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I am a BDS (dental undergraduate) student in India in final year. I am interested in psychiatry after completing my graduation.

I have heard that I could pursue an Msc in Psychology after my graduation. But, I can't find whether I could do a medical degree in psychiatry. From what I can tell, it might not be allowed.

So: (1) are dental students eligible for medical school in India? (2) if not, is there any way I could become eligible?

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  • So find a psychiatry course and apply. – Solar Mike Jul 9 '20 at 14:16
  • Did you already reach out to a university that offers a MSc in psychiatry and ask them about application requirements? – Jeroen Jul 9 '20 at 14:17
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    Anyone is eligible to apply for anything. But most programs will list some requirements and many programs are very competitive. Of course, you also need to deal with visas and the pandemic. – Buffy Jul 9 '20 at 14:42
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    Sorry, the research is up to you. Google is your friend. – Buffy Jul 9 '20 at 14:50
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    Don't neglect Canada in your search. Their system is, in some ways, similar to the US, but I don't know if it will help you here. Visa issues might be easier to manage. – Buffy Jul 9 '20 at 15:36
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Psychiatrist and therapists are different things , to become a psychiatrist you will have to clear Neet-ug and Study mbbs for 5 years and then clear neet-pg and take a seat in MD psychiatry, no shortcuts even if you are a BDS

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  • Yes it is not possible in India unless I pursue MBBS. – Ojasvi Jul 10 '20 at 10:44
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Let me summarize.

In the US, an undergraduate degree is not completely specialized. Students study lots of things outside their "major". So, graduate programs don't expect as much specialized knowledge of an incoming student as might be typical in other places.

As most places, psychiatry is a medical profession and the normal path is to get a medical degree, say an M.D., and then specialize in psychiatry beyond that. Medical schools might require a number of science courses for entry, however, especially chemistry and biology. A dentistry undergraduate degree might already include those. Otherwise you have a deficit and a harder path. And the path is quite long in any case. In the US, a psychiatrist would require a license as well as a degree in order to practice. I don't know what that entails, but probably at least an examination. But a researcher, as opposed to a practitioner, might not need a license.

I think the Canadian educational system is similar in some ways to the US system, but I'm not sure it is similar enough to help in your case, especially for medical school. But it might be worth an initial search to discover the options.

But look for medical schools that have an option for a psychiatry specialization.

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