‘Admissions for the new 2021 class are now open for Ramaiah Group of Institutions’ and St George’s University’s pathway to a Doctor of Medicine MD’

Bangalore: Ramaiah Group of Institutions in association with St George’s University, Grenada (SGU) have opened admissions for the class of September,2021. They are offering medical aspirants in India an innovative educational pathway to practice medicine in India, the US, or UK. The association which started in 2020, provides 10+2 graduates the opportunity to obtain a Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree.

During the 5-year pathway, students will have the opportunity to experience global healthcare systems across several countries: Year 1 in India, Year 2 in the UK or Grenada, Year 3 in Grenada, and Years 4 and 5 in the US or UK.

The first year of the pathway is focussed on traditional basic science disciplines in Ramaiah. In the second and third year of the pathway, laboratory experience forms an integral part of the systems based curriculum. Small group discussions are focussed on early integration of patient presentations into the basic sciences underpinning the practice of clinical medicine. The final two years focus on clinical medicine, with training at SGU’s clinical centres and affiliated hospitals in the United States or the United Kingdom. This approach to clinical training gives students an opportunity to learn in some of the best-known hospitals and primary care settings across core rotations, sub-internships and elective rotations.

This pathway provides a great opportunity for aspiring physicians to enter an international medical career and start studying towards their MD degree in September 2021. Ramaiah, based in Bengaluru, will allow the candidates to start their journey towards becoming a doctor in a familiar environment, where they can build strong relationships with other students in their cohort before moving abroad together as a close-knit group in the second year. To facilitate the aspirants’ transition to studying abroad, SGU will offer a number of guest lectures at Ramaiah during the first year.

This is truly an association of two world-renowned institutions. Both institutions have medical schools that were established over 40 years ago and boast an excellent track record of educating medical aspirants. Ramaiah counts amongst the top 20 of medical colleges in India, while SGU is the largest international provider of licensed physicians in the US. In 2020, SGU placed 1,124 students in residences in the US and Canada, and its 18,000+ International MD graduates work in multiple countries around the world. With a 94% first-time USMLE Step 1 exam pass rate and a 91% residency match rate for international students (based on 2020 data), SGU offers Indian students a real chance to practice medicine in the US, and enjoys a strong reputation for being a great place to study among international students. Over 300 of SGU’s MD graduates are from India.

Commenting on this exciting new association, Dr Richard Olds, President of SGU, said: “This pathway has been designed to support medical aspirants who are planning to study abroad and to facilitate their transition. We understand the pressures of studying medicine, and when this is combined with the need to move to a different country, the entire process can be stressful and overwhelming, which often affects the performance of first-year students. This pathway will help students to achieve their dream of practicing medicine in the US or UK at a lower cost, in less time, and with the option of moving abroad together with a familiar group of classmates.”.

Noting the benefits of such exposure for Indian students, Dr Naresh Shetty, President of the International Program and Strategic Alliance at Ramaiah, added: “This association between Ramaiah Group of Institutions and St George’s University will open up new frontiers for Indian students, who will be exposed to both Eastern and Western cultures and benefit from a truly global education. While still retaining the opportunity to return to India with a degree that is recognized here if they choose to, the aspirants entering this program will enjoy a unique chance to study for their degree in a number of different countries and cultures – India, UK, Grenada, and US. This will give them an extraordinary set of skills and experience and will undoubtedly be a great first step towards their successful international career in medicine”.