MBBS Full Form: Meaning, Latin Name and the Russian Equivalent
MBBS stands for Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery. In Latin it is Medicinae Baccalaureus, Baccalaureus Chirurgiae. It is the first professional degree for doctors in India. In Russia the same training leads to a specialist degree in General Medicine, specialty 31.05.01. This post explains the MBBS full form, what MBBS MD means and how the Russian degree maps to MBBS in India.
In short: MBBS = Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (Latin: Medicinae Baccalaureus, Baccalaureus Chirurgiae). It is an undergraduate degree of 4.5 years plus a one-year internship in India. MD = Doctor of Medicine, a postgraduate degree after MBBS, so "MBBS MD" means a doctor holding both. A Russian medical university awards a specialist degree in General Medicine (31.05.01, qualification "General Practitioner") after six years. It is not called MBBS, but if the course meets the NMC rules and the graduate passes FMGE and the Indian internship, the graduate is registered to practise in India like an MBBS doctor.
MBBS full form
MBBS is short for Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery. The two "B"s stand for the two bachelor's degrees that the qualification combines: one in medicine and one in surgery. You may see "MBBS full form in English" written as "Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery"; both are the same thing. In Hindi sources the name is written as "बैचलर ऑफ मेडिसिन, बैचलर ऑफ सर्जरी".
In India the course is 4.5 years of study followed by a one-year compulsory rotating internship, entered through NEET-UG. A graduate registers with the state medical council and may then use the title "Dr".
MBBS full form in Latin
The Latin form is Medicinae Baccalaureus, Baccalaureus Chirurgiae. The Latin name comes from the older British university tradition, where medicine and surgery were once taught and awarded separately and universities gave their degrees in Latin. The abbreviation "MB BS" is used in India, Pakistan, Australia and some other countries, while the UK mostly uses MBChB, which is the same degree with the surgery half abbreviated ChB (Chirurgiae Baccalaureus). Today the two are awarded together as one qualification.
MBBS degree full form and what level it is
People searching "MBBS degree full form" usually want to know what level it is. MBBS is a first professional degree, equal to an undergraduate degree in the Indian system. It is not a master's degree, even though it takes longer than most bachelor's courses. The course is regulated by the National Medical Commission (NMC).
| Abbreviation | Full form | Level |
|---|---|---|
| MBBS | Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery | First professional degree, 4.5 years plus internship |
| MD | Doctor of Medicine | Postgraduate, 3 years after MBBS, through NEET-PG |
| MS | Master of Surgery | Postgraduate, 3 years after MBBS, through NEET-PG |
| BDS | Bachelor of Dental Surgery | First professional degree in dentistry |
| BAMS | Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery | AYUSH degree |
| BHMS | Bachelor of Homoeopathic Medicine and Surgery | AYUSH degree |
MBBS MD full form
"MBBS MD" is not one degree. It is two degrees written together: MBBS first, then MD. MD stands for Doctor of Medicine, from the Latin Medicinae Doctor. In India it is a postgraduate (specialist) degree in a medical branch such as General Medicine, Paediatrics or Radiology. A doctor does MBBS, then the internship, then clears NEET-PG, then studies three more years for an MD. MS (Master of Surgery) is the equivalent for surgical branches.
The letters mean different things in different countries. In the United States, MD is the first medical degree, comparable to MBBS in India, and a US doctor goes on to residency. This is also why agent listings often use "MD" or even "MBBS" as an English label for the Russian General Medicine degree. That label tells you the level (first professional medical degree), but it does not make the graduate an Indian "MD": to hold an Indian MD, a person needs MBBS (or a recognised equivalent) and then postgraduate training in India.
Ask us how a Russian degree is treated in India
Send your question about degree names, FMGE or registration; we answer from the NMC rules.
What is the Russian degree called?
A Russian medical university does not award a degree called MBBS. It awards a specialist degree (in Russian, spetsialitet) in the specialty 31.05.01 "Lechebnoe delo", English "General Medicine". The course lasts six years of full-time study and 360 credits, under the Federal State Educational Standard approved by order No. 988 of 12 August 2020. The qualification in the diploma is "General Practitioner", in Russian vrach-lechebnik. The English translation of the diploma may call the programme General Medicine, Medical Doctor or General Practitioner depending on the university. Ask your university what the English diploma and its supplement will say.
