For many Indian students contemplating a career in medicine, the first two thoughts are nearly always about the MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery) or a BDS (Bachelor of Dental Surgery). These are, of course, established degrees and have a great deal of inherent scope for expected professions, but the medical profession encompasses much more than just MBBS or BDS. For students interested in healthcare and who want alternatives to those two end-goals, a myriad of options are available to pursue a healthcare career. Although it can always be beneficial to discuss alternative study options, opening students up to alternative options to the more traditional pathways of a study in healthcare not only eases the pressure to follow a traditional pathway but also allows students to identify alternative possibilities associated with healthcare that they may never otherwise consider.
One area of study that is commonly accepted in the medical community outside of MBBS and BDS is Pharmacy. A Bachelor's in Pharmacy (B.Pharm) lets students understand drugs, formulations, and the level of patients. Pharmacists are a vital part of the healthcare system as they help ensure the use of medicine is done safely and effectively. With continuing developments in our pharmaceutical industry in India, employment in the Pharmacy branch of medicine is growing continuously. As students discover an interest in studying pharmacy in the pursuit of a career, the career pipeline is becoming broadened: students studying pharmacy are expanding their interests in pursuing careers in hospitals, drug manufacturing companies, research, and clinical trials.
Physiotherapy is another emerging profession. The Bachelor of Physiotherapy (BPT) degree is a program centered on rehabilitation and physical therapy to help patients restore mobility and/or function. As we are confronted with an increasing burden of lifestyle-related diseases, road traffic collisions, and sports injuries, physiotherapists are crucial to a healthcare system that is focused on patient care in hospitals, clinics, rehabilitation centres, and private practice. Physiotherapy is a profession with compassion rooted in science; physiotherapists have the opportunity to engage with their profession in an exciting way by working with patients.
Nursing can also be considered a very prestigious profession, as it is no longer limited to simply assisting doctors. With courses like B.Sc. Nursing students can establish themselves in any area of health care, military services, or the public health sector. The nurses of today are taught not only patient care roles, but also advanced medical procedures, research, and management of health services.
{{/usCountry}}Nursing can also be considered a very prestigious profession, as it is no longer limited to simply assisting doctors. With courses like B.Sc. Nursing students can establish themselves in any area of health care, military services, or the public health sector. The nurses of today are taught not only patient care roles, but also advanced medical procedures, research, and management of health services.
{{/usCountry}}Medical Laboratory Technology (MLT) is also another great path for students who enjoy working in the laboratory environment and diagnostics.MLT programs train students to conduct a variety of diagnostic tests, including blood tests, pathology, and microbiology. MLT professionals play important roles in the continuum of health care in laboratories behind the scenes, where doctors depend on laboratory results to diagnose and manage patient care.
Medicine also has a respectable path, as Ayurvedic, Homeopathic, and Unani are studies that universities offer. Students would receive awards of B.A.M.S. (Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery), B.H.M.S. (Bachelor of Homeopathic Medicine and Surgery), or B.U.M.S. (Bachelor of Unani Medicine and Surgery). There is increased public interest in alternative medicine and traditional medicine, so I think public interest in courses will greatly accelerate both nationally and internationally. Graduates of B.A.M.S., B.H.M.S., and B.U.M.S. can open independent practices, hospitals, or participate in wellness or research studies.
If you enjoy technology and innovation, Biomedical Engineering is an appealing option. Biomedical engineering is the application of engineering principles to medicine to develop medical devices, artificial organs, diagnostic machines, etc. With health care technology evolving rapidly, the need for biomedical engineers is becoming indispensable to the industry.
Occupational Therapy also has a similar bent to helping patients become independent with their daily living activities after a physical or mental health difficulty. Public Health and Hospital Management courses also teach students to address health care systems, policy, and managers of healthcare administration. These topics can be just as important as clinical medicine.
These alternative medical courses are appealing because they not only offer students a path towards various careers, but they also help the student define their passions within the profession. Many of the courses in question offer quite a bit less competition, and entry into the workforce is usually much quicker than MBBS and BDS. While the use of alternative medical courses may sound daunting to the students interested in these professions, each of these alternative courses offers great value and distinction; each of them is crucial to patient care, and to the Health Care Ecosystem.
In conclusion, medicine does not have to be confined to simply MBBS and BDS. Pharmacy, physiotherapy, diagnostics, nursing, traditional medicine, and biomedical engineering, are just a handful of opportunities for students who really want to make a so-called legal living, out of a meaningful career, this is your opportunity to pursue any of these, and another hundred options, if you selected medical sciences other than MBBS or BDS then you did not settle, you just discovered a new platform to serve humanity and create a career that is built on your interests and skill set.
(This article is written by Gaurav Tyagi, Medical Counsellor, Career Xpert)