Preventative medicine refers to the prevention of death or disease by taking precautions to avert the disease. Prevention can be of the community as a whole or an individual. It is well researched that seven out of ten people die out of chronic disease; hence it becomes important to prevent the disease.
Prevention can be of diseases like- Tuberculosis, STI’s (Sexually Transmitted Infection), etc. or from diseases like obesity, asthma, sinus.
Preventative medication is usually encouraged by the physicians but a few of them specialize in this field. It is a newly developed and fastest growing branch in medical science and after the COVID-19 pandemic all around the world, it is emerging and will be one of the most recognized sectors.
Eligibility Criteria (UG & PG) of Preventative Medicine
For a student to take admission in any college or university for pursuing Preventative Medicine (or Preventive Medicine), he/she must fulfil the following criteria-
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In India, it is necessary to hold a degree in Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) or any equivalent degree from a university recognized by the MCI (Medical Council of India) with a minimum of 55%, one complete year of rotating internship after completing MBBS and qualifying the entrance exam.
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In some of the foreign universities other than holding an MBBS degree, it is also necessary to complete a residency in preventative medicine.
Entrance Exams for Preventative Medicine
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NEET PG – NEET PG (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test- Post Graduate) is a national level exam conducted for students who have completed their MBBS or any degree with the same relevance and want to pursue MD and MS in any branch of medical science. The governing examination body is the National Board of Examination (NBE).
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Examinations are held every year online computer-based. The selection of the candidate depends upon the cut-off marks or cut-off rank. Various colleges have different requirements for marks.
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AIIMS PG –All India Institute of Medical Sciences Post Graduate Test (AIIMS-PG) is conducted by the AIIMS, Delhi for the aspiring candidates who have completed their MBBS and want to pursue MD, DM, MS, M.Ch, and MDS in any of the seven AIIMS college located in Delhi, Bhubaneshwar, Bhopal, Jodhpur, Rishikesh, Raipur and Patna. There are more than five-hundred seats in India. It is a computer-based online exam consisting of two-hundred questions which need to be solved in three hours.