Well, there is no denying the fact that Russia is the largest country in the world in terms of land area and ranks seventh in terms of population, including two continents and an incredible nine time zones. Some of the world’s most magnificent palaces, expansive plateaus, tallest mountains, coldest towns, renowned ballet companies, and the inclusive collections of stacking dolls are located inside its broad bounds.
Another thing for which Russia is famous is affordable and high-quality medical education. Over the years it has been observed that students all across the world are heading to Russia to study MBBS in Russia, as the no entrance test, budget-friendly MBBS program, and cutting edge technology is something that is attracting a huge number of students to study MBBS in Russia. When it comes to the option to study MBBS abroad, Russia is one of the best destinations.
While there are endless advantages of studying MBBS in Russia, which is making it a popular choice especially amongst Indian students, however, it does have some disadvantages. Not anything that can’t be taken care of.
In this blog, we will be discussing some of the basic and common disadvantages of studying MBBS in Russia that the majority of international students experience-
Language Barrier- As the mother tongue and official language of Russia is Russian, it gets a bit overwhelming for Indian and other international students to cope up with the locals there. Most of the medical colleges in Russia offer MBBS in the Russian language only. So, it is always advisable for students to carefully select their medical university and do thorough research before getting enrolled. Indian and other international students should only get themselves enrolled in the medical colleges that specify bilingual or English will take classes in the English medium. If not then students must have to learn the Russian language.
Climatic Condition- As we all know that Russia is a country which is known for its frigid surrounding atmosphere. It is a generally cold country. The climatic condition of Russia and not at all similar to India because the country has long winter seasons. Indian students can always expect frequent snowfalls most of the year. For around 3 to 5 months, the temperature in all the Russian countries falls below zero degrees. This may cause health issues for Indian students who are new to this kind of climatic condition. Well, the medical universities in Russia have a central heating system which allows the temperature stable for students to have a comfortable setting.
Duration of MBBS in Russia- Unlike India, the duration of MBBS in Russia is 5.8 years. This is longer than in various other countries like Bangladesh, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. If the duration necessary to earn the MBBS degree in both countries is the same, then why should a student travel all the way to Russia to study MBBS abroad?
Food and Accommodation- During the 6 years of MBBS study in Russia, the majority of Indian students chooses to stay in the accommodation offered by the medical universities. However, there are a few students who rent accommodation outside the university accommodation. Renting a place outside the college campus is substantially more expensive than staying at the hostel accommodation. The rent for staying outside is much more when compared to the hostel accommodation fee, and if a student is renting outside then there are other expenses for food and travel and other requirements. The food available outside the hotel is quite expensive and we are not even sure that they are hygienic or not! So, staying outside the university accommodation may not be a great idea for Indian medical students.
Students Safety- As most Indian medical students prefer staying outside the college accommodation the safety is purely depending on their own. The usage of Gun culture is very normal in all the Russian countries. And it is not safe, especially for girl students to stay outside the university accommodation. It is always advisable and better for students to take their accommodation offered by the university within their campus as it ensures safety and security to the fullest.
Exposure to Modern Culture and Unwanted Addiction- As Russia is one of the European countries with an incredible and addicting nightlife. The Russian culture highly involves partying, going out on the town, and a variety of other activities. Therefore, such kinds of activities are extremely hazardous for Indian medical students as it eventually affects the health and studies. Also practicing harmful drugs and alcohol may happen to students through nightlife habits which could make their minds wander to negative places which will undoubtedly have a great impact on their medical future and future aspects. Therefore, it is always advisable to take accommodation offered by the university itself as the students will always be under the authority of the medical institutions.
FMGE Test to Practise MBBS in India- All the Indian medical students who have enrolled in Russian medical universities need to qualify for the FMGE to continue their medical practice in India. All the medical graduates from Russian medical universities who are interested in continuing their medical practice in India need to qualify for this examination.
