In "continental Europe" according to Bologna process in high education UK terminology is used. However it seems with much different meanings. What is then the meaning of MD in those countries? Where is a place for PhD?
When you register as a doctor you have to show to the General Medical Council that you have achieved an acceptable standard in medicine and surgery (and obstetrics). You do this with passing exams in medicine (MB) and surgery (BS,BChir, BCh depending on the university). MD is an academic achievement approximately equivalent to a medical MSc, and is not required to be a doctor any more than a PhD. I think in other countries the MD is the equivalent to the MB BS
The arts equivalent to an MSc is a MA except that at Oxford and Cambridge you only get a BA and not a BSc when you graduate, and you automatically get an MA after a further 3 years if you turn up to a ceremony, and is more to to do with the self-importance that Oxford and Cambridge seem to have about themselves!
Der Chris
You are right in many countries in "continental Europe" MB BS is the equivalent to MD. It is interesting that in UK as in Germany MD is academic and not professional degree. However, I have not seen any statistics, while Russian Federation is still enigma for me.
This mess with a titles somethimes makes problems in communications among medical professioonals.
Your comment
"that at Oxford and Cambridge you only get a BA and not a BSc when you graduate, and you automatically get an MA after a further 3 years if you turn up to a ceremony"... is fantastic. (although they have the right to feel self.important). Thank you for that.
My opinion is slightly different about mere undergraduate (UG) and graduate degrees in medical sciences, and is based on practices in India and in USA. Although MBBS (or any other UG degree) is required to become basic doctor, MD is often taken as a specialty. In India (where still British system is followed), MD (3 years post-UG medical degree) includes built-in residency equivalent of PGY, 1, 2 & 3), and the fellow gets his expertize. US fellowship is often taken as equivalent to DM (post-MD). We need to have the universal system, as we head to globalization in all the areas. When doctors from other countries have already undergone these residencies and training, does not make sense to repeat residencies elsewhere and waste valuable time of life, instead of serving the community. Medical MSc is usually in pre-clinical or para-clinical subjects where patients are not required to be seen (such as Anatomy, Biochem, Physiol, Microbiol, Pharmacol & Toxicol, Immunol, Genetics, & Mol boil etc). PhD from the Faculty of Medicine can also be considered equivalent to MD in many countries, but there is conflict among medical community, not to allow non-MDs at par; and therefore these degree holders mostly remained in mere research, teaching & innovation. These are my general views, and please feel free to add in. SJ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bUo6Ccj74Q
Video explanation
MBBS MD DM
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