Is ACCA difficult than MBBS?

If you are stuck at choosing a college major and considering ACCA & MBBS as your career options, this article might help.

Is ACCA difficult than MBBS? One of the most frequently asked questions these days. Especially by students who have completed their intermediate recently.

Well, the answer isn’t a flat YES or NO. In order to find the most difficult one, we need to dig into a few things.

The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants ACCA *

ACCA is a leading global body for aspiring Professional Accountants. It provides the knowledge, skills and values necessary to become a complete accountancy package.

Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery MBBS *

The focus of MBBS is to prepare you to have a career in medicine. It is usually awarded in the UK and in countries that have a similar educational system.

The above explicitly confirms that these two are totally different in nature and comparing them on the basis of difficulty level of course contents makes no sense. ACCA has its own accounting jargon and technicalities while MBBS also has a complicated and never ending syllabus.

However, there are things that we can compare which gives us a general idea of what it’s like to study for ACCA and MBBS.

1. Program Duration

The duration of MBBS is 5 years and 6 months in most countries. It includes 4 and a half years of academic period and a mandatory internship of one year. The internship is MUST and the degree is awarded once a student completes both requirements.

The duration of ACCA however, is variable. It normally takes 4-5 years to complete ALL of the 17 papers of ACCA (ACCA after intermediate). There is also a mandatory internship program of 3 years to become a Certified Chartered Accountant.

The internship could also be started while studying for the ACCA papers. A rough approximation to complete the papers and internship program is 6-7 years. Again, it depends on the planning and ability of the student.

2. ACCA & MBBS Examinations

In ACCA, there are 2 examinations held after every 15-20 days at the fundamental level. For the students of Skills & Professional modules, ACCA conducts quarterly exams. You’ll have the option to plan the exam as per your schedule and you can skip an exam session in case you are not prepared for whatsoever reason.

Unsuccessful students in the exam have to repay the full fee in order to appear in the next exam sitting. ACCA also offers a service called ACCA Administration review, which gives a student the option to pay a certain fee to get their paper reviewed to make sure whether the paper has been fully checked.

On the other hand, MBBS has a different examination process. As it is not a centrally-regulated body, the process may vary in some countries. However, in most countries, MBBS examinations are held annually and the students must appear in the exam. Unlike ACCA, you cannot plan your exam date as per your schedule.

MBBS has a relaxation in that if a student doesn’t manage to pass all the papers, a supplementary exam is arranged after 40 days with little or no additional fee charged to the student.

3. Attendance

Attending a class regularly can be difficult especially if you’re employed or lives in a remote area. In this regard, ACCA and MBBS differ.

While studying for ACCA, you are not required by the body to enroll in a college. You are allowed to skip a class or even not register in a college at all. It will not affect your ACCA ID and you won’t face any issues when opting for exam.

MBBS adopts a procedure what most of the other universities have in place. Registration at a college is compulsory and you’re required to have a certain attendance level before sitting in the final exam. You will not be authorized to appear in the exam if the criteria has not been met.

The attendance level may vary but is generally 75%. However, if you have a reason that justifies your absence, the coin may flip.

4. Internship and Job opportunities

ACCA

The three-year internship in ACCA could either be started while studying for your ACCA papers or after completion of the papers. There are many Accounting Firms and industrial organisations that offer internship program for ACCAs.

There are some colleges that refer their students to different firms for internship programs but most colleges do not take responsibility for a student’s internship. The student needs to apply to decent firms and industries in order to work as an internee.

As far as job opportunities are concerned, there is always a need for accountants in a business. Where there is a business, there is an oportunity for ACCAs. A growing economy and corporate culture increases opportunities for ACCAs.

MBBS

In the top 10 high paying jobs of Fox Business, physicians are at the top. It is the only job in which there are always openings. Where there are humans, there are job opportunities for physicians.

As far as the one-year internship program is concerned, almost all of the medical colleges today take responsibility for its students enrollment in internship programs. Once a student completes the academic period, they are sent to a hospital to exercise & polish the practical aspect of MBBS. Students have less or no difficulty finding a placement.

Summary ACCA vs MBBS

Considering the above measures, both have their positive and negative points. ACCA is much more flexible in terms of examinations and an MBBS student faces no difficulty in finding a decent job.

Summing up the comparison, MBBS is difficult than ACCA due to its nonflexible nature and attendance issues while ACCA is lengthy and its strict examination rules make it a difficult program to complete.