Best books for FMGE 2021

The FMGE or Foreign Medical Graduate Examination, also known as the MCI or the Medical Council of India Screening Exam, is conducted yearly by India’s National Board of Examination (NBE). Its objective is to allow medical graduates from all over the world to get medical licenses so that they can begin practicing medicine. The eligibility criteria include an MBBS degree from any of the MCI recognized colleges – only then the candidates are allowed to sit for the FMGE. As elucidated, the FMGE is one of the most difficult examinations conducted throughout the country, which decides the future of foreign medical graduates as professionals.

To prepare for the FMGE, candidates must opt for the best books for FMGE 2021 to have a comprehensive guideline of the subjects, question patterns, and the probable kinds of questions that can appear. Once they are well acquainted with the procedure, it becomes easier to identify their strengths and weaknesses and prepare the subjects accordingly. Some FMGE books are very helpful to clear doubts and are the key elements of preparation for every FMGE aspirant. The candidates will learn and practice much efficiently with the help of these books.

Here is an overview of the best books for FMGE 2021 and a guided tour of which one to pick up for what purposes. The books listed below have interesting FAQs, MCQs, doubt clearing sections, and more for the convenience of the students.

Read Strategy for FMGE

Best Books for FMGE Preparation

You can check out our FMGE Self Assessment and Question Bank Book for FMGE preparation. Buy Here

FMGE Pre-Clinical Books

For the Pre-Clinical subjects, candidates may opt for the following books – 

S. No.	SUBJECT	BOOK	AUTHOR
1.	Anatomy	Anatomy for FMGE Revise anatomy in 15 days Self Assessment and Review of Anatomy	P. Harinath, K. Raviraj, and Vishwajit R.D.K. RavirajRajesh K. Kaushal
2.	Physiology	Quick Review Series: Physiology for FMGEReview of Physiology: PGMEEComplete Review of Integrated Systems Physiology	Prem Balaguru and P. HarinathSoumen MannaS. Krishna Kumar
3.	Biochemistry	Quick review Series: Biochemistry for FMGESelf Assessment and Review of BiochemistryBiochemistry	A Balasubramanian Rebecca JamesSmily Pahwa
4.	Pathology	Concepts in PathologyReview of Pathology and GeneticsPathology with the base of medicine, Complete Review of Pathology	Devesh MishraGobind Rai Garg, Sparsh Gupta K Setiya Praveen Kumar Gupta, Vandana Puri
5.	Microbiology	Quick Review Series: Microbiology for FMGEReview of Microbiology and ImmunologySelf Assessment and Review of Microbiology and Immunology	Geethu Joe, A V Sowmya and M. BalakrishnanApurba Shankar Shastri and Sandhya Bhat KRachna Chaurasia
6.	Pharmacology	Review of Pharmacology, A conceptual review of Pharmacology for NBE	Gobind Rai Garg, Sparsh GuptaRanjan Kumar Patel
7.	Forensic Medicine	Quick Review Series: Forensic Medicine for FMGEForensic Medicine Nothing Beyond for PGMEE (New SARP series for NEET/AI/NBE)	Mohit GuptaJ. Magendran

Clinica Books for FMGE

For clinical subjects, the following books have proven sufficiently effective:

S. NO.	SUBJECT	BOOKS TO FOLLOW
1.	Medicine	Mudit Khanna MCQ Internal Medicine
2.	Surgery	Amit Tripathi and Ashish GuptaRachna Chaurasia/ Aurora
3.	PSM	Review for PSM by Vivek Jain
4.	Ophthalmology	Dr. Ruchi Rai for Ophthalmology
5.	Obstetrics and Gynaecology	Review book for Dr. Sakshi AuroraReview book by Harmeet Goyal
6.	Paediatrics	Jitendra TalekarNotes by Dr. Marwah

For the remaining short subjects, the FMGE candidates can choose from the following list:

S. NO.	SUBJECT	BOOKS
1.	Skin	ACROSS Book
2.	Anesthesia	ACROSS Book
3.	Radiology	PROAFS
4.	Orthopedics	PROAFS

FMGE Exam Pattern

There will be a total of 300 MCQ questions in the FMGE 2021 question paper. For each correct answer, candidates will be awarded 1 positive mark. There is no negative marking in the FMGE 2021. The paper is divided into two different sections A, and section B. Section A comprises the pre and para-clinical subjects, which will constitute 100 marks. The second section will have all the clinical and short subject questions, rounding up to 200 marks. The student can allot necessary time to each section, accordingly can devise an exam strategy keeping in mind the pattern and the allotted period of two hours and thirty minutes.

