Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery, or in Latin: 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 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 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.
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 the University 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
Scotland and 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.[citation
needed]
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 an internship before they can obtain full registration as a licensed medical
practitioner.
Recently, courses have been established in the Commonwealth country Australia that awards
the title MD.
About MBBS in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia, arid, sparsely populated kingdom of the Middle East.
Extending across most of the northern and central Arabian Peninsula, Saudi Arabia is a
young country that is heir to a rich history. In its western highlands, along the Red
Sea, lies the Hejaz, which is the cradle of Islam
and the site of that religion’s holiest cities, Mecca and Medina. In the countrys
geographic heartland is a region known as Najd (Highland), a vast arid zone that until
recent times was populated by nomadic tribes. To
the east, along the Persian Gulf, are the country’s abundant oil fields that, since the
1960s, have made Saudi Arabia synonymous with petroleum wealth. Those three
elementsreligion, tribalism, and untold wealth—have fueled
the country’s subsequent history.
In the mid-20th century, most of Saudi Arabia still embraced a traditional lifestyle that
had changed little over thousands of years. Since then, the pace of life in Saudi Arabia
has accelerated rapidly. The constant flow of
pilgrims to Mecca and Medina (vast throngs arrive for the annual hajj, and more pilgrims
visit throughout the year for the lesser pilgrimage, the ʿumrah) had always provided the
country with outside contacts, but interaction
with the outside world has expanded with innovations in transportation, technology, and
organization. Saudi Arabia’s growing petroleum wealth has also wrought irreversible
domestic changeseducational and social as well
as economic. Modern methods of production have been superimposed on a traditional
society by the introduction of millions of foreign workers and by the employment of
hundreds of thousands of Saudis in nontraditional jobs.
Besides, tens of thousands of Saudi students have studied abroad, most in the United
States. Television, radio, and the Internet have become common media of communication
and education, and highways and airways have replaced
traditional means of transportation.
Studying medicine in Saudi Arabia is very competitive but also very high-quality, given
the notable investment in state-of-the-art laboratories and research facilities in the
last decades. Saudi students are required to have
high average grades for their high school studies before applying for medical school in
Saudi Arabia, and then to take two entrance exams and pass an entrance interview for the
university of their choice. There is a test
for basic English language as part of the interview.
Medicine is studied in Arabic or English in almost all universities, and a large
percentage of the universities are public. As a result, for Saudi students, medical
school is free. Residency programs are paid for both Saudi
and international students, but the sponsoring hospital covers these fees when they
accept a student. In this article, we will be looking at the best medical schools in
Saudi Arabia.
In Saudi Arabia, studying medicine involves an undergraduate program which typically
lasts five years. This includes practical application of the curriculum in years 4 and
5, and will then involve internships before being able
to become a full-fledged doctor.
A lot of students take a pre-medical year of study before the core 5-year curriculum, to
ensure that their knowledge of science is at the right standard for medical school.
Depending on your high school science levels, this
may not be necessary.
MBBS in Saudi Arabia Accomodation
Indian Students can get an opportunity to enjoy the cool weather and fresh-environments
also when they are going to join the hostel life of the universities of Saudi Arabia as
this university also offers the hostel provisions
for all nationalities of students whosoever wants to study in this medical university.
These campuses hostels are built within the university premises building substitutions.
-
- Refreshment provisions along with nutritious & healthy food.
- Well-built Laundry rooms, Washrooms & Bedrooms.
- Library, Reading, Sports and Gym spaces.
- Discrete & separate building of hostel for both boys & girls.
- Tea-room & Cyber-cafés along with Wi-Fi accessibility (24/7).
MBBS In Saudi Arabia Fees Structure 2025-26
Some Top Medical Colleges of Saudi Arabia to pursue MBBS
Saudi Arabia is one of the most popular countries among Indian students to pursue MBBS(
Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Science)
Here are some name of the saudi arabia medical college with their details
King Saud University College of Medicine
Located in Riyadh, the nation’s capital, King Saud University is a public institution
founded in 1957. You can study here in both English and Arabic, and it has the
highest-ranked medical school in Saudi Arabia. This was the
first university in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and now has about 40,000 students of
which 7% are international.
