MBBS in Mugda Medical College and Hospital

Students are usually aware of the term "Bangladesh MBBS" and assume it to mean Sir Salimullah Medical College and Dhaka Medical College. Mugda hardly ever features in the list, but it is a full government medical college, unlike others that are privately owned.

The foundation stone of Mugda Medical College & Hospital was laid in 2006 in Mugda Thana, eastern Dhaka. It took several years to complete construction and planning of the establishment. Finally, the 500-bed hospital associated with Mugda Medical College & Hospital got inaugurated in July 2013, admitting patients from early 2014. In January 2015, Mugda was declared a full medical college by the Health Minister of Bangladesh. The MBBS classes were started in January 2016, with the 1st batch of 50 students being called "footsteps." Admission is done for 100 students yearly, and currently Mugda ranks as the 4th government medical college within Dhaka city.

Mugda, being a government establishment, puts it into another league when compared to other private medical colleges in which Indian students are advised to take admission. The college is affiliated with the University of Dhaka, and the awarding authority is also the University of Dhaka. The institution is approved by the Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council (BMDC). It has been listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools, WHO and is recognized by the NMC for FMGE/NExT eligibility with the usual conditions.

Clinical training takes place in Mugda's own 500-bed teaching hospital, which operates in the dense, highly populated area of eastern Dhaka. This implies a real patient load from the para-clinical years onwards, unlike in the case of a private hospital, where there may be only a handful of cases.

Since Mugda is a government medical college, it doesn't do much marketing and maintains a simple international office website like private medical colleges of Dhaka. The fee structures are not widely advertised, and consultants generally work according to the circulars prepared each year. Thus, the figures need to be verified before making any payment.

Here is the approximate cost breakdown for the 6-year program, based on current consultancy-reported figures:

Note: Mugda Medical College, being a government institution, has not publicly disclosed a fixed official fee schedule for foreign students. The figures above reflect what current consultants and past-batch students commonly report, so please get the year-specific circular confirmed before paying anything. There is no donation or capitation fee at any stage.

Why Mugda Medical College Deserves a Harder Look Than You've Given It

The reason why Mugda gets excluded from most shortlists has nothing but that it is relatively newer and lesser known compared to Dhaka Medical College. However, this doesn’t imply the inferiority of this college – it has a hospital, built specifically for the purpose of being used by Mugda Medical College, in 2013. This makes the wards, laboratories, and equipment significantly more modern than in some of the other government medical colleges.

Because Mugda is a government medical college and not a private one, the tuition cost of studying in Mugda would be generally lower compared to many private medical colleges in Dhaka, while retaining all three BMDC, WHO, and NMC recognitions. Also, with the presence of the 500 bed hospital, which is situated in the residential area of Dhaka, one would gain clinical experience much faster.

There is only one thing worth mentioning about Mugda: government medical colleges in Bangladesh provide less consistent fee circulars than their private counterparts, and the admission process for international candidates may change every year. Hence, working with an experienced consultant, who would have a real connection with Mugda, would matter more than in case of a popular private college.

At last, due to the fact that Mugda runs without a break since 2016, having several graduating batches, one could check the results of the FMGE/NExT exams of the graduates of this college.