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DM Rheumatology is a three year Post-graduate Super Specialty degree
which specializes in the investigation, diagnosis and rehabilitation of patients who are facing problems in their musculoskeletal system.
DM Rheumatology course demands interdisciplinary knowledge and awareness of new developments in internal medicine, immunology, orthopedics, neurology/pain management, rehabilitation, psychiatry and nursing.
To pursue DM Rheumatology, you must have done MD or MS. Admission to these courses is based on the Entrance exams conducted at the state level and the national level.
The starting salary for a freshman is about 3 lakhs to 9 lakhs LPA. Candidates who want to become Public Health Manager, Physician, Epidemiologist, Internal Consultant, Research officer, etc usually go after this course.
See More: DM Courses
DM Rheumatology: Course Highlights
Few of the highlights of this course are given below:
| COURSE LEVEL | Post Graduate |
| FULL FORM | Doctor of Medicine In Rheumatology |
| DURATION | 3 YEARS |
| EXAMINATION TYPE | YEARLY |
| ELIGIBILITY | MD or MS |
| ADMISSION PROCESS | NEET PG/NEET SS cum Previous qualifying examination/ Counseling |
| COURSE FEES | INR 1 Lakh – 2 Lakhs |
| AVERAGE SALARY | INR 2 Lakhs – 7 Lakhs |
| TOP RECRUITERS | Fortis Healthcare, Apollo Hospitals, Medanta Hospitals, Indian Council of Medical Research, Sun Pharmaceuticals, CIPLA Ltd, Max Healthcare |
| JOB POSITIONS | Public Health Manager, Physician, Epidemiologist, Internal Consultant, Research officer |
Do I qualify for DM Rheumatology eligibility Criteria?
- Candidates are advised to see eligibility criteria before applying for admission in any university or college.
- All candidates must have successfully completed MD/MS or an equivalent degree from any recognized college/university.
- The candidate is required to have an aggregate of 55% in graduation.
- The applicant should have also completed 1-year of internship and minimum of 1-year work experience from any recognized institution.
- Candidates are also required to appear for the entrance test preferably NEET SS or equivalent entrance exam prescribed by the particular college/university.
What is the DM Rheumatology Admission Process
Admissions in DM courses are also done through both merit and entrance exams.
Direct Admission
Candidates who are willing to get admission in this stream can apply to DM Rheumatology colleges by both offline and online means.
- You can either reach the official website of the institute or to this step admission office of the institute to fill the admission application form.
- Fill the application form required and upload all the necessary documents which are asked in the form.
- After completion of the process of application, go for counselling round and attend the personal interview round to get your desired college.
Entrance Exam Based Admission
Few of the entrance exams are listed below:
- NATIONAL ELIGIBILITY ENTRANCE TEST (POST GRADUATE) / NEET PG: NEET PG is a qualifying exam conducted by the National Board of Examination to admit students who wish to pursue Doctor of Medicine (MD) or Master of Surgery (MS). It is on the basis of NEET PG score, students are allotted admission into various private and government colleges in India. NEET PG is conducted in the month of April every year.
- NATIONAL ELIGIBILITY ENTRANCE TEST (SUPER SPECIALITY COURSES): NEET SS is an entrance exam for admissions into super specialty courses in India. It is conducted by NBC once every year. Candidates who wish to apply for NEET SS must have completed their MD/MS in the relevant course they are applying for.
- POSTGRADUATE INSTITUTE OF MEDICAL EDUCATION AND RESEARCH (IPGMER ENTRANCE): PGIMER entrance test is a university level entrance exam conducted by IPGMER for the selection of students into MBBS, MD, MS and various DM courses. The admission to IPGMER will be entrance cum counselling based.
- AIDMMCHEE (KING GEORGE’S MEDICAL UNIVERSITY): AIDMCHEE is a State Level Entrance Exam conducted by KGMU on behalf of the State Government of Uttar Pradesh. All candidates who wish to pursue DM courses in KGMU should appear for AIDMMCHEE. The entrance exam is conducted in the month of June every year. Two seats are allotted to DM Rheumatology in KGMU, Lucknow.
What are the top DM Rheumatology Entrance Exams?
The top DM Rheumatology Entrance Exams are:
| EXAM NAME | CONDUCTING BODY | EXAM DATE | EXAM MODE |
|---|---|---|---|
| NEET PG | NBE | 18 April 2021 | Online |
| NEET SS | NBE | Not yet published | Online and Offline |
| IPGMER Entrance | IPGMER University | Not yet published | Offline |
| AIDMCHEE | KGMU | June every year | Offline |
DM Rheumatology: Entrance Exam Preparation Tips
- Divide your schedule: Studying without a deadline isn’t something that candidates can afford, therefore they must assign their days to certain topics and finish them within the deadline.
