MBBS Scope in Pakistan.

[toxicdevil]

I am seeking admission for MBBS. The decision will have a great impact on my future.

Does the institution of graduation matter in getting jobs? Some doctor told me that all colleges issue same degree so it doesnot matter.
Do we get a salary doing the housejob?
After 1 year house job whats the starting salary in govt and private sector?
What is the procedure of specialization?
What do the terms fellowship and residency mean? Do they apply here in Pakistan?

 

[ZohaibAsad]

To get a job in Pakistan you'll come across the fact that links matter more in securing a good job than your institution alone.

For MBBS the best way to make money is private practise, that's how most of the good earning doctors are making their money. The salary you get during house job is typically between 15000-28000 PKR.

Public sector salaries and working conditions are not really good (you can get an idea about that from recent protest by the public sector doctors)

Private sector can pay you relatively better, though not very high as you might expect due to the increased supply of doctors in major city areas.

If you can setup your own clinic and grow it with time you will find yourself more satisfied.

For post-graduation you do FCPS in a field of specialization of your liking such as paediatrics, radiology, cardiology etc

FCPS has very low pass rates so you need to work really very hard for it.

My father is a doctor running his own hospital from 20 years so you can trust the above advice. Do let me know if you want to know something else.

 

[SilverCrest]

ZohaibAsad
If we compare doctors and engineers ..doesn't becoming a specialized doctor and earning a decent income take a longer time?While engineers only have to do bachelors and get good jobs?Or does being a doctor pay -off in the long term?

 

[ZohaibAsad]

Each has his own pros and cons in the long run. The choice also depends mainly on aptitude because if you don't have the right aptitude for a subject then the pay hardly matters because you are probably not going to be happy with what you are doing. So that's the first thing. Engineering maths in particular is nothing like what students are used to of doing in high school, it's very fast paced and different in study approach and some people can't adjust with it.

Other than that, even if you do your specialization you come across the fact that the job market requires you to also have several years of experience before getting a good or at least above average pay. In engineering on the other hand it is common for people to do mba after some years of work experience to further boost their earning potential in the corporate sector.

My advice is if your family already has a family of doctors then you will already be having most of the resources you need to settle your career in Pakistan i.e. links, experience, possibly a settled business too. In that case it is fine to pursue mbbs. Otherwise, if you are coming from a family where the background is not related to medicine you will have to build your career from scratch i.e. start from the beginning, that process takes plenty of time and success depends on targeting the right kind of market, dealing with the patient, competition with other doctors in the area etc. So in that case engineering can lead you a better starting salary. MBBS is not what it used to be 20 years ago, one reason is the advent of private colleges fuelling doctors every year in major cities. So, that's the other thing to consider.

You might also consider the fact that the majority of Pakistan's population is poor and usually cannot afford a specialist, the turnover is still high for mbbs people in private practise rather than those employed by others.