MS

The Masters of Surgery, abbreviated as MS, is a postgraduate medical qualification. Candidates can choose to study surgical medicine after completing their MBBS degree course. The MS degree course requires three of more years, depending on the calibre of the candidate. This degree course helps candidates develop the skills required to become a surgeon.  

• MS (General Surgery)
• MS (ENT)
• MS (Orthopaedics)
• MS (Ophthalmology)
• MS (Obstetrics & Gynaecology)
• MS (Anatomy)
• MS (Anaesthesia)
• MS (Neurosurgery)
• MS (Traumatology and Surgery)

The eligibility criteria for MS degree course has been defined by the MCI in ‘The Postgraduate Medical Education Regulations, 2000’. According to the eligibility criteria for MS, only those candidates who have passed MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery) can apply for this course. They must have completed one year of compulsory rotatory internship to be eligible for MS course. They must also be registered with MCI or any state medical council.

Also Read: 

• NEET PG Eligibility Criteria: Age, Qualification, Number of Attempts
• AIIMS PG Eligibility Criteria: Qualification, Age Limit, Number of Attempts
• JIPMER PG Eligibility Criteria: Age Limit & Minimum Qualification

Candidates who wish to take admission to MS degree programmes need to qualify the NEET PG examination. Most institutes in India accept the scores of NEET PG for admission to MS courses. A few institutes, such as AIIMS, JIPMER and PGIMER, conduct their own entrance examination for admission to MS courses. The names of their respective entrance examinations are as follows; 

• AIIMS PG Exam
• JIPMER PG Exam
• PGIMER Exam

As mentioned above, the course duration for MS degree programme is three years. The curriculum of MS degree programme has been divided by MCI into five major components, they are:

• Theoretical knowledge
• Practical and clinical skills
• Attitudes including communication skills
• Thesis skills
• Training in research methodology

The assessment or internal examinations for postgraduate students is conducted only once. They will have to appear for written as well as practical examination at the end of the course duration. They also have to submit a thesis, the topic of which can be chosen by the candidate under the guidance of a faculty member. The thesis needs to be submitted six months prior to the final examination and will impact the result of the candidate.

To know more about the curriculum of MS (General Surgery), MS (ENT) and MS (Orthopaedics), click here

Candidates can choose to study further and acquire a MCh or DNB qualification after completing MS. This option is good for those who have narrowed down the super-specialty course of their choice. They can also choose from a variety of career options listed below

• Academics or teaching jobs in medical colleges
• Starting your own practice
• Government Hospitals
• Working with the Military as a surgeon (Army, Air Force, etc)
• Private jobs in hospitals
• Bio-medical companies
• Research Institutes
• Working with non-profit organisations
• Consultancy services in various hospitals

The average salary of a candidate who has completed MS degree depends on their job profile. It also depends on the type of establishment they are working in. For example, general surgeons who have started their own practice will earn less than those who have established a multi-specialty hospital. Both of these will be counted under private practice, however, the type of establishment will govern the average salary of the individual.

Also, the salary of a surgeon is greatly impacted by their experience. Acquiring an MCh degree will also add to this. Refer to the table below for an estimated salary for a few career options after MS.

A. The full form of MS is Masters of Surgery.

A. The duration of MS course in India is three years.

A. Yes, the DNB qualification is equivalent to MS degree. However, if you wish to take up a career in academics, MS degree should be preferred.

A. Candidates can choose to pursue a MCh degree course after MS. Alternatively, they can also take admission to post-diploma DNB programme.