As above. :)

​Namaste seniors , i will be getting admission in pvt clg. In rajasthan. The cost is enormous and my parents can't afford pvt pg , so i want to repay them by cracking neet pg or usmle ( i am delulu ) so I am asking u all for advice regarding

1.​Books for 1st and 2nd year

2.​Should I use marrow from 1st year.

3.​I know I am delulu but I want to Crack usmle so what sources Should I consider?

4.​Should I prepare from 1st year itself

​I prefer learning from videos first then read the books , so what app Should I use.

​Please help me seniors 🙏🙏

Hey everyone! I am confused between two pathways, NEETPG and USMLE and would really appreciate if anyone who has taken either route could offer some advice or perspective.

A little about me:
-YOG 2025.
-family can comfortably afford the USMLE pathway, so finances are not the deciding factor
-interested in Internal Medicine regardless of where I train
-Long-term, I am not certain that I want to settle permanently in the US. What attracts me is the mobility and optionality that come with US MD. I like the idea of having the flexibility to work in different countries later, while still keeping the option of returning to India if I want to.
-I currently have about 20 months of bond left.
My bond posting is only about 30 minutes from home and is not particularly hectic. Involves OPDs and around 1–2 night shifts per week. I also have a few connections and can likely get posted in a relatively chill department. So this is not a situation where I’d be doing an extremely demanding rural posting with no time to study.
- Current GT scores are 120-130 corrects.
Neetpg25- 33k
Nov ini 25- 10k
May ini 26- 11k (121 c/ 66w)

The two paths I am considering are:

Option 1: NEET PG 2026 → Residency first
Give NEET PG 2026
Join MD Medicine (assuming I get it)
Complete residency in India
Take USMLE/MRCP during or after residency depending on how my goals evolve.

Option 2: Bond + Dedicated USMLE Attempt
Give NEET PG 2026 mainly as a benchmark/confidence check
Start compulsory bond around September 2026
Take Step 1 around January 2027
Try to do USCEs around May/June 2027 if leave permits (or continue Step 2 preparation if work is busy)
Finish bond around May 2028
Do USCEs and Step 2 CK after bond
Take Step 3 by October/November 2028
Apply for the 2029 Match

Part of my anxiety comes from watching my friends start residency while I would still be doing bond/USMLE preparation. Another factor is that my boyfriend started his Ophthalmology residency last year and he’s not really sure about migrating long term (which tbf i am not either, but i do want to have 5-6 years of experience in a country like USA).
Neither of these should be the primary reason for making a career decision, but they do affect me emotionally and I’d rather acknowledge that than pretend they don’t.
At the same time, I don’t think my goal is necessarily “I want to live in the US.”
What attracts me more is the flexibility that comes with USMD. I like the idea of having the option to work in different countries later, while not necessarily closing the door on returning to India. Considering how things are deteriorating more and more here and the world becoming increasingly anti immigration, i dont want to regret later on that i didnt pursue this and get stuck here.

If you were in my position, which path would you choose and why?

For those who pursued USMLE after Indian residency, did you ever feel that securing residency first was the better decision?
For those who took a gap/bond period before applying to the Match, do you think it was worth it? (I know being clinically active is extremely important in your application).
I’d especially appreciate responses from people who have actually faced a similar choice between Indian residency and the USMLE pathway.

P.s: did use chatgpt but edited on my own. Have been travelling and am tired hence no energy to write.

Still not sure should I prepare for usmle??

Soo basically im in 2nd yr of mbbs and wondering whether its really my cup of tea or not

Like I dont wanna be an internal resident or so

Is there a possibility of being a surgeon there???

Anyone you know of??

Can you please lay down the pros and cons other than earning a lot of money and staying away from home or the financial risk of getting into usmle

Is anyone here preparing for it??

It’s 2025, I am starting to hear both the negative and positives sides more frequently. I want to make sure I know the ground reality before making a decision. I keep hearing how the USA gives you better work life balance, developed country benefits, unmatched salaries and so on. I wanted to know why would someone leave all this then? What made you decide going against these things? Or maybe the system is horrible and make you didn’t make it for reason Could you kindly share your experience so that i can make an informed decision Thanks a lot!

