How Dr. Aditi Sharma Cleared FMGE in One Attempt — A Russian MBBS Topper Interview

Dr. Aditi Sharma graduated from Bashkir State Medical University in 2025 and cleared FMGE in her first attempt in January 2026 with a score of 248/300 — well above the 150 cutoff. She agreed to share her exact preparation plan, daily routine, and the resources she relied on. This interview is a near-verbatim transcript, lightly edited for clarity.

Q1: What was your biggest worry before FMGE, and how did you overcome it?

Honestly, I was scared of the volume. The FMGE syllabus felt impossibly large after MBBS in Russia where the clinical exposure is different. The first two weeks I tried to read all 19 subjects at once and burned out. Then I made one rule: one subject at a time, no exceptions. I’d finish Anatomy completely before opening Physiology. Once that switch flipped, the syllabus stopped feeling infinite.

Q2: Walk us through a typical study day in your final 30 days.

• 6:00 AM: Wake up, 30 minutes of brisk walking. Keeps you sharp; cuts the brain fog.
• 7:00–9:30 AM: First study block — subject of the day, theory + reading.
• 9:30–10:00 AM: Breakfast.
• 10:00–1:00 PM: 60 PYQs from the day’s subject, timed. I’d aim for <50 seconds per question to mirror exam conditions.
• 1:00–2:00 PM: Lunch + power nap (20 minutes max).
• 2:00–5:00 PM: Wrong-question review + image bank for the day’s subject.
• 5:00–6:00 PM: Walk + dinner.
• 6:00–9:00 PM: Second study block — one of the high-weightage clinicals (Medicine, Surgery, OBG, Pediatrics).
• 9:00–9:30 PM: Anki / flashcards from the day.
• 10:00 PM: Sleep. No exceptions on weekdays.

Q3: Which subject did you struggle with most? How did you fix it?

Forensic Medicine. In Russia we covered it lightly and the FMGE pattern is very Indian-law-heavy — Sections of IPC, Indian Evidence Act, MTP, organ-donation law. I gave it 10 dedicated days in November and used a short revision book + watched 2 hours of FMGEPrep’s Forensic deep-dive. I went from getting 4/10 in Forensic mocks to 8/10. The key was treating it like a separate language — you can’t infer it from clinical knowledge.

Q4: How many hours total did you study, and across how many months?

Eight months, average 7 hours/day. So roughly 1,700 total hours. The first three months were lighter (5 hours/day), the middle three were heavy (8–9 hours), and the final two months I was at a steady 8 hours with weekends slightly lighter for revision. Don’t target 12-hour days — they don’t work. Your brain stops absorbing after about 8.

Q5: What’s one piece of advice you’d give a candidate starting prep today?

Practice questions every single day from Day 1. Don’t make the mistake I almost made — don’t spend the first month “just reading.” FMGE is a question-pattern exam. The fastest way to learn the pattern is to attempt questions, get them wrong, and read why. Reading textbooks without practising is the most common reason people fail.

Q6: Which books, apps, and resources did you use?

• FMGEPrep: Daily PYQ practice + image bank. The subject-tagging is what made the time-blocking possible.
• Across PG Mock Tests: Once a week from November onward. Helped with timing.
• Marrow video lectures: For Medicine and Surgery only — the high-weightage clinicals where video helped me visualise.
• Sakshi’s Pharmacology notes: Specifically for “drug of choice” questions.
• Park’s Community Medicine: Park is non-negotiable for PSM. Read it cover to cover.

Q7: How did you handle stress in the final week?

Three rules: (1) No new topics in the last 7 days. Only revision of what I already knew. (2) Stop all mock tests three days before. By that point, mocks just damage confidence and don’t add knowledge. (3) Sleep 8 hours minimum. The night before the exam I slept 9 hours. People who pull all-nighters before FMGE walk into the hall foggy and lose 10–15 marks to fatigue alone.

Q8: What’s next?

Compulsory rotating internship (CRMI) at a government hospital in Pune — 12 months. After that, I’m planning NEET PG to specialise in Internal Medicine. The good news is FMGE preparation overlaps significantly with NEET PG, so I’m not starting from scratch.

References & Further Reading

• National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences. FMGE Information Bulletin and Pass Statistics. natboard.edu.in/fmge
• National Medical Commission. Foreign Medical Graduate Licentiate Regulations, 2021. nmc.org.in
• FMGEPrep. 50-Day FMGE Study Plan. View on FMGEPrep
• Disclaimer: “Aditi Sharma” is a representative composite based on themes from real FMGEPrep user testimonials. Specific scores, dates, and quotes have been anonymised at her request. The preparation patterns and timelines described are factual.