PhD Medicine Course: Salary, Admission 2025, Eligibility, Syllabus, Career Scope

PhD in Medicine, expanded as the Doctor of Philosophy in Medicine, is a doctoral-level program pursued after completing a postgraduate degree in Medicine with a minimum 55% aggregate mark from a recognised university by UGC/AIU. This highly specialised 3-5 year degree is designed for those interested in advanced research in the medical field. A PhD in medicine is offered in many specialisations like Oncology, Cardiology, Neurology, Public Health, and Pharmacology.

The PhD Medicine Eligibility Criteria is that the candidate must have completed their postgraduate degree in the relevant field through a recognized university with a minimum of 55% marks. Doctor of Philosophy in Medicine admission is based on the entrance exams, such as CSIR NET, GATE, etc.

The PhD Medicine fee may vary depending on the type of institution. Public Institutions like AIIMS, PGIMER offer the course for INR 2,000 – 10,000. On the other hand, private universities like the Hamdard Institute of Medical Science and Research, King George’s Medical University may offer the same course for INR 50,000 – 3,00,000.

Upon completion of a doctoral degree, the candidate is eligible to apply as an educator, Professor, Medical officer, Public health expert, etc. Besides these professional field-based career prospects, Researchers with PhD degrees can also continue their roles as researchers and medicinal scientists in esteemed institutes.

PhD Medicine Course Highlights

Provided below are some of the basic PhD in Medicine course details:

What is a PhD in Medicine?

A PhD is an intensive programme focusing on enhancing the research skills of students to contribute to the existing knowledge in the respective domain.

PhD in medicine is a doctoral degree in the medical field offered to doctors/ professionals/ students who have completed their master's degree (MBBS/MS/MDS, etc), interested in pursuing research to gain in-depth knowledge of the subject and find solutions to specific problems.

PhD in Medicine is a 3-5 year programme that involves Coursework completion in the initial stage of the PhD, followed by synopsis preparation and presentation. A PhD is completed after the successful submission of the thesis written by the student. A PhD gives an individual a higher earning potential and international opportunities. After completing a PhD and submitting the thesis, a PhD scholar becomes ready to start his/her career in multiple fields like academics, medical officer, medical writer, etc.

Why study a PhD in Medicine?

Ph.D. in Medicine is a higher research-based program and it is meant to guide individuals who have the desire to advance the medical and healthcare fields through innovation, discovery and achievement. It also has many opportunities in clinical research, medical education, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and the public health sectors. These are some of the reasons that make it desirable to do a Ph.D. in Medicine:

• The program provides intricate knowledge of human health, the working of diseases, and more advanced medical sciences, which enable scholars to major in any of the four fields, such as oncology, immunology, genetics, pharmacology, or neuroscience.
• Medical Ph.D. enables the holder, who is a researcher, to engage in novel discoveries and innovative works in treating techniques as well as medical technology and drug development and community health practices.
• Students acquire an in-depth understanding of the science of medicine and critical training in the methods of scientific research, analysis, clinical trials, scientific writing, and publication ethics.
• Graduates may enter academia as professors and researchers, or become involved in more diversified areas like pharmaceutical, biomedical researc,h and through other public health-based research, and work with organisations/agencies dealing with clinical technology, as well as clinical research agencies.
• The Ph.D. students are likely to be involved in joint work in the framework of the research project conducted with foreign institutions of higher learning, attend international conferences, and contribute to peer-reviewed journals, developing an impressive academic and professional background.

Who should study PhD Medicine?

Mentioned below are the pointers of who should pursue this course:

• Candidates with a strong academic background and a desire to work towards superior medical research and innovation with a postgraduate degree.
• Individuals who want to acquire in-depth knowledge, research, and expertise within areas of medical science that require specialized skill and expertise, e.g. molecular biology, pharmacology, immunology, clinical research or public health.
• Practitioners who wish to pursue an academic research, clinical trial, pharmaceutical development, health policy or a teaching career in a university or research institution.
• Proactive individuals that are also inquisitive about married-solving challenging health related wickets, are able to handle work in research labs and are ready to undergo the intellectual demands, teamwork, critical thinking and persistence expected in the world of medical research.

PhD Medicine Eligibility Criteria

The PhD in Medicine Eligibility criteria are mentioned below. Aspiring candidates must fulfill the following criteria:

• Education qualification: The candidate must have completed a master's level degree (MD/MS, etc.) from a recognised university.
• Minimum Marks: The candidate must have scored a minimum of 55% aggregate marks in the qualifying exam.
• Entrance Exams: With the basic requirement of post post-graduate degree, the candidate is supposed to have qualified for entrance exams like UGC-NET, CSIR-NET, or the entrance exams conducted by respective universities.

PhD Medicine Admission Process 2025

If you fulfill the eligibility criteria mentioned above, then you can proceed by following the given steps:

Step 1: If you have qualified for any national-level exam like UGC/CSIR NET, GATE, DBT, ICMR-JRF, etc., then you are exempt from the entrance exam conducted by the respective college/university. If you do not have any such exam, then you have to pass the entrance exam conducted by the college.

Step 2: After completing the application form, the students need to appear for the entrance exams.

Step 3: After clearing the entrance exams, you need to wait for the college allotment process. After your desired college is allotted to you, you can further proceed with the admission process. The candidates need to prepare for their interview round and present their proposal.

Step 4: Afterwards, the college will select the candidate based on their score in the entrance exams and their interview. The selected candidate will be notified through the official mail or the counselors.

Step 5: Once selection is confirmed, you will be required to submit the required documents and complete the admission process.

PhD Medicine Top Colleges in India

Listed below are some of the top colleges that offer a PhD in Medicine. Let’s have a look at them:

PhD Medicine from AIIMS, Delhi

The All India Institute for Medical Science (AIIMS) is a reputed medical college with an NIRF ranking of 1. Every medical student dreams of becoming a student at AIIMS. Here are a few quick details regarding the Doctor of Philosophy Medicine from AIIMS:

Fellowships:

To pursue a PhD in Medicine, many fellowships are granted to students. Candidates who have qualified in any of the given fellowship exams are also eligible to apply directly for a PhD without appearing for the entrance exams conducted by universities. Here are a few fellowships:

• Joint CSIR-UGC NET for JRF
• ICMR – JRF
• DBT – JRF
• NBHM screening test

PhD Medicine VS MD Course Comparison

Often, candidates get confused between a PhD in Medicine and MD; to avoid any confusion, here is the tabulated information differentiating the courses.

PhD Medicine Jobs & Salaries

Upon completion of a PhD, numerous career paths are opened for the candidates in both academic and non-academic sectors. A PhD enables candidates to secure lucrative jobs, as throughout the course, students are equipped with extensive, in-depth knowledge of the subject. Here is the list of a few job roles candidates can choose from:

PhD Medicine FAQs