Difference Between MD and DM

Students often get confused with the MD and DM degrees that belong to the medical field. The basic difference between them is that MD stands for Doctor of Medicine which is done after MBBS degree. whereas, DM stands for Doctorate for Medicine which Is done after MD. The MBBS is basic degree to become a professional Doctor but MD is a specialization where as DM is regarded as higher or super specialisation. Keep reading to get deeper into both specializations.

	Doctor of Medicine (MD)		Doctorate of Medicine (MD)
Degree Type	Post Graduate		Post Doctorate
Duration	3 years		3 years
Eligibility	MD		MBBS

What is MD Degree? 

MD stands for Doctor of Medicine. It is a postgraduate or master’s degree. Only after earning an MBBS degree, a candidate becomes eligible for MD. An MD degree is considered a professional doctorate in several nations for surgeons and physicians whereas others regard it as a research degree comparable to a PhD. An MD graduate is expected to help future students become a specialist in the medical field. The duration of the degree is usually two years.

What is a DM Degree? 

DM, also known as Doctorate of Medicine is an advanced program in the medical field. A candidate successfully completing this course gets a Postgraduate Super Speciality Degree. The course continues for a period of 3 years including the examination duration. The candidates attain theoretical knowledge, clinical & practical skills, training for research methodology and also develop the right attitude for communication during the course. 

Admission Process of MD vs DM

Candidates must first satisfy the qualifying standards in order to pursue an MD degree from one of India’s medical schools. Results from the NEET-PG exams, which are taken for practically all PG medical courses in India, are used to determine admission to the programme.

Exam NEET-PG is necessary for MD Medicine Counseling sessions held by the appropriate body across India would be the basis for admissions. All applicants must first take the NEET-PG exam, which is valid for the academic year in which they intend to start the programme. After the NEET-PG results are announced, the MD admission procedure will start with the publication of the merit list.

Applicants for the DM programme must pass an entrance exam. These tests are administered by both the state government and medical schools. A student must have a minimum of 50% to apply to the programme. One student is chosen per year to take the course. Any applicant interested in pursuing a doctorate in medicine must get ready for tests like the NEET SS, AIIMS SS, and INI CET exam.

MD Degree Eligibility

The following are the criteria for MD and its specializations in India:

• Candidates must obtain an MBBS degree from a recognised medical college. 
• MD is a postgraduate degree, students must obtain a NEET-PG score/rank to be considered for admission to one of India’s MD specializations.
• The qualifying examination’s minimum aggregate score requirement differs by the college; as a result, all candidates should check the eligibility criteria given by the college of their choosing.

DM Degree Eligibility

The Doctorate of Medicine, or DM, is typically pursued by ambitious degree doctors who want to reach the highest professional achievements. Any doctor with an MD degree is eligible to enrol in the DM programme. The student’s academic merit is considered when they are selected for this programme. One of the following criteria is used to evaluate the merits of a degree or diploma programme, regardless of whether it is a degree or diploma programme:

• The candidate’s merit is based on the results of competitive exams conducted by the State Government or by a similar competent authority appointed by the State Government. One or more state universities can also appoint such a committee to run the test jointly.
• The merit is determined by a centralised national competitive test.
• If the candidate graduated from the same university, the candidate’s overall performance on the first two exams plus the M.B.B.S exam, or a combination of the first and third exams, can be taken into account.
• Regardless of which state government, university, or governing body administers the DM exam for admission to the course, general candidates must score a minimum of 50% and SC, OBC, or ST candidates must score a minimum of 40%.
•  In the case of non-governmental institutions, the competent authority must fill half of the seats and the management must fill the remaining half. This must be done on the basis of the students’ individual merits.

MD vs DM Scope

Graduates can choose from MD positions in the public and private sectors. After receiving an MD, a career in the medical industry is the typical path for graduates. One must be ready for a mind-boggling amount of study because the course requires a deeper examination of pertinent topics. The excellent wage package makes it one of the most popular courses chosen by medical graduates. Internal Medicine Doctor, Internal Medicine Physician, General Physician, etc. are just a few of the MD positions available in India.