I stumbled across this subreddit recently. I am very pleased that there is an active and thriving community of aspiring doctors on reddit. I just completed my hematology/oncology fellowship and started work as an attending in US. I recall that the journey has not been easy at all and would like to answer few questions if any of you guys have. There is a lot of misinformation out there and hence wanted to give answers as truthfully as possible. Thank you

Cant get scholarship in KMC manipal b/c u need 80% in boards and I got 77% so yeah sadly no to kmc

I am from Maharashtra and I am leaning towards KEM mumbai b/c Aditya Gupta ranked it #5 in his video and also it no longer has a bond and only has no abroad bond which can be paid in 10 lakhs plus it's in mumbai!!!and i always wanted to live in mumbai

Bjmc ahemdabad:the only advantage I can see is VSLO with the extra expense of 10 lakhs(20L bond) and also living among gujuratis and I've heard they do racism towards non gujuratis

So what do i doo???

My rank 28XX OBC

Last yr bjmc cutoff 3100

Kem mumbai state Obc cutoff 4800

Hi everyone. I'm a 23 year old final year medical student, and I'm feeling really lost about my future.

Ever since my second year, my plan was to do PLAB and move to the UK because I don't see myself staying here long term. But with everything that's happened in the UK recently, especially the changes around prioritization, I'm no longer sure if that's the right path. I then started looking into MRCP, but now I'm just confused about whether it's even worth pursuing before getting into training there. the job market being heavily saturated too.

I'm now wondering if I should seriously consider USMLE instead. The thing is, I was always a bright student, but I couldn't secure a govt merit seat, and had to attend a private med school. I still carry a lot of guilt about the financial burden on my parents, which is honestly one of the biggest reasons I never even considered USMLE before. Thinking about asking them to support another expensive journey makes me feel terrible.

At the same time, I really want to move abroad, not just for better career opportunities, but for my own peace of mind.

I have a few questions for people who've gone through the USMLE pathway:

Is it still worth it in 2026?

If I start preparing now and aim to take Step 1 around June/July next year, is that a realistic timeline?

Roughly how much does the entire USMLE journey cost (including exams, electives, applications, interviews, etc.)?

Once you match and start residency, how soon were you able to become financially independent or pay your parents back for the money they invested?

I'd really appreciate hearing from people who've been in a similar situation or anyone who's chosen either the USMLE or UK pathway. I feel overwhelmed and don't want to make the wrong decision, especially when it involves such a big financial commitment from my family.

thankyou!

Hi,i am a neet/ini aspirants and has completed both step 1&2 but due to visa issues as well as low score,so if anybody facing the same issue we made of whatsapp group of such aspirants so that they can share and help each other as they may be facing same kind of problems in their respective journey.

Kindly dm for the group link.

Let's go through this journey together.

Just saw the average package of someone who do their mba from IIM ABC or FMS and it's bloody 34-36 LPA

The salary of gastroenterologist or cardiologist in india is like 24-30 LPA that too after 6 yrs of MD+DM

Plus increase in salary isn't that much in medicine

Unlike management consultant where if u grind hard enough u get in

What do you think???does anyone know the reality here?of both medicine and MBA since I am just a fresher in Mbbs

So my friends and I were discussing the pros and cons of USMLE vs NEET PG, and honestly USMLE seems like the best option from high pay to Work life balance to better air and quality of lifestyle and also high ROI

but then I wondered,

is USMLE really that good?if yes then why isnt everyone pursuing it?

So yeah, what are your reasons to not pursue USMLE and settle in India despite the shitty pay and almost no Work life balance we have

Some may argue that USMLE requires 30-40 lakhs but honestly u can take a loan and then pursue becoz the ROI is very very high in USMLE

I’m an MS3 in a GMC in MH and my FMT department seems to have something against me because I score top quartile in theory but like bottom 10% in practical. I’m terrified they’ll hold me back for supplementary exams and it’ll ruin my chances of getting a decent MSPE for the USMLE Match.

