxi, China. Nanchang University was established in 1940 as Zhongzheng University...
Beihua University
Jiamusi University
Jiamusi University
Jiamusi University is a multi-disciplinary university situated in the city of Jiamusi, Heilongjiang Province, People's Republic of China.Jiamusi University was established in 1947.-External links:*...
Ningbo University
Ningbo University
-History:Ningbo University was established in 1986 by the donation of Yue-Kong Pao. Other major benefactors include Sir Run-run Shaw, Sir Chao An Chung , Sir Hans Tang, Sir Yue-shu Pao , Sir Cao Guangbiao , Sir Li Dashan , Sir Zhu Yinglong ....
Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine
Saudi Arabia
Medical schools in Saudi Arabia award MB BS.One such medical school is Ibn Sina National College for Medical Studies
Ibn Sina National College for Medical Studies
Ibn Sina National College for Medical Studies is a university in the Ghulail area of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.The first cornerstone for the school, which was built next to King Abdulaziz Hospital, was laid in 2004...
.
Scotland
All medical schools in Scotland (AberdeenUniversity of Aberdeen, School of Medicine
Aberdeen University Medical School is a school of the College of Life Sciences and Medicine at the University of Aberdeen. Medicine has been taught at the university since the founding of King's College in 1495. Indeed, the university has been described as the first medical school in Scotland and...
, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow) award MB ChB.
The University of St Andrews School of Medicine awarded MB ChB until the early 1970s, but since the incorporation of its clinical medical school into the University of Dundee
University of Dundee
The University of Dundee is a university based in the city and Royal burgh of Dundee on eastern coast of the central Lowlands of Scotland and with a small number of institutions elsewhere....
, St Andrews now only awards a pre-clinical BSc or BSc (Hons), and students go to a Partner Medical School (Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, or Manchester where they are awarded an MB ChB after a further three years' study.
The Scottish Triple Conjoint Diploma of LRCPE, LRCSE, LRCPSG (earlier LRCPE, LRCSE, LRFPSG) is an old non-university qualifying examination in medicine and surgery awarded jointly by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
The Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh was established in the 17th century. While the RCPE is based in Edinburgh, it is by no means just a Scottish professional body - more than half of its 7,700 Fellows, Members, Associates and Affiliates live and practice medicine outside Scotland, in 86...
, Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh is an organisation dedicated to the pursuit of excellence and advancement in surgical practice, through its interest in education, training and examinations, its liaison with external medical bodies and representation of the modern surgical workforce...
and Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow
Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow
The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, is an institute of physicians and surgeons in Glasgow, Scotland.Founded by Peter Lowe after receiving a royal charter by James VI in 1599, as the Glasgow Faculty, this institution originally existed as a regulatory authority to ensure that...
, previously through a Conjoint
Conjoint
The conjoint was a basic medical qualification in the United Kingdom administered by the United Examining Board. It is now no longer awarded. The Conjoint Board was superseded in 1994 by the United Examining Board, which lost its permission to hold qualifying medical examinations after 1999.Medical...
Board and from 1994 through the United Examining Board
United Examining Board
The United Examining Board was formed in 1993 to administer non-university qualifying examinations in medicine and surgery. The diplomas offered by the United Examining Board were registerable with the General Medical Council in order to register as a medical practitioner in the United Kingdom,...
. These qualifications are still registrable with the GMC, but permission to award them was withdrawn by the Privy Council of the UK in 1999.
South Africa
The University of PretoriaUniversity of Pretoria
The University of Pretoria is a multi campus public research university located in Pretoria, the administrative and de facto capital of South Africa...
, University of Cape Town
University of Cape Town
The University of Cape Town is a public research university located in Cape Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa. UCT was founded in 1829 as the South African College, and is the oldest university in South Africa and the second oldest extant university in Africa.-History:The roots of...
, University of the Free State
University of the Free State
The University of the Free State is situated in Bloemfontein, the capital of the Free State, South Africa. The university also has a satellite campus in Qwaqwa that was, until 2003, part of the University of the North.-Academic Divisions:...
