5 best countries to study medicine that aren’t the US, UK, Australia, or Canada

For decades, Canada has been one of the best countries to study medicine.

It’s modern, practical, and the birthplace of insulin — a known treatment for diabetes. There’s room for research projects with top-notch medical schools and industry practice.

As an international student, being able to apply for a post-graduation work permit is another perk too.

But now, there’s a catch.

In 2021, Ontario welcomed 116,310 internationally educated healthcare professionals (IEHPS) to work in the healthcare sector, nearly half of all IEHPs in Canada, according to Statistics Canada. Source: AFP

Effective the fall of 2026, the Ford government has banned international students from medical schools in Ontario. The province houses some of the country’s best institutions, like the University of Toronto, McMaster University, and more.

The purpose of the legislation is to grow and preserve their domestic students. Premier Doug Ford said that 95% of those spots will go to Ontario residents and the remainder to the rest of Canada. It’s a strategic move to increase access to primary care and family doctors for the people in Ontario.

This competitive nature of Canadian medical schools is no secret, especially for non-citizens. In Ontario’s six medical schools through the 2023-2024 academic year, only 10 international students enrolled out of 3,833.

But soon enough, the opportunity will perish altogether — or at least, in Ontario.

Another prime spot for medicine is experiencing an increased limit to international students in higher and vocational education — Australia.

The cap is set to take a 16% decrease in 2025, with the number limited to 270,000. This is to address the rise in housing costs impacted by migration.

When someone asks you what the best countries to study medicine in are, there’s no doubt they’d mention Canada and Australia. They’ve been staples to study abroad across the board for ages, and for good reason.

But with new stakes in place, you might have to consider new options. It brings the question: do you really need to study abroad to pursue medicine?

More often than not, students choose to go abroad to study medicine. Source: AFP

There’s opportunity everywhere you go

Going abroad to study brings many perks for personal and career development.

At many universities, it’s guaranteed to experience internships or placements, and the practical training is moulded into the curriculum, so you’ll be able to put your skills to the test in clinical practice. You’ll learn to understand the health systems in different countries and enhance your adaptability through immersing yourself in their work culture.

Then, there’s also the global network.

“The multicultural environment encouraged me to view healthcare challenges from different angles, considering social, economic, and political factors,” a Quora user who studied medicine in the UK says. 

They continued, “The medical universities I attended had strong affiliations with prestigious hospitals, enabling me to work alongside accomplished healthcare professionals.”

But despite how acclaimed countries like the US, the UK, Australia, and Canada are across the board for medicine, more and more students are beginning to pursue their studies locally. 

In Malaysia, for example, many students across various fields choose to study in their home country due to the high costs of going abroad.

They’ve got access to top medical programmes at universities like Universiti Malaya, which is ranked at #60 in the world, International Medical University (IMU), and more, proving that studying locally has benefits too.

With that, you don’t have to go abroad to study medicine.

It all comes down to preference and career goals. You can ask yourself whether you want to practise locally or overseas. Are you eager to experience living and working in a different culture? Are you okay with moving away from your family?

There’s no rhyme or reason — just a close assessment of what you want to do. 

5 best countries to study medicine

Singapore

The city-state, no more than the size of a dot on the world map, was ranked #1 for healthcare according to the 2023 Legatum Prosperity Index. 

Here, the National University of Singapore is ranked at #40 in the US News & World Report’s list of best global universities for clinical medicine, with Nanyang Technical University (NTU)at #213.

In August 2024, NTU even introduced a new Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degree programme with three new aspects: digital health technologies, medical humanities, and professional growth and development.

Through the programme, students will be taught how to use data science, AI, and machine learning to help them make quicker diagnoses, suggest better treatments, and be equipped with skills to better understand patients.

“We don’t want our students or future doctors to be just technocrats and only know about computer science,” said Education Minister Chan Chun Sing at the homecoming event of NTU’s medical school. “We want them to be human doctors.”

Sweden

To a lot of people — Sweden does everything right. It’s a country that rides on sustainability, home to the music streaming platform Spotify, and they’re fourth in the 2024 World Happiness Report ranks.

This happy place is another home to medical innovation, like the development of Losec, a drug used to treat stomach ulcers, and one of the world’s best-selling.

Against the backdrop of an advanced country, Sweden is one of the best countries to study medicine. The best known is Karolinska Institutet, Sweden’s largest medical research platform. There’s also Lund University, Uppsala University, University of Gothenburg, among others.

Trinity College Dublin is the leading medical school in Ireland. Source: AFP

Ireland

Whiskeys, leprechauns, and coastal heaven — these are all things mixed in the identity of Ireland. But did you know they’re a leader in medical technology innovation and ranked #2 in the 2022 World Index of Healthcare Innovation?

With such a reputation, it only makes sense that they’re one of the best countries to study medicine.

Trinity College Dublin is best known for its medical school, which is the country’s #1 university for medicine. Other renowned schools include University College Cork, and University College Dublin.

India

India’s long-standing pharmaceutical prowess leaves much to be impressed about. In 2024, the Union Health Minister in India stated that the doctor-population ratio in the country is 1:834, surpassing the World Health Organisation’s standard of 1:1000.

The country has more than 380 medical colleges, producing more than 50,000 Bachelor of Medicine-Bachelor of Surgery graduates each year.

Some of their best schools are the All India Institute of Medical Sciences Delhi, Kasturba Medical College of Manipal, and the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education, Chandigarh.

It’s important to note that medicine for international students is highly competitive in Switzerland. Source: AFP

Switzerland

Beyond being one of the most gorgeous countries in the world, Switzerland is also one of the most innovative. In 1882, Swiss surgeon Theodor Kocher invented the artery clamp, which prevents patients from bleeding to death on the operating table. He was the first surgeon to receive a Nobel Peace Prize in Medicine.

Since then, Switzerland’s reputation as a medical pioneer has only grown. Now, they’ve become one of the best countries to study medicine.

The University of Fribourg, University of Zurich, University of St. Gallen, and Basel University are among several institutes with game-changing medical programmes.