- Keep your resources limited: It is a must for candidates to remain focused and having too many resources will only alleviate the stress. Therefore, they must research well and shortlist some resources for the study plan and stick to it. Remember, Candidates can’t cover everything from everywhere, therefore keep it simple and accurate.
- Revision is the Key: Candidates should not keep revision for the last minute. They should keep revision sessions for regular intervals. They should make some crisp notes for the last minute reading and avoid unnecessary panic before the exam.
Why should you pursue DM Rheumatology?
Rheumatology is a specialized field in internal medicine. Therefore, patients with musculoskeletal disorders require skilled doctors who are trained and specialized in the particular field. Presently, people with joint pain and autoimmune diseases are diagnosed by orthopedics. Although they do not recommend surgery, they focus on other treatment methods which ensure long term relief and prevention methods.
- Skill Sets: Since rheumatologists focus on treatment methods other than surgery, diagnosis and cure might take more time. Therefore the person has patience to deal with the situation.
- Learning attitude: New medical and treatment methods are being developed regularly. The person should be aware and ready to accept the novel ways of treatment which will help both the person and the patient.
- Academically strong: Since rheumatology is a specialized field of internal medicine, students will have to learn and remember a lot of complex terms and procedures which are hard to comprehend.
DM Rheumatology: Course Advantages
A medical student who has successfully completed his/her DM in Rheumatology should be able to:
- Clinically diagnose, investigate and manage a whole spectrum of rheumatological disorders.
- Perform laboratory techniques concerned with rheumatology.
- Undertake research in rheumatology in a clinic, laboratory and community
- Teach the subject of rheumatology to undergraduate or postgraduate students.
DM Rheumatology: Course Comparison
All these degrees may sound similar. DM Rheumatology and DM Clinical Immunology are different courses. Below is mentioned the comparison of all these courses:
| Parameters | DM RHEUMATOLOGY | DM CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY |
|---|---|---|
| OVERVIEW | Treating bone and soft tissue problems and autoimmune rheumatic problems | Specialize in treating failures of immune system and autoimmune complication |
| COURSE | Advanced post-graduation | Advanced post graduate |
| DURATION | 3year full time | 3 year full time |
| RECOGNITION | MCI | MCI |
| ENTRANCE EXAM | NEET SS | NEET SS |
| ELIGIBILITY | MD/MS from recognized university | MD/MS from recognized university |
| AVERAGE FEE | INR 2 to 3 lakhs | INR 2 lakhs |
| AVERAGE SALARY | INR 5 to 10 lakhs | INR 4 to 12 lakhs |
DM Rheumatology: Top Colleges
Many colleges are offering this course in India. Some of the top colleges offering this course are listed below –
| Name of the College | Average fees |
|---|---|
| Madras Medical College, Chennai | INR 1 Lakh – 2 Lakhs |
| King George’s Medical University, Lucknow | INR 1 Lakh – 2 Lakhs |
| Institute Of Post Graduate Medical Education And Research, Kolkata | INR 70,000 – 1.5 Lakhs |
| Christian Medical College, Vellore | INR 5.5 Lakhs – 6 Lakhs |
| Amrita School Of Medicine, Kochi | INR 6.5 Lakhs – 7 Lakhs |
- There is a wide difference in the fee structure depending on the institution. Many colleges offer a fee structure ranging from INR 1,00,000 -2,00,000 whereas in some private colleges the annual fee is around INR 22,00,000/-.
- Rheumatology is a booming field of medical science. After the completion of MD in Rheumatology, the student is certified and qualified to work as a rheumatologist in a hospital, clinic, research laboratory or to work as a teacher or to pursue research in the field of rheumatology.
- With continuous growth in finding new scope in DM Rheumatology, getting into it can make a bright career and surely leaves one with a handful of work opportunities by the end of the study with an average salary of 8-10 lakhs per annum.
DM Rheumatology: College Comparison
College Comparison between CMC Vellore and Amrita School of Medicine, Kochi.
| PARAMETERS | CMC VELLORE | AMRITA SCHOOL OF MEDICINE, KOCHI |
|---|---|---|
| RANKING | NIRF 1 | NIRF 3 |
| OWNERSHIP | Private | PRIVATE |
| DURATION | 3 year | 3 years |
| ADMISSION | Entrance + interview | Entrance + interview |
| AVERAGE FEES | INR 5 to 6 lakhs | INR 6 to 7 lakhs |
| AVERAGE SALARY | INR 5 to 12 lakhs | INR 4 to 10 lakhs |
DM Rheumatology: Tips to get Best College
- To get admission into a good college one needs to ensure to have scored more than 90% at the Intermediate level. Apart from this, most of the institutes provide admission to the course on the basis of entrance examinations, hence preparing well for the entrance exams is a must for an aspirant to get the best college.