As displayed in the tables according to subjects, the above lists of books are the most beneficial to anyone preparing for FMGE 2021. These will help you achieve the required agility and keen eye necessary for cracking a competitive exam in a stream as difficult and nuanced as Medical. If you are still confused about which books to get and how, to begin with, the process accurately, you can consider the following aspects before investing in the study materials – 

1. It is always helpful to buy books written by well-known authors and established personalities in the field of medical science.
2. It is also advisable to review the contents of each book and check for the latest editions before buying one for FMGE 2021. Older versions would not have the required updates, and you may miss out on significant questions or the pattern involved.
3. The first glance should be at the author and the index of the books and the contents. It is not right to invest in materials you do not need. So check thoroughly which subjects you require and how much the book can help you for FMGE 2021 before buying it.
4. The books you are looking to buy should have all the topics and sections mentioned in the FMGE 2021 syllabus and written in lucid language, so it is not difficult to understand. It is imperative to have full comprehension of the subjects and the possible topics that can appear in the examinations. It will make you fully equipped with any kind of unexpected questions also.

How to prepare from the FMGE books?

When you are skimming through the best books for FMGE 2021, you will fully understand the syllabus and the required subjects that you need to prepare for the examination. You can spot the differences in the questions from the previous years and also in the course curriculum if it has been modified in any way – whether certain subjects, topics, and categories have been added or edited out. Any standard book will provide the guidelines for preparation, be it for a first-timer or someone who sat for the examination previously. The exam patterns are well explained, and there are plenty of practice sets as well for you to prepare the strategy required for any competitive exam. 

Please keep in mind that you have to compete with other talented medical graduates, as well as people with different kinds of educational backgrounds. Hence, you have to concentrate on your strengths and calculate your gains here. Although the focus should be on your preparation, it is often beneficial if you are preparing in the company of someone from the same field. You can make the best of these books if someone experienced provides you with their perspective as well.

Preparation strategies to be kept in mind

Making an MCQ bank

MCQs may seem like easy questions, but even a little carelessness can cause you to lose marks. There can be confusion about two similar answers, or you may mistakenly miss out on attending some. Therefore, it is advisable to make a question bank by yourself for each subject, which will be convenient to study before the exams. The bank can comprise the MCQs as per the books for the FMGE 2021, and the previous editions as well. Questions from the last decade can be studied and revised according to categories. According to the FMGE 2021 question pattern, there will be 300 questions from all the subjects in total. Dividing these into small sections when you practice, and devoting a certain amount of time to each section, can be a practical approach to prepare for the final exam.

Note-making

Along with MCQs from the best books for FMGE 2021, candidates should also clarify their concepts about each subject. They should attempt to fully understand and decode any complications in the study materials by making notes, either alongside book margins or in separate documents. This helps with recognizing doubts, and comprehending how much you have learned from the books. Medical science has ambiguous concepts, which can be cleared by comparing the content in more than one book. 

Revise repetitively: 

The key to the best preparation for any competitive examination, including the FMGE 2021, is to revise more. No matter how well your preparation is, and even if you have understood the subjects or have mastered the topics, you need to keep revising again and again. It helps to keep the memory strong and healthy and avoid any mistakes on the final paper. Practice makes preparation perfect and is extremely beneficial on the final exam day. The ideal way to revise is to go over key points more thoroughly, recognize your strengths, and emphasize them first. Later you can take on slightly more difficult subjects to revise. Approaching the easier ones and completing a portion of the revision makes you more confident, and gives you a sense of achievement. So, revision is the basic way to make your way through medical subjects in the FMGE 2021.

