Name: Dr. Rimsha Sohel
Birthplace: Telangana
Academic Qualification: MBBS, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China (Graduation Year - 2024)
Languages you speak/write: English, Hindi, Telugu
What do you do?
I'm a recent medical graduate who has completed her MBBS from China. I have cleared my FMGE with a score of 182 marks and will be joining internship in a government hospital in Telangana.
What’s the best part of your profession? What made you choose this profession?
The best part about my profession is making people feel ok, I'm someone who loves communicating with people and contributing my time in making them feel better. Being a doctor, my profession enables me to do so.
When and why did you decide to pursue MBBS abroad?
I was always interested in science since childhood and wanted to pursue my career in it. When I couldn't secure a medical seat in India, I didn't want that to hinder my goal of doing something more in life. That's when my uncle who's a doctor himself shared his experience of studying abroad and that made me pursue my dream abroad.
Which country did you choose for pursuing medical education?
China, the reason I selected China was because of it's immaculate medical infrastructure as well as it's beautiful cities.
College name and address
QINGDAO MEDICAL UNIVERSITY, Qingdao, Shandong, China
How did you get to know about the country and college?
Once I had decided on where I wanted to do my MBBS, I searched for a good consultancy that could make all the work easy for me. They provided me with information on all the colleges in china, I then did my research and selected Qingdao University.
How one can get admission to your college?
There are 2 ways of getting admission in any college abroad. One is through a trusted consultancy that handles all the admission, visa, flight process and ensures your safe journey abroad. The second is by directly getting in contact with the university and applying for admission there, but in this process once you get the admission letter you would have to proceed with the visa and flight processing yourself.
How were the academics and practicals in your college?
The entire course is in English language, though the faculty does their part well, the students have to spend good amount of time on self study as MBBS requires dedication. The practical classes are extremely high-end and provide great exposure to students with cadavers, well equipped labs and good hospitals with amazing clerkship as well as internship programs.
How's the hostel life in your college?
The college hostel is very clean, fully furnished with attached bathrooms. Each room is shared by two students allowing adequate space. There are common kitchens for students to cook their food. Water dispensers are present for students to access clean drinking water.
How was the mess food? Is Indian cuisine available regularly, or is it something you get on an occasional basis?
The mess facility differs from college to college. My college had no mess facility but instead the hostel had a fully equipped kitchen with inductions and microwave. My college had canteens with affordable prices for students. There are a few Indian restaurants to try in China and also with time you develop a liking towards Chinese cuisine too.
How did you structure your FMGE preparation, and what study materials or resources helped you the most?
During my university time I did study for fmge along with my semester exams but my actual preperation for FMGE was 6 months before the exam. I took coaching from an institution (MIST coaching centre) that provided me with notes, high yield videos, question banks and mock tests that helped me prepare.
Did you follow a specific timetable or strategy while preparing for FMGE?
Consistency is key when it comes to preparing for FMGE. I dedicated 6 months of my time before exam only to studies, made sure I did 3 proper revisions of all 19 subjects and solved at least 100 MCQ per day.
How did you manage stress and stay motivated during your FMGE preparation?
Stress is part of the preperation, it can be overwhelming but healthy amount of stress is what keeps you going. Cut-off all social media, dedicate 6 months before exam solely to prepration. I used to listen to songs, spend some time with family and walk a few steps daily to relieve stress.
What were the biggest challenges you faced while preparing for the FMGE?
Studying 19 subjects in 6 months and revising then can get overwhelming, but remember to take one day at a time. Set goals for a day and make sure you fullfil them.
How did you handle the vast syllabus and manage revision effectively?
All I did was strictly follow my timetable and avoid any distractions. With consistency you can complete the entire syllabus and at least 3 revisions in 6 months.
If you are taking coaching then leave the responsibility of syllabus completion on the coaching centre and focus on revising what's being taught daily.
If you're someone who's doing self study, then make sure you have a layout of your 6 months with at least 2 months designated to revision.
Did you attend any coaching classes or rely on self-study for FMGE? How did that impact your preparation?
I took coaching and it immensely helped in my preperation. As someone who gets distracted and lazy very easily, the coaching centre timetable, live classes, weekly and monthly tests kept me in check.
Were there any subjects or topics that you found particularly difficult, and how did you overcome?
I had difficulty in remembering factual stuff, I couldn't really complete pharmacology, microbiology and biochemistry effectively. But as fmge is a cumulative exam of 19 subjects with the goal of scoring 150 marks to pass, you have to strategically prepare. I gave priority to subjects like OBG, Medicine, Surgery and PSM more which had a score of 30 marks each. I made sure to spare an hour every morning to revise volatile topics.
What role did mock tests and previous year's question papers play in your preparation?
Past year papers play a huge rule, they help you analyze which topics are important, which topics are regularly been repeated and what to concentrate more on.
Mock tests helped me analyze my speed of question solving, my ability to understand the question and tl exclude wrong options.
Can you walk us through your exam day experience? How did you feel before, during, and after the exam?
I was anxious since morning of the exam, I distracted myself by praying in the morning. I decided not to overwhelm my mind, so I didn't revise much before exam.
Once the exam started I panicked a little, then gained some composure and solved questions.
Once you start solving questions your feel ok.
After the exam, I was confused and scared. But also I felt a feeling of relief and hope.
How did you feel after seeing your FMGE result? What was your reaction?
I was alone in my room when my friend texted me that the results are out, I Opened my laptop and typed my number. I saw "PASS 182 marks" written next to it. Tears started flowing from my eyes, I ran to my dad saying "Main pass hogayi daddy" I felt genuinely proud of myself. My hands were shivering, tears were rolling down my eyes but my heart was at ease. I felt happy.
What was your FMGE score?
182
How did you approach the internship process in India after qualifying for FMGE?
Once you clear your FMGE, you have to collect your passing certificate from Delhi and once registration opens in your state or any desired state you want to apply in, you can go ahead and do it. You'll be alloted internship in a government or private college.
What advice would you give to FMGE aspirants to increase their chances of success?
Start preparing for the exam slowly while in university, Once you graduate give it your everything and pass the exam.
Remember that this exams adds value to your degree, adds Dr infront of your name and will make your parents really proud of you.
Tell me something you think is true that almost nobody agrees with you on?
There's no age limit to achieving things in life, we all have our own timeline. Just make sure you are doing justice to yours.
If you could turn back the time and talk to your 18-year old self, what would you tell him/her?
I'm really proud of you for trying despite all the hurdles, you're going to make it.
Where would you like to work in future?
For now I would like to do my PG in India first. I love travelling the world, I would like to work in different parts of the world as a doctor if only passing medical licensing exams was easy
Finally, a Quote you relate to.
"Magic exists where you choose to find it."