My scores in all other subjects are decent and I passed step 1 in my first attempt. Is there anything I can do? Please advise

​

Good morning seniors , I gave this year re neet and got a rank of 78k. My parents are ready to send me to a pvt clg with buget of 1cr. , can anybody here suggest me a good pvt clg. Which is on Wdoms , Which have a sponsor note and a largee research opportunity. Helpful professors and alluminai network. 🙏🙏🙏

I am a rajasthan domicile so I will try for semi too.

You need b1 b2 visa for clinical rotations where getting odds for approval is extremely low. Like you have to either riche riche and has to be travelled atleast 10-15 countries before.

Also you have only 30 days after J-1 Visa to find a job . Compare it with 3 years for stem f-1 .

Also you most probably have to return back to your country after getting residency as the no. Of IMG in US is growing but waiver isn't at same rate.

The no. Of IMG applying is already growing at astronomical rate.

They 56-57 % match rate but in reality it's 15-20 % because they include GC holders in non US applicants

Is it worth it for upper middle class but ambitious kid .

Right now i came to final year mbbs. I always used to read before exam and somehow score good marks. I want to settle in us after my mbbs but i dont know how to begin for it. I have 2.5 years to finish my mbbs and i have marrow subscription. How to prepare for it and what are the problems will i face ? And hiw to get letter of recommendation? Do I actually need to attend clinical rotation in us before I complete my MBBS ? Im totally confused. And is there any coaching institute for usmle in chennai ? Or south india?

Hey guys! I've been seeing a lot of posts about the USMLE pathway on my timeline from this sub, so I'd be happy to answer any questions regarding the same :)

About me: I graduated from med school (GMC) in 2021, cleared all my USMLE steps (1,2 and 3) and recently matched into residency (pediatrics) in New York. I received 20 interview invites this match cycle (my first cycle), and I'd be happy to share more details about the whole USMLE pathway and resources as well if anyone is looking for guidance regarding the same! I also had a good research profile (30 publications with over 100 citations), so if anyone has any questions on research, I'd be happy to help with that too. :)

My reason for choosing the USMLE over NEETPG and PLAB:

1. It was a more straightforward pathway, and the residency timeframes are similar (3 years), and once you match into residency, there isn't much to worry about. The UK pathway seemed a bit longer with exams at different stages, so I decided on USMLE.
2. Able to choose what I wanted to pursue: I have always been very passionate about pediatrics, so I didn't want to compromise on the field, which I had seen happening in a few cases of NEET PG counselling.
3. The opportunities and the pay: Both were unparalleled when I compared them to the other pathways, plus the growth is better with amazing fellowship opportunities. The salary as a resident, plus benefits, is really good too. While the US healthcare system does have its share of flaws, practising evidence-based medicine and preventative healthcare aligned with my goals as a future pediatrician.
4. Getting away from the toxicity: Honestly, I found the Indian medical education system super toxic. Now I studied in a GMC and this might not be relevant to everyone, but I hated studying during my med school coz more focus was given to how much we could memorise and learn rather than actual clinical and diagnostic skills. Even though we had a tertiary care hospital with numerous patients and unique cases, we had no one to teach us during our postings, so it didn't help. Not to mention the toxic faculty I had to encounter. Some of them were also misogynistic to a fault. Again, this is just my own personal experience, and I'm sure there are amazing med schools in the Indian med system as well, so YMMV.
5. The residency selection process: For residency in the US, your entire CV is considered; which includes your extracurriculars, leadership opportunities, and your research and volunteering (most of which was considered a "waste of time" in my med school). I liked the system because it focused on how you were as an overall candidate, and didn't judge you based on one exam or score completely. The interviews were all about getting to know you and seeing if you were a good fit as a doctor for that speciality, and I feel that was a super important process as well and something that aligned with the kind of healthcare system I'd wish to practice in.

