Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery, or in : Medicinae Baccalaureus Baccalaureus Chirurgiae (abbreviated in many ways, e.g. MBBS, MB ChB, MB BCh, MB BChir (Cantab), BM BCh (Oxon), BMBS), are the two first professional degrees in medicine and surgery awarded upon graduation from medical school by universities in countries that follow the tradition of the United Kingdom. The historical degree nomenclature states that they are two separate undergraduate degrees; however, in practice, they are usually combined as one and conferred together, and may also be awarded at graduate-level medical schools. In countries that follow the tradition of continental Europe or the system in the United States, the equivalent medical degree is awarded as Doctor of Medicine (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) — the latter in the United States only. The degree is currently awarded in institutions in Australia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Botswana, Brazil, Colombia, China, Egypt, Fiji, Gambia, Ghana, Guyana, Hong Kong, India, Iraq, Ireland, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Malawi, Malaysia, Mauritius, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, New Zealand, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saudi Arabia, Sierra Leone, Singapore, South Africa, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, Vanuatu, Zambia and Zimbabwe
Historically, Bachelor of Medicine was also the primary medical degree conferred by institutions in the United States and Canada, such as theUniversity of Pennsylvania, Harvard, the University of Toronto, the 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. In the mid-19th century the public bodies that regulated medical practice required practitioners in Scotland and 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 Scotlandand began conferring Doctor of Medicine rather than Bachelor of Medicine.
In the countries that award bachelor’s degrees in medicine, however, Doctor of Medicine denotes a holder of a junior 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.”, whether or not they also hold a PhD or DSc. In theory the right to the use of the title “Doctor” is conferred on the medical graduate when he or she is registered as a medical practitioner by the relevant professional body, not by the possession of the MBBS degrees.The reason is found in a parallel tradition for those who are post-graduate specialists in surgery: on acceptance into a College of Surgeons, they stop styling themselves “Doctor” and revert to “Mister” (Mr), “Miss”, “Muz” (Ms) or “Missus” (Mrs). This curious situation, where an elevation in professional rank is signified by dropping the title of Doctor, came about because historically a “surgeon” was an ordinary worker, usually a barber, not trained in medicine but performing dissections and surgery under the direction of a gowned academic who was the actual “doctor”.
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 to be awarded the degrees in different years.
In many countries, the degrees are awarded after an undergraduate course lasting five or six years. For example, most Chinese universities offering medical degrees provide undergraduate courses lasting 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: that standard has to be reached by 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 registration as a licensed medical practitioner.
Recently, courses have been established in the Commonwealth country Australia that award the title MD
The names and abbreviations given to these degrees depend on the institution, awarding body or country, and vary widely. This is mostly for reasons of tradition rather than to indicate any difference between the relative levels of the degrees. They are considered equivalent.
If the awarding body titles the degrees in Latin, the degrees are commonly namedMedicinae 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.
Historically, Australian medical schools have followed the British tradition by conferring the degrees of Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) to its graduates whilst reserving the title of Doctor of Medicine (MD) for their research training degree, analogous to the PhD, or for their honorary doctorates. Although the majority of Australian MBBS degrees have been graduate programs since the 1990s, under the previous Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) they remained categorised as Level 7 Bachelor’s degrees together with other undergraduate programs.
The latest version of the AQF includes the new category of Level 9 Master’s (Extended) degrees which permits the use of the term ‘Doctor’ in the styling of the degree title of relevant professional programs. As a result, most Australian medical schools have replaced their MBBS degrees with the MD to resolve the previous anomalous nomenclature. With the introduction of the Master’s level MD, universities have also renamed their previous medical research doctorates. The University of Melbourne was the first to introduce the MD in 2011 as a basic medical degree, and has renamed its research degree to Doctor of Medical Science (DMedSc).The latest version of the AQF includes the new category of Level 9 Master’s (Extended) degrees which permits the use of the term ‘Doctor’ in the styling of the degree title of relevant professional programs. As a result, most Australian medical schools have replaced their MBBS degrees with the MD to resolve the previous anomalous nomenclature. With the introduction of the Master’s level MD, universities have also renamed their previous medical research doctorates. The University of Melbourne was the first to introduce the MD in 2011 as a basic medical degree, and has renamed its research degree to Doctor of Medical Science (DMedSc). Singapore is one of the developed countries of the Asia continent that is famous for MBBS studies. Students from not only India but other nations choose MBBS in Singapore. A Healthy education system and an advanced healthcare system of the country enhance the skills and knowledge of students to perform.
When it comes to studying MBBS abroad then Singapore could be a good choice for Indian Medical students. Top Best medical colleges in Singapore are recognized by the Medical Council of India, WHO, UNESCO, and other nations. It means you will open the door of job possibilities across the world after MBBS in Singapore course offered by the MCI recognized Best Medical colleges in Singapore.
These medical college list offer direct admission in the MBBS course in low eligibility and affordable fee. Students who are seeking admission to top Medical colleges in Singapore have to fulfill the admission requirements of them. Apart from Age limit and Academics performance, the NEET exam is an important factor under eligibility for MBBS in Singapore. Having the latest technology and highly qualified teachers in MCI approved medical colleges in Singapore offers you the best possible education to study the MBBS course in Singapore. It is often seen that Indian Students struggle a lot to get a good educational environment. MBBS in Singapore option exactly gives you what you need in a low
MBBS in Singapore is a 5 year degree offered by only two universities. The country houses the Asia’s top university National University of Singapore, which is ranked 11th in the world by the QS News Ranking of 2020. For medicine, it is placed in the 21st position. Despite being an expensive city, funding is readily available and the unemployment rate is also negligible at 2.2%.