- Note: Before shortlisting and selecting colleges finally, they must ensure to check the placement rate of the college, method of course delivery, admission system, and the financial aid offered there.
DM Rheumatology: Syllabus
A typical DM Rheumatology syllabus is written below –
| FIRST YEAR |
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| SECOND YEAR |
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| THIRD YEAR |
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DM Rheumatology: Recommended Books
Some of the important reference books are mentioned below:
| RECOMMENDED BOOKS AND JOURNALS | AUTHOR AND PUBLISHER |
|---|---|
| Oxford Handbook of Rheumatology | Eds. Hakim, Cluine and Haq Pub: Oxford University Press |
| Oxford Textbook of Rheumatology | Eds. Isenberg, Madison and et. al. Pub: Oxford University Press |
| Primer on Rheumatic Disorders | Eds. Klippel, Stone and et,al. |
| Textbook of Pediatric Rheumatology | Cassidy |
| Arthritis and Rheumatism | Official journal of EULAR |
DM Rheumatology: Job Prospects
- Rheumatology is among the emerging career options in the field of internal medicine. Lots of opportunities are waiting for qualified rheumatologists in the country and abroad. Rheumatologists can either work in government or private hospitals as a rheumatologist or can start a clinic and practice treatment.
- Some of the important hospitals and institutions recruiting qualified and skilled rheumatologists are Fortis, King George’s Medical University, Apollo Hospitals, Indian Medical Council and many more.
- Rheumatologists can expect a salary of 2 lakhs – 4 lakhs during initial years of training, which will increase exponentially with experience.
| JOB PROFILE | SALARY |
|---|---|
| Pubic Health Manager | INR 8 Lakhs |
| Physician | INR 13 Lakhs |
| Epidemiologist | INR 10 Lakhs |
| Internal Consultant | INR 10 Lakhs |
| Research Officer | INR 12 Lakhs |
Future scope after DM Rheumatology
After completing the DM of arts (DM Rheumatology) course graduates can continue doing their further study and go for a PhD. It will enhance their language skills and provide more knowledge. Graduates can work in the government sector as well as the private sector.
PhD: If a student wants to continue in the same field of education, the second program of choice is a PhD. It is a three to five year duration course and the eligibility criteria include having a MSc Degree in related disciplines.
See Also Top PhD Colleges in India
DM Rheumatology: FAQs
Ques: What are the options for a rheumatology fellowship?
Ans: DM in Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology are the main field of study available to students presently. CMC, Vellore, IPGMER, NIMS, AIIMS offer a few colleges that offer rheumatology specialization.
Ques: Is PGIMER recognized by MCI?
Ans: Yes. PGIMER is a public/government college recognized by MCI. All degrees are awarded to the students by the university.
Ques: Is it necessary to clear NEET PG and NEET SS?
Ans: No. Clear either of the entrance exams. However, some universities prefer NEET SS over NEET PG, because NEET SS is strictly for DM courses.
Ques: Which are the best hospitals for rheumatology in India?
Ans: The best hospitals that offer good placement packages for rheumatologists are Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Max Super Specialty Hospital, Time Hospital and Apollo Hospitals.
Ques: Which are the colleges with DNB seats in DM Rheumatology?
Ans: The colleges that offer DNB seats in DM Rheumatology in India are:
Hinduja Mumbai – 1, Gangaram Delhi – 1, Apollo Delhi – 1, Medanta – 1, Army Hospital Delhi – 1 (usually reserved).
Ques: Which are the textbooks necessary for preparing for DM Rheumatology?
Ans: Some textbooks that will help you to prepare for rheumatology entrance test are Manual of Rheumatology by Ved Chaturvedi, CBS Entrance exam in Rheumatology by M.S Bhatia, The Clinician’s Rheumatology Handbook by Dr. Lori Albert.
Ques: What are the future developments in the field of rheumatology?
Ans: New medicines to cure chronic arthritis at an early stage without serious side effects. Pain relieving drugs for long term use.
Ques: What is the average salary of a rheumatologist?
Ans: An entry level rheumatologist gets a salary around INR 10,00,000- 13,00,000 lakhs whereas an experienced rheumatologist get a salary around INR 25,00,000- 28,00,000/- in India.
Ques: Can I apply for DM Rheumatology without any entrance examination?
Ans: No. Admission to DM Rheumatology in India is strictly based on the entrance exam. Candidates must clear any of the National/ State/ University level entrance exams prescribed by the specific university.
Ques: What is the fee structure for DM Rheumatology in a government college?
Ans: During the complete duration of the course, the candidate is paid a monthly remuneration. Students pursuing DM Rheumatology in any of the government colleges in India have to only bear the hostel fee on their own.
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