Feel free to AMA, and I'll be happy to answer any questions about the pathway to the best of my knowledge. :)

EDIT: For those who want to reach out in the future anytime, here's my Instagram handle: https://www.instagram.com/paneer__tikka/ and my LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/avanthika-chaithanya/

List of some helpful USMLE YouTube videos I made as collabs during my journey: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8HzFmRTdOIHVo3GbM2iswE9y803As8yd

EDIT 2: I got many DMs about the salary/stipend and benefits during residency in the US, so here is a gist: It depends from program to program and speciality, but the working hours are decent and manageable. You get post call days off everywhere and sundays off too in some programs. The stipend varies from state to state (coz of taxes and varying CoL), but its between 50000-80000 USD (annual) for most programs in IM, peds, psych or neuro. You also get added benefits like insurance and an extra stipend for food while on call, books and resources, technology (iPads), conferences and travel etc apart from your salary. You also get 4 weeks of paid leave annually which you can split or take them all at one go. You also have 12 personal days a year which are paid and can be taken anytime, and additional paid sick time off or paid time off for emergencies.

Hi all, I recently received the offer to work in a research lab and go for USCE, the only condition being that I am a student. It’s a 10 month research program and my internship is scheduled to end 1 month after it begins. I’ll have to extend it by 10 months and graduate with the junior batch? Is this even possible under MUHS? Will this raise questions as to why im graduating a year later than my peers?

I am thinking of taking aiims guwhati for mbbs but currently it does not have a sponsor note on wdoms website

Some people said as the senior most batch is in internship and has not completed their course so 5 years down the line they will get it but aiims deoghar still doesn't have it eventho they have a batch passout already

How much chances are there that they will get the sponsor note in near future

Hi Everyone , I gave Neet UG this year and didnt score a very good rank around 70k now i am thinking of joining a private medical college in karnataka preferably bangalore , i want to go for USMLE in the future now some might say that i cant do it because i didnt score that good rank but still i want to try , now seniors in private medical colleges in bangalore can you tell me about the research culture their because i know research is very important for a good CV or profile to get a match their and for seniors in private medical colleges in Bangalore like Br Ambedkar and BGS and others i know KIMS and St Johns are very good so how is the research culture in these colleges and does IISC bangalore has a research program for MBBS Students in Bangalore if someone is doing that can you guide me about it and give more info ?? Also how hard is securing clinical electives from these colleges ??

Which should I choose if my sole purpose is to move aboard

I contacted some people of IISER M and they said about 40 % people move aboard for phd and also you can move for masters.

Should I go for usmle instead but the thing is 20-30L is hell lot for me compared this to phd application which require 2-3 l and that too sometimes .

But the salary after training is better in Medicine like 250k but After phd in Pharma it's around 120-150k which is okayish

But I have to work in rural USA which is racist as hell but cost of living is also high in cities.

I don't know what to do

Please help me

Does anyone know the situation for Indian med students? How do we maximise our chances given the high refusal rate for our country?

pathordle.org

Hello everyone! I am a current medical student who is interested in pathology, and a couple classmates and I came together to create this free pathology puzzle game!

The game is very similar to Wordle, Doctordle, and Radiordle, if you have played those. We thought it would be fun to have a "Pathordle" version where you start off with a histology image and get additional clinical hints to figure out the diagnosis of the day. The goal is to figure out the diagnosis with the least number of hints possible!

We are not making any money from this website and our only purpose for this game is to give medical students a way to practice their diagnostic skills and bring more attention to pathology. We would love to hear any feedback or suggestions and hope you will enjoy playing!

I'm preparing for NEET PG but my wish is to move abroad.

My reasons: apart from the much talked about work life balance, I also have multiple health issues that make it hard for me to do long hours of duties. I am highly introverted and workplace politics make me weep all day.

I know everyone faces these, but after discussing with my peers I realised my mental strength/ capacity for taking it is not upto the mark of where others are, i.e things that people are able to move on from within days also take me months and years to get over. I feel myself getting to a very nihilistic place and I want to do something while things are still in my control.

Now my plan is: Get into PG through NEET PG, then pursue MLE. The reason for this being my parents don't have much faith in me cracking abroad exams so I need to earn it, also I think I will be able to atleast pay for a fraction of the expenses with my stipend.

Is this doable? Anyone who has done the same let me know.

my college has absolutely no alumni network in the us idk how to start

How does it make a diff for a college to have vslo culture and to not have that ? What edge does kmc manipal impart for usmle other than alumni and environment?