The Top Medical Universities in India

Medicine is recognized as a “timeless” profession because people will always require medical care – and in India, the country with the world’s second largest population, the need for quality medical professionals is especially high. With hundreds of universities to choose from, aspiring medical professionals may have difficulty determining which Indian schools offer the most superior training. When making this decision, students should take into consideration the programs each university offers and its ranking in comparison with other medical schools.

King George's Medical University

King George’s Medical University is located in Lucknow in northern India. It is ranked in the top 10 colleges of medicine by India Today’s 2014 Nielsen survey, and is also recognized as one of the top 10 medical universities in India by Careers 360, India’s largest educational rating company. The university was established in 1911 to honor the visit of King George V. It offers a bachelor’s degree in medicine and surgery, and master’s degrees in philosophy (in the fields of translational health science and clinical psychology), as well as Doctor of Medicine and Master of Surgery degrees. Students may enroll in three-year “superspecialty courses” in neurology, cardiology and surgical oncology. Shorter one- to two-year programs are available for students pursuing diplomas in specific fields of medicine such as clinical pathology, orthopedics and child health.

Armed Forces Medical College

Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC), located in western India in the district of Pune, is devoted to medical research and education at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. The college comes in second in Career India’s 2013 list of top 15 medical colleges in India, and fourth in India Today’s 2014 Nielsen survey of top 10 colleges of medicine. AFMC was established in 1948, and expanded to include a graduate program in 1962 to help produce medical officers for the Indian Armed Forces. Undergraduates can pursue a bachelor’s degree in nursing science or medicine and surgery. Postgraduate programs include a Master’s of Science in Anatomy, a Master of Surgery degree, and a Doctor of Medicine degree.

Christian Medical College

Christian Medical College (CMC) is found in southern India in the city of Vellore. It was one of the top two colleges of medicine in India Today’s Nielsen survey, and one of the top three medical colleges featured in Career India. The institution was originally founded as a women’s nursing school in 1909. It was promoted to a college of nursing in 1946, and currently offers programs for both men and women in nursing and medicine. CMC offers bachelor’s degrees in science, occupational therapy and medicine and surgery, as well as Master of Surgery and Doctor of Medicine degrees. It also offers postgraduate diplomas in specialized fields such as family medicine, allergies, asthma and immunology.

All India Institute of Medical Sciences

All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), located in the capital of New Delhi in northern India, is comprehensively hailed as the best medical university in India. It is recognized as the highest ranked college of medicine by Careers 360, Career India and India Today’s 2014 Nielsen survey. The institute was established in 1956 to be “a center of excellence in the medical sciences,” and it currently provides education for undergraduates and postgraduates in nursing, dental education, and medical science, while simultaneously serving as a center for medical research. AIIMS values a practical approach to medicine, prioritizing anatomy labs that allow medical students to have first-hand experience with dissections and mock surgeries. This experiential approach and the small teacher-to-student ratio are credited for the institute’s success.