Following are some other reasons for pursuing MBBS from Singapore:
The key point taken into consideration for medical aspirants is the MBBS fee structure in Singapore for a medical university. It is an important part of the MBBS program.
Name of Medical College | MBBS Fee Structure of Medical College |
National Skin Centre | 32,47,000 Per Year Tuition Fee |
SGH Postgraduate Medical Institute | 12,000,00 Per Year Tuition Fee |
Academy of Medicine Singapore | 27,000,00 Per Annum Tuition Fee |
Duke NUS Graduate Medical School | 28,000,00 Per Annum Tuition Fee |
For Singaporeans, the duration of the MBBS is 5 years. For the overseas students living who have come to study in Singapore, the duration is 5 years. The complete duration of the course for the Indian students is 6 years. The MBBS course in Singapore is divided properly, to ensure students get the best out of the academics and increase their knowledge and practice their medical skills. The courses offered to students include:
Every course has certain eligibility for MBBS in Singaporefor young medical aspirants.
Singapore is one of the most well-known nations that offers students quality MBBS education. Students from around the globe get admission to some of the top medical universities in Singapore. The medical colleges are MCI approved and students will be able to practice medicine anywhere in the world.
While applying to the best medical college in Singapore, students look into those colleges approved by MCI. Students can understand the value of a medical degree in India. Some of the medical universities in Singapore approved by MCI are:
1. National University of Singapore
The National University of Singapore gained presence only in 1980, as one of the most well-known institutes in Singapore. With over 100 years of legacy, mbbs in singapore university provides quality education to develop career-ready students. The National University of Singapore has diverse students from all over 100 countries, enabling them to learn and grow in a diversified environment. The university has partnered with the government and corporates to determine solutions to enhance life around the world.
2. Lee Kong Chain School of Medicine
The Lee Kong Chain School of Medicine provides the best MBBS program. The program is designed with churning out the best doctors that meet the healthcare standards. The main goal for the school of medicine is to have a healthy atmosphere for learning, exchange of knowledge, and development of skills. The campus has the best learning and research facilities that take care of delivering the best medical education and research.
3. Duke NUS Medical School
MBBS in Singapore for Indian students-
Visa Application Procedure for Indian Students in Singapore’s Medical Institutions
Well, you don’t need to concern much yourself regarding having your student Visa from Singapore, as the medical colleges of the country handle much of the procedure themselves.
Here is the step by step simplified student Visa process for the Indian students, so that they can follow it in the same order.
Well, it’s a well-known fact that seeking admission into Singapores medical colleges is not an easy task for the Indian students due to the tough admission policy and the eligibility criteria.
As per the record, there are hardly 1% Indian students who are found to be studying medicine in Singapore for an academic year. There are not as such solid scholarship program for the Indians in Singapore, however, you may still be able to find some appropriate scholarship program for yourself in any medical college of the country.
We urge you to have the suitable can from your study counsellor that whether there is any scholarship program yourself in the country or not so that you can accordingly make your application for availing the scholarship program.
As per Observatory on Borderless Higher Education, out of 70,000 international students in Singapore 3000 are Indians. Also, 52% of international students in Singapore are eligible to borrow from their top banks.
Some of the grants and scholarships for international students in Singapore are provided below:
MOE Tuition Grant Scheme: As per the grant an international student is eligible to borrow a loan amount after the letter of invitation from his/her host college.
ASEAN Undergraduate Scholarship: The ASEAN scholarship is meant for undergraduate students studying in Singapore. The scholarship aims to pay off the remaining tuition fee after sanctioning of the MOE scheme.
Dr Goh Keng Swee Scholarship: Dr GKS Scholarship is accessible to students from Brunei, Cambodia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, PRC, Taiwan, Vietnam, Thailand, Laos and Myanmar.
University of Duke
The University of Duke is a research powerhouse that is seen as the ideal international partner. The vision has been able to build the ideal medical institution that will help train confident young clinicians with a bright future ahead of them. The graduate program plays an important role in the healthcare system with excellence in clinical research and training medical talents.
There are other scholarships offered by host colleges like Undergraduate Scholarships at NUS, and the SMART Scholarship Program.
For the scholarships awarded by host colleges, the eligibility criteria is quite high as most of them are merit-based. The applicants must have a GPA of 3.8 or above with an ACT score of 31 or SAT score of 1430. The applicant must also hold a place within the top 5% of his/her class.
Well, although the medical colleges/Universities of Singapore are known as one of the most expensive medical institutions in the world yet there are some certain advantages or the benefits, which you will get in the course of studying MBBS from Singapore.
Here we are listing down some specific advantages for your reference.
Well, yes there are some certain disadvantages as well of studying MBBS in Singapore due to which there are very limited numbers of the medical aspirants from India who opt to study MBBS in Singapore.
You can check out the major disadvantages here below in this section.
MBBS Colleges in Singapore are counted among the world's best medical universities. The country houses Asia's top university National University of Singapore, ranked 11th globally by the US News Ranking of 2024-25. When it comes to medical education, Singapore has always been at the top of its chart.
National University of Singapore
Lee Kong Chain School of Medicine
Duke NUS Medical School
Yes, as the degree is received from an MCI and WHO recognized college.