Female students study separately from male students and are overseen by female faculty
members except for cases where male faculty members also contribute, through the medium
of a closed television network.
The College of Medicine opened in 1967, becoming affiliated with King Abdulaziz
University Hospital a year later. It is a dedicated research centre, focusing on
producing scientific publications and employing international
experts in their fields. They also work with King Khalid University Hospital, offering
students vast opportunities for practical training.
King Abdul Aziz university faculty of Medicine
Another public university, King Abdul Aziz University is based in Jeddah and started as a
private institution in 1967 before becoming a public one in 1974. In 2016, this was the
number one Arab university as per the Times Higher
Education rankings.
The Faculty of Medicine has been open since 1975 and counts 22 departments for
specialization. Moreover, this medical school in Saudi Arabia has some exceptional
research centres such as the Center for Excellent in Genomic
Medicine Research and the King Fahd Center for Medical Research. During your studies,
you can benefit from top research as well as the teachings of highly qualified
international experts. These centres also offer a great
place to conduct your research and residency.
Alfaisal university- University of Medicine
This private research institute in Riyadh was established by the King Faisal Foundation
in 2002. It is proud to count one-third of its students as international, coming from 40
countries. It also has an exceptional location
the palace of the late King Faisal.
Alfaisal University calls themselves a “student-centred university” aiming to benefit the
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia through the dissemination of knowledge, research and expertise,
as well as the wider continent and the world.
It is worth noting that, as this is a private university, study mbbs in saudi arabia for
indian students fees are considerably higher than at state schools. As such, the first
year’s tuition is 94000 SAR alone.
King Saud bin Abdulaziz university for health sciences- University of Medicine:
This is a public university which has 14 colleges spread between Riyadh, Al-Ahsa and
Jeddah. It has evolved into a research-intensive academy and uses the King Abdulaziz
Medical City as its residential training centre for all
medical students.
The College of Medicine is based in Riyadh and has the vision to prepare qualified
physicians with a high-quality education, as well as research and community services
that promote social accountability.
The medical program will earn you the MBBS degree through a curriculum licensed from the
University of Sydney in Australia, and adapted to the local requirements of life in
Saudi Arabia. The curriculum employs the model of
Problem-Based Learning, leading students to work together in small groups on actual
medical problems. There is also a Clinical Skills Lab where students can work to put
their theoretical knowledge into practice.
King Khalid university- college of Medicine
Located in Abha, King Khalid University was created in 1998 as a result of the merger
between Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University and King Saud University in the
Southern Region.
One of the best medical schools in Saudi Arabia is located at King Khalid University,
which is the College of Medicine. This medical school works closely with local hospitals
and facilities, supporting these whilst also giving
their students exposure to the real world of medical practice: Assir Central Hospital,
Abha General Hospital, Armed Forces Hospital Southern Region and Primary Care Centers in
the Assir Region are some of the institutions
affiliated with the university.
The College of Medicine at King Khalid University also houses the Saudi Society of
Medical Education and dedicates significant funding to medical research. You can
continue your medical studies after the MBBS level, by studying
at the Center for Postgraduate and Continuing Medical Education.
MBBS in Saudi Arabia Syllabus
1st Year :
Histology and Anatomy
2nd Year :
Physiology, Histology, Biochemistry, Anatomy, Microbiology
3rd Year :
Path Physiology, Microbiology, Pathology, Pharmacology
4th to 6th Year :
Cardiology, Oncology, Internal Medicine, Psychology, Neurology, Gynecology, General
Surgery, Pediatrics, Emergency Medicine, ENT
Admission Process for MBBS in Saudi Arabia
The admission procedure in universities in saudi arabia is simple and uncomplicated. The
procedure for study MBBS in Saudi Arabia is listed below for your reference.
Fill and complete the application form on the university website.
Submit all your original documents and apply for the course of your choice.
Your application will be processed and reviewed by the university.
Upon getting the offer letter from the university of your choice, get a print out of it.
The fees for the processing of the application has to be paid.
Upon getting the confirmation of getting admission in the MBBS course, immediately apply
for your student visa.
