Imagine that your NEET results are out and the number on your screen isn't the one you were hoping for. It is a nerve-wracking moment, I won’t pretend like it doesn’t hurt. Two years of early mornings, mock tests and skipped weddings, and it comes down to one score.

Firstly, calm down - I know it is not as easy as it sounds. Take a day or two before you make any decision Seriously. Decisions made on results day tend to be bad ones, and every relative with a cousin in medicine will have advice for you by evening. Once the noise settles, these are the things that you can actually do

Drop a year and try again

This makes sense if you missed by a small margin and you know where the marks went. Maybe Physics fell apart, or you ran out of time in the paper. Those can be fixed. But if you'd go back to the same coaching class, the same schedule and the same habits, the result will probably be the same. A drop year only works if something changes. It also eats a full year, and the second round of pressure is heavier than the first because now everyone's watching. Be honest about whether you can take that.

Private or deemed colleges in India

If your score is decent, a private or deemed university will have a seat for you. The catch is the fee. Over five and a half years it can run into tens of lakhs, and deemed universities often charge a lot more. If your family can pay it without borrowing heavily, that's one thing. If the plan involves selling land or taking a big loan, do the maths properly first. That debt will be waiting for you on your first day as a doctor.

MBBS abroad

Plenty of Indian students go this way, mostly because the total cost is lower than a private college here. Russia, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and the Philippines come up most often.

It can work out well, but check a few things before you pay anything. First, find out whether the university is recognised by the National Medical Commission. If it isn't, you may not be allowed to practise in India afterwards. NMC rules for foreign medical graduates also ask for a course of at least 54 months plus a 12-month internship, with English as the medium of instruction. Then there's the licensing exam. You'll have to clear the FMGE (or whatever the NMC has in place by the time you graduate) to practise here, so ask the university how many of its Indian students actually passed, and ask for real numbers, not "most of them."

Cost is another thing. The tuition figure on the brochure is barely 1/4^th of the total expenditure. Hostel, food, flights home, insurance and yearly fee increases all get added on, so ask for the full amount in writing. And think about the six years themselves. Harsh weathers, a new language outside the classroom, being far from home during festivals and emergencies. Some people absolutely love it while some lose themselves in the process.

Picking a country because it's cheap or because your friend's brother went there is the worst way to choose your study abroad country/university. Shortlist two or three universities, compare them, and find Indian students who are studying there now. Message them directly. They'll tell you what the agent won't.

Other healthcare courses in India

If you want to work in healthcare and the "MBBS" tag matters less to you, NEET counts for several other courses. BDS for dentistry, the AYUSH degrees (BAMS, BHMS, BUMS), B.Sc. Nursing and BPT for physiotherapy are the main ones. There are also allied health programmes in radiology, lab technology and optometry. They cost far less than a private MBBS seat, and some students use them as a base to move into research or specialise later.

Life sciences

Some people realise they like the science more than the idea of treating patients. If that's you, a B.Sc. in biotechnology, microbiology, biochemistry or genetics can lead to research, pharma, public health, or a master's abroad. It's not what most families picture when they say "doctor," but it's a real career.

Before you decide

Before you take any decision, sit down with a pen and answer four integral questions. Upto what amount can your family comfortably spend, not what they could stretch to? Do you want to practise in India or abroad? Do you think you can live abroad for six years? And if you wait a year, what will be different?

Then talk to your parents with those answers in front of you. "Here's what I found" is a much easier conversation than "I don't know what to do."

One result doesn't decide your life. Doctors get there through a second attempt, a university abroad, or a different course first. Take your time, ask questions, and if you're thinking about studying abroad, speak to a counsellor who'll go through the details with you before you sign anything.