“Brush up on facts through constant revision,” says FMGE June 2025 Topper, AIR 1

Mehmood-ur-Rehman FMGE Topper 2025 AIR 1 Interview

In conversation with Careers360, Mehmood shared how his dedication and study discipline managed him to secure a remarkable feat in the FMGE 2025 June session. Read the complete interview to know FMGE 2025 AIR 1 June session details, preparation strategy and much more.

Careers360: First of all, congratulations on securing the top rank in FMGE June 2025. How are you feeling right now, and who was the first person you shared the news with? Did you expect to top, or was it a surprise?

Mehmood-ur-Rehman: I'm feeling very indifferent about all this, honestly. I think the first person whom I shared the news with were my friends. I knew it was going to be somewhere around top 10, but I didn't expect to be AIR 1.

Careers360: Can you tell us a little about your background, where you studied MBBS, and what made you decide to appear for FMGE?

Mehmood-ur-Rehman: I did my MBBS from the Philippines, and anyone who studies MBBS from outside, they have to clear FMGE if they want to get registered as a doctor and practice medicine in India.

Careers360: When did you start preparing seriously for FMGE, and how did you structure your study plan? Was it more of a long-term consistent prep, or did you have an intense last few months?

Mehmood-ur-Rehman: I started preparing for FMGE in January this year. My structure plan was basically to do three revisions. I used the previous year's questions and the QBank of those subjects. It was more of a long-term, consistent preparation, rather than having a very intense last few months.

Careers360: Did you rely more on coaching institutes, self-study, or online resources during your preparation?

Mehmood-ur-Rehman: A lot of my preparation was mainly self-study from notes, followed by PYQs and use of quick revision videos and crash course ones at the end. These are a really great source to brush up your facts in less time.

Careers360: What role did revision and mock tests play in your success? Did mock test scores ever shake your confidence, or did they motivate you more?

Mehmood-ur-Rehman: Not just mock tests, revision played a key role in the preparation. I preferred revisions over mock tests or grand tests. I never really cared about the scores of mock tests; if they were low, I just focused more on rationalisation and tried to identify the gap in my preparation, because this way, anyone can brush up concepts, revise a lot of things, and at the same time know what is missing.

Careers360: Were there any specific subjects or topics that you found particularly difficult, and how did you overcome those challenges?

Mehmood-ur-Rehman: For me, Para Clinical Subjects (PCS) was one of the most difficult subjects as I never really studied PCS that well, and it's quite different from what I have read in the university. There are a lot of new missions and goals and numbers that are specific to India so you really have to learn all of them.

Careers360: FMGE has a reputation for being very tough. Did you ever feel demotivated during preparation? If yes, how did you bounce back? Was there a moment or turning point that helped you regain confidence?

Mehmood-ur-Rehman: The first thing which kept me motivated was my confidence during the entire preparation. Along with the preparation, I used to go outdoors to watch a movie or play games with friends, which kept my body sound and healthy.

Careers360: Why do you think so many candidates struggle to clear FMGE, given that the pass percentage is so low?

Mehmood-ur-Rehman: There are a few reasons for students struggling to qualify FMGE, as most of them follow a lot of advice from people who have cleared FMGE years ago and their advice did not fit perfectly with the current exam scenario. A lot of students focus on PYQs as their main resource for preparation.

Students must note that the present questions are more clinically oriented and PYQs don't really hold that much importance and should not limit their studies to PYQs only.

Careers360: Many students who fail FMGE multiple times feel demotivated and lose confidence. What advice would you give them, based on your own experience?

Mehmood-ur-Rehman: Students who feel demotivated and lose confidence should take a gap of 2 to 3 days, sit down, relax a bit, talk to their friends, family, go out on a trip, and then start with a fresh mind. Understand and analyse what exactly went wrong, focus and try to fill it.

Careers360: If you could sit down with the authorities and share one recommendation to make FMGE more effective yet fair, what would it be?

Mehmood-ur-Rehman: The advice I would give to authorities is to make FMGE more transparent. Most candidates don't remember the options they select while answering a question after the exam. So, they cannot predict their scores. The release of the FMGE answer key could be helpful to the students.

Careers360: There’s also a lot of discussion around replacing FMGE with NExT soon. Do you think that would change the game for future students? Would you personally have preferred NEXT over FMGE?

Mehmood-ur-Rehman: It would be good if they replace FMGE with the National Exit Test (NExT) because it will take away the systemic discrimination that students face in the Indian medical system, because if both NEET PG and FMGE students take the same exam, then both will be judged on the same standards.

Careers360: If you had to sum up your FMGE journey in just three words or one line, what would it be?

Mehmood-ur-Rehman: The three words would be “Revise, Reflect and Relax”.