Notify your university about the date of your arrival in Saudi Arabia.
Eligibility criteria to pursue MBBS in Saudi Arabia
Qualifications offered by the Program in Medicine is a Bachelor's degree in Medicine and
Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS). The length of the program is 7 years (which includes a
preparatory year). All students are eligible to practice
medicine in the country after passing the Saudi Licensing Examination (SLE).
For getting admitted to saudi arabia medical college for MBBS in saudi arabia, you need
to score a minimum of 50% in physics, chemistry, and biology and NEET score not less
than 50%. Since the courses for MBBS in saudi arabia are taught in English, you will
have to appear for IELTS or TOEFL to prove your fluency in the English language.
Documents Required for MBBS in Saudi Arabia
- Birth Certificate
- 10th Marksheet
- 12th Marksheet
- Photocopy of Invitation Letter
- 5 passport size photographs
- 5 passport size photographs
- CReport on COVID test
- Bank receipt
- Statement of Purpose (has to be attested by a governing body)
Benefits of Taking MBBS Admission in Saudi Arabia
Studying medicine in Saudi Arabia is very competitive but also very high-quality, given
the notable investment in state-of-the-art laboratories and research facilities in the
last decades. Saudi students are required to have
high average grades for their high school studies before applying for medical school in
Saudi Arabia, and then to take two entrance exams and pass an entrance interview for the
university of their choice. There is a test
for basic English language as part of the interview.
Medicine is studied in Arabic or English in almost all universities, and a large
percentage of the universities are public. As a result, for Saudi students, medical
school is free. Residency programs are paid for both Saudi
and international students, but the sponsoring hospital covers these fees when they
accept a student. In this article, we will be looking at the best medical schools in
Saudi Arabia.
Public universities in Saudi Arabia are free for citizens of the country, however,
international students still have to pay tuition fees. At the undergraduate level,
tuition can be up to around $6,000 per year.
You will also need to factor in living costs as there is no university housing generally.
Learn a new language
One huge benefit of studying abroad is the chance to learn a new language. Learning a
language can be a real challenge, but there is nothing quite like living somewhere where
that language is spoken natively. It helps!
Since English is such a universally used language, it can be quite advantageous to study
in a country such as the USA or the UK. Youll be able to study in English, speak to
locals and develop your language skills.
As well as experiencing the culture of your study destination, you will also be able to
travel to other nearby countries. For example, if you go to a UK university, you can
easily to catch a flight to continental Europe to
see Paris, Rome, Barcelona and many more fascinating places.
Studying abroad is therefore a unique opportunity to see more of the world, which is
itself a hugely rewarding educational experience. No doubt seeing other parts of the
world will greatly affect your character and worldview,
and help you prepare for life in a global world.
Its often said that going to university is when you become truly independent from your
parents and family. This is especially true when you go to university in another
country!
Bringing us full circle, becoming independent is itself a challenge. But living and
studying in another country will help shape you into an independent and adventurous
adult, ready to succeed in your future career.
Frequently asked Questions
Is MBBS in Saudi Arabia good?
Yes, as Saudi Arabia is a developing coutand since 2010, it has been keeping
its good position. Indian students as well as international students can
pursue MBBS in saudi arabia.
Is the hostel facility provided by the universities of Saudi
Arabia?
Yes, all the universities of Saudi Arabia provide hostel facilities to their
students.
State Some benefits of pursuing MBBS in Saudi Arabia.
Living in comfortable conditions at relatively low prices. Even a dormitory
is equipped at the level of a three-star hotel.
How can I take admission in Saudi Arabia?
You can check the university in which you want to pursue MBBS and then check
it's eligibility criteria from the official website.
Can Indian students take admission in Saudi Arabia?
Yes, Indian students can apply in any Arabic university to pursue MBBS by
checking the university and it's eligibility criteria.
Are Universities of Saudi Arabia cheap for MBBS?
Yes, the fee students of the universities of Saudi Arabia are quite low and
affordable.
Are universities of Saudi Arabia recognized?
Yes, the universities of Saudi Arabia to pursue MBBS are well recognized.