This degree is of the same kind as MBBS: a first professional qualification that lets a doctor treat patients after the required exams. A specialist degree is not split into a bachelor's and a master's. It is a single-cycle degree that Russia treats as a level of its own. You can read how the subjects compare in our MBBS subjects in Russia post.
How the Russian degree maps to MBBS in India
The Indian rule is not that the foreign degree has the same name. It is that the degree is a "primary medical qualification" obtained from a foreign institution under the Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate Regulations 2021. For a Russian degree to count, the course must:
- last at least 54 months, taught in English, with a 12-month internship at the same university;
- cover the subjects of the Indian MBBS in theory and practice;
- lead to a licence to practise in Russia on the same terms as Russian citizens;
- be done entirely in the same institution and country.
The graduate then passes FMGE, completes 12 months of supervised internship in India and registers with the state medical council. In Kerala that is the Travancore-Cochin Medical Council. All these steps are explained on the NMC rules page, and the exam details in our FMGE vs NExT post.
How the council writes the qualification in its register is a separate question. According to a report of a Kerala High Court judgment of February 2026, the court quashed notices of the council that required foreign graduates to add the words "equivalent to MBBS in India" to their qualification. That report is a secondary source, so ask the council for its current practice when you register.
The Indian MBBS and the Russian degree side by side
| MBBS in India | General Medicine in Russia | |
|---|---|---|
| Degree name | Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery | Specialist degree, 31.05.01 General Medicine, qualification General Practitioner |
| Length | 4.5 years plus 1 year internship | 6 years including internship at the university |
| Entry | NEET-UG rank and counselling | NEET-UG qualified; admission by the university |
| After the degree | Registration with the state council | FMGE, 12-month internship in India, then registration |
| Next step in India | NEET-PG for MD or MS | NEET-PG after registration |
If you are comparing the two routes in terms of years and money, see MBBS in Russia vs India and how many years MBBS in Russia takes.
MBBS Full Form: Frequently Asked Questions
What is the full form of MBBS?
MBBS means Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery. The Latin form is Medicinae Baccalaureus, Baccalaureus Chirurgiae. It is the basic professional degree for doctors in India.
What is the MBBS MD full form?
MBBS is Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery and MD is Doctor of Medicine. A doctor with "MBBS MD" first completed MBBS and then a three-year postgraduate MD course in a medical speciality, usually through NEET-PG.
Is MBBS a bachelor's degree?
Yes. Despite the length of the course, MBBS is classed as an undergraduate or first professional degree. The postgraduate degrees after it are MD, MS and the diplomas.
What is the Russian MBBS degree called?
It is a specialist degree in General Medicine, specialty 31.05.01, with the qualification General Practitioner (vrach-lechebnik), after six years. Agent listings also use English labels such as MD or MBBS, but these are not the Russian degree names.
Is a Russian medical degree equal to MBBS in India?
It counts as a primary medical qualification if the course meets the NMC conditions: at least 54 months in English, a 12-month internship at the same university and a licence to practise in Russia. The graduate must also pass FMGE and complete a 12-month internship in India before registration.
What is the difference between MBBS and MD?
MBBS is the first medical degree that lets you become a doctor. MD is a postgraduate specialist degree you can study after MBBS and the internship. In the United States, however, MD is the first medical degree.
Sources: NMC FMGL Regulations 2021 and NMC FAQ of 2026 (nmc.org.in); NMC general information page (NEET and degree requirements); competency-based MBBS curriculum 2023 as reported by Careers360; Careers360, Adda247 and Aakash explainers on the Latin form of MBBS; Association of Indian Universities listing and university prospectuses for the three-year MD and MS course; RUDN University curriculum and calendar for General Medicine 31.05.01 (2026); order of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education No. 988 of 12 August 2020 as cited in university programmes; a report of the Kerala High Court judgment of February 2026 (Court Kutchehry). Checked October 2026.