The degrees and diplomas awarded by the institute under the All India Institute of Medical Science Act are recognised medical qualifications for the purpose of the Indian Medical Council Act.

Adaptation of education to meet the problems of community health is a major preoccupation. To this effect the institute has been trying to initiate a model educational programme which is undertaken in the Ballabgarh Community Development Block in collaboration with the Haryana Government.

The institute has also been able to initiate a model educational programme in Community Medicine at the Urban Field Practice Area in Malviya Nagar, New Delhi. Emphasis is laid on active learning processes and on the cultivation of habits of scholarship and scientific methods.

The first batch of undergraduate medical students was admitted to the institute in the year 1956.

The AIIMS offers various courses at different levels. All in all 42 disciplines are taught at AIIMS. The different categories include :

Undergraduate Courses (UG)
MBBS
B.Sc.(Hons.)Human Biology
B.Sc.Courses in Nursing, Audiometry, Ophthalmic, Techniques and Radiography

Postgraduate Courses (PG)
MD,MS & MDS
DM & MCh
Master's Degree in Science (M Sc)
Master's Degree in Biotechnology (M Biotech)
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph D)

DM & MCh:

AIIMS offers superspeciality courses in a large number of medical and surgical disciplines (DM and MCh respectively such as):

Cadiology
Gastroenterology
Cardiothoracic Surgery
Endocrinology
Neurology
Nephrology
Neurosurgery
Medical Oncology
Pediatric Surgery

Master's degree in science (M Sc):

It is a two year course.The students selected for M Sc degree specialize in Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry, Biophysics, Pharmacology or drugs Assay. Besides learing the subject, the student also accomplish a piece of research which they write up in the form of a thesis.

Master's degree in Biotechnology (M Biotech):

This two year course was started in 1986. This new venture in an emerging discipline has been designed to produce a cadre of scientists required for highly specialized areas such as vaccine production.

Doctor of Philosophy:

Ph D students conduct an extensive piece of research of high quality on which they may take upto 5 years. While in MD/MS and M Sc/M Biotech courses the emphasis is on breadth, in Ph D the emphasis is on depth. The students delve deep into a narrow area to which they may stick for a lifetime.

Pulse is the annual festival of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).