The Ministry of External Affairs estimates that more than 7.5 Lakh Indian students are studying abroad as of now. According to RBI, the expenses towards tuition and hostel fees increased to $2.8 billion in 2017-18 from $1.9 billion in 2013-14.

The US has the highest Indian students with more than 1.86 Lakh individuals. Countries like Canada, Australia, and the UK follow.

Medical studies are one of the disciplines for which Indians prefer universities abroad. Easy availability of loans has also made it simpler for such individuals to opt for international colleges.

You must consider various points to shortlist the top 10 medical colleges in the world if you are opting for a loan for abroad studies.

Few points to remember to do so include:

1. Check the College’s Rank: Various comparison websites can tell you about the global rank of medical colleges. Sometimes, these institutes promote their positions themselves.Checking a college’s position helps you choose the best universities to pursue your undergraduate degree.
2. Check the Hospital Infrastructure: Practical experience is a crucial requirement for medical students. Hence, checking the infrastructure and available equipment is necessary. The best colleges in the world have ample instruments, labs, and cadavers for all students.
3. Consider the Patient Inflow : The number of patients arriving at a college hospital is directly equivalent to its popularity as well as its affectivity. It also accounts for more hands-on experience that you receive.
4. Review the Design of Courses: Various foreign universities have specialised courses that differ from others. For example, you get to undergo computer-assisted learning and practical laboratory work along with seminars, lectures, and tutorial in the first two years at the University of Oxford. This institute enables you to conduct your own experimental research project in any discipline and specialise in a specific area of biomedical science.
5. Check the Teaching Methodology and System: Similar to courses, foreign medical colleges also have specialised teaching methodologies and systems. Yale University is one of the best examples and also among the top 10 medical colleges in the world. This college is widely popular for its Yale System. Yale System considers students as mature adults and allows them to enjoy full freedom provided they fulfil the needs to earn a Doctor of Medicine degree. This system focuses primarily on interactive learning through conferences and workshops across small groups. Yale System came into existence back in 1931 and since then has seen only a few minor changes.
6. Review Their Collaboration with Other Universities: Some foreign medical colleges also have collaboration with other institutes to deliver a more comprehensive and holistic learning experience. For example, Harvard Medical School collaborates with MIT for their Health Sciences & Technology (HST), one of their curriculums (Pathways being the other one.)
7. Learn About the Faculty Members: Knowing about an institute’s faculty members is an ideal way to shortlist the best life science, engineering, technology or biotechnology colleges for your future dreams.

Few points you have to consider include:

• National and international awards received by faculty members.
• Citations of publications.
• Publications of professors.
• PhD holders.

The ranks held by each medical institute are based on these above pointers. Hence, checking them is of utmost importance.

The last point that you must consider is cost. Check the tuition fees, hostel fees, food expenses, books, etc. Calculating these also gives you an estimate of the loan you should avail.

Pick the right lender carefully before you apply for a loan. And, do consider these points mentioned above when shortlisting the top 10 medical colleges in the world.