, University of Stellenbosch, University of KwaZulu-Natal
University of KwaZulu-Natal
The University of KwaZulu-Natal or UKZN is a university with five campuses all located in the province of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. It was formed on 1 January 2004 after the merger between the University of Natal and the University of Durban-Westville.-History:-University of...
and MEDUNSA all award MB ChB, whereas the University of the Witwatersrand
University of the Witwatersrand
The University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg is a South African university situated in the northern areas of central Johannesburg. It is more commonly known as Wits University...
styles its degree as MB BCh. See Medical education in South Africa.
Singapore
The Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine at the National University of SingaporeNational University of Singapore
The National University of Singapore is Singapore's oldest university. It is the largest university in the country in terms of student enrollment and curriculum offered....
confers MB BS. The American Duke University
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
also has a medical programme based in Singapore, but it follows the North-American model of styling its degree Doctor of Medicine.
Sri Lanka
The University of ColomboUniversity of Colombo
The University of Colombo is a public research university located primarily in Colombo, Sri Lanka...
, University of Peradeniya
University of Peradeniya
The University of Peradeniya is a world renowned state university in Sri Lanka, funded by the University Grants Commission...
, University of Kelaniya
University of Kelaniya
The University of Kelaniya is a state university of Sri Lanka. Situated just outside the municipal limits of Colombo, in the ancient and historic city of Kelaniya, the University has two major campuses, seven locations, six faculties and four institutions....
(Ragama), University of Ruhuna
University of Ruhuna
The University of Ruhuna is a university in Matara, Sri Lanka. It was founded in 1978 and is organized in seven faculties. The faculties of Engineering and Medicine are in Galle.-History:...
, University of Sri Jayewardenepura
University of Sri Jayewardenepura
The University of Sri Jayewardenepura is one of the Universities in Sri Lanka. It is located in Gangodawila, Nugegoda, near Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte, the capital city of Sri Lanka...
, Rajarata University
Rajarata University
Rajarata University of Sri Lanka is a university located in the historic city of Mihintale, near Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka. It was established on 31 January 1996.- History :...
, University of Jaffna
University of Jaffna
Jaffna University is a public university in the city of Jaffna, Sri Lanka.- Overview :Jaffna University has four campuses; Thirunelveli, Marathanamadam, Kaithady and Vavuniya...
and Eastern University of Sri Lanka
Eastern University of Sri Lanka
The Eastern University,Sri Lanka is located in Vantarumoolai, Batticaloa in the eastern province of Sri Lanka.The university has its another campus in Trincomalee.-Academics:*Faculties*Faculty of Agriculture.*Faculty of Art & Culture....
all award MB BS.
Wisconsin
Use of the M. D. Title: The Wisconsin Medical Society defends the use of the M.D. title by physicians who graduated with an M.B.B.S. and are licensed to practice medicine in WisconsinWisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
.
Uganda
The four universities in UgandaUganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
that have medical school
Medical school
A medical school is a tertiary educational institution—or part of such an institution—that teaches medicine. Degree programs offered at medical schools often include Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, Bachelor/Doctor of Medicine, Doctor of Philosophy, master's degree, or other post-secondary...
s, namely Makerere University
Makerere University
Makerere University , Uganda's largest and second-oldest higher institution of learning, , was first established as a technical school in 1922. In 1963 it became the University of East Africa, offering courses leading to general degrees from the University of London...
, Mbarara University, Gulu University
Gulu University
Gulu University , is a university in Uganda. It's one of the five public universities to be established by the Government of Uganda, along with Makerere University, Mbarara University, Kyambogo University and Busitema University...
and Kampala International University
Kampala International University
Kampala International University is a private multi-campus university in Uganda.-Location:Kampala International University has its main campus at Kansanga, a location in the southeastern part of Kampala, Uganda's capital and largest city. The coordinates of the university's main campus are:00 17...
, all award the MBChB degree.
Wales
Both universities in WalesWales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
that have medical schools, namely Cardiff University
Cardiff University
Cardiff University is a leading research university located in the Cathays Park area of Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom. It received its Royal charter in 1883 and is a member of the Russell Group of Universities. The university is consistently recognised as providing high quality research-based...
and Swansea University
Swansea University
Swansea University is a university located in Swansea, Wales, United Kingdom. Swansea University was chartered as University College of Swansea in 1920, as the fourth college of the University of Wales. In 1996, it changed its name to the University of Wales Swansea following structural changes...
, award MB BCh.
