Dear sir,
I have just completed my 10th ICSE this year. I intend to do 11th and 12th in ISC and after that I want to do medicine abroad. Should I take the SAT exams, and if I do, then when? Should I take coaching classes now itself? Are there any alternatives?
Sanjay Suresh
Dear Sanjay,
If you continue studying 11th and 12th you will be eligible to seek admission for an undergraduate course in UK -  all you need is an IELTS score, which you can prepare for in the 11th or 12th.
For USA you need SAT score as well as TOEFL score, which you can prepare for in either of the years.  Medical education in these countries starts after one has taken science subjects in their undergraduate studies and cleared the Medical Aptitude Test.  After entry into medical college it takes another six years to complete your medical education in general and later one has to do specialisation after getting into clinical by taking local mandatory licences. It is a long drawn process and needs academic excellence.
Further in all these countries Medical Education is awfully expensive and funding or financial assistance of any sort is also a difficult proposition. For your information many NRI's send their children for basic medical education to India.
I suggest you check your aptitude to pursue medical education and be open to write the local entrances also, keeping your options open.
Dear Sir,
My son is studying in MBBS 4th year and he wants to continue his studies abroad.   Which country can he go to? Can you name some good colleges  which offer bright prospects after MS? What is the approximate cost and duration? Which country is best - USA, Germany or England?  Can he work while doing his MS?  In which field is there more scope?  What are the preliminary exams he has to take in India?
A concerned Father
Dear concerned Father,
It is unfortunately becoming very difficult for Medical Doctors to go for higher education abroad particularly to countries such as USA and UK. Any higher education in the field of Medicine involves ongoing clinical work for which one has to get a license from the concerned country, which involves preliminary exams. To study in UK one has to take PLAB examination (Proficiency in Linguistic Assessment Board), first part of which can be taken in India, part 2 and 3 one has to take in UK. For USA one has to pass USMLE (United States Medical Licensing examination) in medical and clinical subjects. Part one of this examination can be taken in India after which the remaining part has to be taken in USA . This is the point at which visa availability is crucial as they refuse to give for medical doctors. Moreover now-a-days these countries are giving first preference to the local medical graduates.  
Germany is not yet open for Medical Education as the system of their education is different and for clinical practice language is the main barrier. The only other option left are in countries such as China and Russia. China is emerging lately as a destination for Medical education as they claim to have evolved the curriculum of international standards and also prepare the graduates to take up the screening test of Medical Council of India, which is mandatory for all medical graduates from any country abroad of any stream to practice in India. The MS and MD course in China is of 3 year duration. Details may be found by browsing www.chinambbs.com. Russia also offers 2-year Post Graduation in several streams of Medical Education. But one has to spend a lot of time in learning the language and getting integrated to their systems of practice and after graduation there Indian Medical Council screening test is a must, but opportunities are available and cost is economical. For more detailed information browse through www.educationrussia.org