Fitness

Apart from studies, you should take care of your mental faculties and physical health. Stressing more with an exam as big as the FMGE, can harm your mind and body. While you are at the peak of the preparation stage, you need to be careful about consuming a healthy, wholesome diet, and moving your body a little with simple exercises. Sitting and studying in one corner all day can make you more tired and impairs sleep patterns. A good 8 hours of sleep is necessary to process all the educational information you consume every day, and brush up on your memories. Adequate sleep also enhances your time management skills, thinking speed, and briskness, and keeps you calm through the storm. 

Falling into an unhealthy lifestyle can hamper and hinder your studies, and hinder your daily progress. Therefore, as much as studies, resting and physical fitness should also be a priority

Building a routine

Along with building a routine for the day, make yourself a basic study schedule and stick to it with all the other activities you plan to do. Do not assign larger portions every day, to finish the syllabus early. 

Instead, take small parts, one at a time, understand and finish them within an allotted time. This is an important trick for time management when you have to cover many tasks and lessons in a day. If your mind is alert that you have to study for eight to ten hours every day, it will succumb to procrastination, in fear of the long hours. But if you start with half an hour and take a break of five minutes every thirty minutes, then you can carry on for a longer period, and you will cover more topics. This helps to remember and digest everything thoroughly. Sporadic and random attempts to mug up certain subjects are not advisable for medical studies. The FMGE is a nuanced exam and needs to be studied accordingly

Study breaks

When you take little intervals, do not succumb to technology. Try and keep your smartphone away from the place you are working; at least place it within walking distance. Social media can be an extremely distracting element while you are concentrating on important tasks. Therefore, make your study breaks brisk and fun. The little breaks can be spent listening to calming music, or walking around the house, or speaking to friends and family for support. You can also re-energize with a little healthy snack or hydrating drink. 

Longer breaks can be spent walking in a park or spending time exercising. Some fresh air and human contact can be efficient refreshments to the mind. Inner peace and calm nerves soothe your anxiety about the exams, and you should strive to achieve it before jumping straight into your books.

Study essentials

Along with the best books for the FMGE 2021, there are other study essentials you need when studying. A large bottle of water and some easy-to-digest snacks top the list. Other essentials include a comfortable sitting area with cushions and soft chairs, an elevated space for your laptop and other required gadgets if you have virtual material, and sticky notes and highlighters. These help you to study effectively and remember content easily. Setting your equipment at a comfortable eye level when you do not have to look up or down often can also be helpful. Although it is not necessary to make these arrangements every time you study, these are indeed helpful and aid studies to become more comfortable and convenient. 

The FMGE 2021 pattern (In detail)

The syllabus and question pattern of a particular exam may seem simple, but it is very important to understand the same. Setting a proper and functional exam strategy and allocating time slots for different sections is imperative, for the right preparation for medical studies. 

See below the important aspects of the FMGE 2021 pattern, that candidates may find beneficial:

Mode of examination: Given the currently ongoing global pandemic, the NBE has decided to hold the FMGE 2021 as a computer-based online test, like all the major entrance examinations in the country. Keeping in mind the required social distancing measures, the exam centers have been equipped with precautionary arrangements.

Medium of the examination: There is no opportunity to write the FMGE 2021 paper in any regional language. The official medium of the exam is English, and candidates are instructed to attend the questions and answers in the same.

Duration of the exam: Keeping in mind the 300 MCQs divided into two major sections, candidates are allotted a period of 2 hours and 30 minutes to solve the paper entirely. No additional time will be provided to attend to technicalities.

The total number of questions and marks division: The FMGE 2021 paper has 300 MCQ questions, as mentioned above. They are divided into two sections – the first have questions from pre-clinical subjects, and the second has questions from clinical and other short subjects. Each question is valued at 1 mark, and there is no negative marking.

Qualifying marks: The candidates should secure at least 150 marks or 50% for qualifying for the exam and making it to the pass-out list.