West Indies
All constituent countries of the University of the West IndiesUniversity of the West Indies
The University of the West Indies , is an autonomous regional institution supported by and serving 17 English-speaking countries and territories in the Caribbean: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Dominica,...
(UWI) confer MB BS, due to the historical affiliation of UWI to the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
. There are other medical schools in the West Indies, but these follow the North-American system leading to MD.
Classification
Medical degrees differ from other undergraduate degrees in that they are professionalProfessional
A professional is a person who is paid to undertake a specialised set of tasks and to complete them for a fee. The traditional professions were doctors, lawyers, clergymen, and commissioned military officers. Today, the term is applied to estate agents, surveyors , environmental scientists,...
qualifications which lead holders to enter a particular career upon receipt. This is not the case with most other undergraduate degrees, so whilst the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery are undergraduate
Undergraduate degree
An undergraduate degree is a colloquial term for an academic degree taken by a person who has completed undergraduate courses. It is usually offered at an institution of higher education, such as a university...
or graduate degrees (depending on the institution), they are perhaps more accurately conceptualised as a so-called first professional degree
First professional degree
A professional degree prepares the holder for a particular profession by emphasizing competency skills along with theory and analysis. These professions are typically licensed or otherwise regulated by a governmental or government-approved body...
. Other professions whose qualifications follow a similar pattern include:
- DentistryDentistryDentistry is the branch of medicine that is involved in the study, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases, disorders and conditions of the oral cavity, maxillofacial area and the adjacent and associated structures and their impact on the human body. Dentistry is widely considered...
- Teaching - Education
- EngineeringEngineeringEngineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
- OptometryOptometryOptometry is a health care profession concerned with eyes and related structures, as well as vision, visual systems, and vision information processing in humans. Optometrists, or Doctors of Optometry, are state licensed medical professionals trained to prescribe and fit lenses to improve vision,...
- PharmacyPharmacyPharmacy is the health profession that links the health sciences with the chemical sciences and it is charged with ensuring the safe and effective use of pharmaceutical drugs...
- Qualifying law degree
- Veterinary medicineVeterinarianA veterinary physician, colloquially called a vet, shortened from veterinarian or veterinary surgeon , is a professional who treats disease, disorder and injury in animals....
- OsteopathyOsteopathyOsteopathy and osteopathic medicine are often used interchangeably for the philosophy and system of alternative medical practice first proposed by A. T. Still MD, DO in 1874....
Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery are usually awarded as general/ordinary degrees, not as honours degrees, and as such the graduate is not classified
British undergraduate degree classification
The British undergraduate degree classification system is a grading scheme for undergraduate degrees in the United Kingdom...
as for honours degrees in other subjects. However, at many institutions (for example the University of Sheffield
University of Sheffield
The University of Sheffield is a research university based in the city of Sheffield in South Yorkshire, England. It is one of the original 'red brick' universities and is a member of the Russell Group of leading research intensive universities...
, University of Liverpool
University of Liverpool
The University of Liverpool is a teaching and research university in the city of Liverpool, England. It is a member of the Russell Group of large research-intensive universities and the N8 Group for research collaboration. Founded in 1881 , it is also one of the six original "red brick" civic...
, University of Leicester
University of Leicester
The University of Leicester is a research-led university based in Leicester, England. The main campus is a mile south of the city centre, adjacent to Victoria Park and Wyggeston and Queen Elizabeth I College....
and University of Manchester
University of Manchester
The University of Manchester is a public research university located in Manchester, United Kingdom. It is a "red brick" university and a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive British universities and the N8 Group...
in England and the University of Dundee
University of Dundee
The University of Dundee is a university based in the city and Royal burgh of Dundee on eastern coast of the central Lowlands of Scotland and with a small number of institutions elsewhere....
in Scotland) it is possible for the degrees to be awarded with Honours (i.e. MB ChB (Hons.)) or with Commendation, if the board of examiners recognises exceptional performance throughout the degree course. Very few of these are awarded.