Graduates can choose from MD positions in the public and private sectors. After receiving an MD, a career in the medical industry is the typical path for graduates. One must be ready for a mind-boggling amount of study because the course requires a deeper examination of pertinent topics. The excellent wage package makes it one of the most popular courses chosen by medical graduates. Internal Medicine Doctor, Internal Medicine Physician, General Physician, etc. are just a few of the MD positions available in India.

Top MD Colleges Abroad

• McMaster University
• The University of Melbourne
• Queen’s University
• Western Sydney University
• University of Pittsburgh

Top DM Colleges Abroad

• University Of Auckland
• University Of Melbourne
• National University Of Singapore
• Harvard University
• University Of Oxford

Salary of MD

The average salary of a MD graduate is around Rs 8 Lakhs. Although it depends on the specialization in MD that you’ve done, your capabilities & experience and what you’re working as. 

Salary of DM

DM courses has a very high value. The return on investment can be proved very fruitful too. Though DM graduates can earn a salary starting from Rs 1.4 Lakhs up to Rs 30 Lakhs. It all depends on your DM speciality, your job profile and your experience. 

Difference between MD and DM

Both MD and DM are the Medical degrees awarded by the Medical Council of India. MD is a Post Graduate degree awarded after three years of training in subjects of having non-surgical nature. DM is a super speciality degree taken in the Medical field after doing post-graduation. 

Some other differences between MD and DM are:

• MD is a postgraduate degree which is taken after doing MBBS and DM is the super speciality degree which is taken after doing MD, MS or DNB
• Both of these degrees are awarded by the Medical Council of India, but the DM degree is considered a higher degree than MD. 
• Doctors having a DM degree usually get more reputation and salary than doctors having an MD degree.

MD Degrees

Various MD degrees approved by the Medical Council of India are given below: 

MD in Anesthesiology	MD in Nuclear Medicine
MD in Aviation Medicine	MD in Obstetrics and Gynecology
MD in Biochemistry	MD in Ophthalmology
MD in Biophysics	MD in Pediatrics
MD in Community Medicine	MD in Pathology
MD in Dermatology	MD in Pharmacology
MD in Dermatology and Venereology	MD in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
MD in Dermatology, Venereology and Leprosy	MD in Physiology
MD in Forensic Medicine	MD in Psychiatry
MD in General Medicine	MD in Radiology
MD in Geriatrics	MD in Radio Diagnosis
MD in Health Administration	MD in Radiotherapy
MD in Hospital Administration	MD in Social and Preventive Medicine
MD in Lab Medicine	MD in Tuberculosis & Respiratory Diseases
MD in Microbiology	MD in Venerology

DM Degrees

Various DM degrees approved by Medical Council of India are given below :

DM in Cardiology	DM in Clinical hematology
DM in Neurology	DM in Clinical Pharmacology
DM in Nephrology	DM in Medical Gastroenterology
DM in Gastroenterology	DM in Medical Oncology
DM in Immunology	DM in Neonatology
DM in Rheumatology	DM in NeuroRadiology
DM in Endocrinology	DM in Pulmonary Medicine

What to choose?

One should only concentrate on and worry about the speciality courses after graduating, not the super-specialty courses. To practise medicine, one does not typically need a doctorate or a master’s degree in most nations. It just increases the profession’s value and knowledge. Therefore, it is entirely up to each individual to decide whether to continue practising or studying.

Both a surgeon and a doctor have an equal range of practise. A person’s performance is determined by themself. It may take some thought to choose which job is best suited for you because all courses and careers have their own unique challenges. Graduates have the option to work for a while after earning their MBBS degree in order to get more knowledge and real-world experience before specialising in any of the courses. Similar to regular courses, super-specialty courses are entirely up to the individual.

FAQs

We hope you’re clear about the main differences between MD and DM courses. If you’re thinking of kick-starting your career and need help with the admission process or scholarships, then contact our Leverage Edu experts today!