More often, it is possible to study one subject for an extra year for an intercalated honours degree. This is usually a Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
(BSc), Bachelor of Medical Science (BMedSci), Bachelor of Medical Biology (BMedBiol) or similar: at Oxford and Cambridge in England and Dublin in Ireland Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degrees are awarded. At a few universities most medical students obtain an ordinary degree in science as well: when the University of Edinburgh had a six year course, the third year was followed by award of an ordinary BSc(MedSci). In Australia, The University of Melbourne in Australia offers an Arts Degree (BA) to a medical student on the completion of two extra years of undergraduate study, and Monash University offers a Law degree (LLB); if the optional Law degree is undertaken, on completion of their degree the student may choose to do a one-year internship at a hospital and become a doctor, or spend one year doing articles to practise thereafter as a lawyer. At the University of Nottingham and the University of Southampton, both in England, all medical students on the five year course obtain a Bachelor of Medical Sciences (BMedSci) degree without an extra intercalated year. The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland , is a Dublin-based medical institution, situated on St. Stephen's Green. The college is one of the five Recognised Colleges of the National University of Ireland...
along with certain National University of Ireland
National University of Ireland
The National University of Ireland , , is a federal university system of constituent universities, previously called constituent colleges, and recognised colleges set up under the Irish Universities Act, 1908, and significantly amended by the Universities Act, 1997.The constituent universities are...
medical schools offers a BMedSci qualification on completion of a thesis based on 2–3 months of summer research; only students achieving honours in their preclinical courses are eligible to receive the degree. At Imperial College London
Imperial College London
Imperial College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom, specialising in science, engineering, business and medicine...
and University College London
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
, certain medical students are able to extend their intercalated year to an extra three years, thus temporarily exiting the MBBS course to complete a PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
. Upon completion of the PhD, the student is required to sit the remaining 2 years of the medicine course in order to receive his/her MBBS degeee. The University of the West Indies
University of the West Indies
The University of the West Indies , is an autonomous regional institution supported by and serving 17 English-speaking countries and territories in the Caribbean: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Dominica,...
, Mona in Kingston, Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
automatically awards a Bachelor of Medical Sciences
Bachelor of Medical Sciences
A Bachelor of Medical Sciences degree is an academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three years. In the U.K., the University of Nottingham Medical School offers an intensive, integrated BMedSci and BM BS degree for medical undergraduates...
(BMedSci) degree to all students who have successfully completed year 3 of their MB BS programme.
Progression
Medical school graduates are only entitled to use the courtesy title "Doctor" upon registration as a medical practitioner with the relevant regulatory body in their respective country.Medical graduates are also eligible to sit various postgraduate examinations, including examinations for membership and fellowship of professional institutions (such as Membership of the Royal College of Surgeons
Membership of the Royal College of Surgeons
MRCS is a professional qualification for surgeons in the UK and IrelandIt means Member of the Royal College of Surgeons. In the United Kingdom, doctors who gain this qualification traditionally no longer use the title 'Dr' but start to use the title 'Mr', 'Mrs', 'Miss' or 'Ms'.There are 4 surgical...
), postgraduate Masters degrees (such as a Master of Surgery
Master of Surgery
The Master of Surgery is an advanced qualification in surgery. It is most commonly abbreviated Ch.M. or M.S., as well as M.Ch. and M.Chir. from its Latin name, Magister Chirurgiae or the English form of Master of Surgery....
or Master of Obstetrics) and a postgraduate doctorate in medicine (e.g. Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
, if earned in Ireland, the UK or Commonwealth nations), and board certification examinations.
See also
- Bachelor's degreeBachelor's degreeA bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
- HomologationHomologationHomologation is a technical term, derived from the Greek homologeo for "to agree", which is generally used in English to signify the granting of approval by an official authority...
- Medical schoolMedical schoolA medical school is a tertiary educational institution—or part of such an institution—that teaches medicine. Degree programs offered at medical schools often include Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, Bachelor/Doctor of Medicine, Doctor of Philosophy, master's degree, or other post-secondary...
- Medical educationMedical educationMedical education is education related to the practice of being a medical practitioner, either the initial training to become a doctor or additional training thereafter ....
- Doctor of MedicineDoctor of MedicineDoctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
- List of medical schools
- Master of SurgeryMaster of SurgeryThe Master of Surgery is an advanced qualification in surgery. It is most commonly abbreviated Ch.M. or M.S., as well as M.Ch. and M.Chir. from its Latin name, Magister Chirurgiae or the English form of Master of Surgery....
- Master of MedicineMaster of MedicineMaster of Medicine is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by medical schools to medical doctors following a period of instruction and examination. The degree is awarded by both surgical and medical subspecialties and usually includes a dissertation component involving original research...