MEDICINE

What profession nurtures your natural feeling emerging out of co-existence i.e, taking care of fellow humans?? And allows you too roll in the green stuff at the same time??
We are talking medicine - which lots of you young students are preparing for, and another lot of you still pondering over that big decision (Should I? Shouldn’t I? Can I? Can’t I?).
Just remember - there is no such thing as ‘I can’t!’. Rigorous and long drawn training in medical colleges and the challenge in entry and practice have not deterred thousands of youngsters from entering this profession. So, why should you be left far behind?

First things first - let’s see if you are emotionally, physically and educationally sufficient to practice medicine -
Let’s hear you name another profession where a high level of mental ability, scientific temper, technical and human skills are so thoroughly integrated as in medicine...  (still thinking?!?). It might sound like a whole lot of bull*$@# but once you are a full fledged doctor, you need to be patient and genuinely committed to the service of mankind (we won’t talk about those committed to filling their pockets only!!)
It will be a valuable asset if you are interested in studying and learning because you’ll need to constantly update your skills and knowledge due to ongoing research and its application to medical treatment. Apart from being compassionate when dealing with patients in various conditions, certain branches of medicine particularly the surgical specialties require technical skill and precision (we can’t have you messing with someone’s interiors, now can we??). 

As a doc, you’ll never be working all alone - a systematic approach, good interpersonal and conversational skills are essential for you to interact with doctors and patients at a variety of levels. Never forget that this profession requires a good deal of stamina, as it is physically demanding and strenuous. If you decide to get into private practice, your business skills (whatever little you may possess!) will come handy.

So much for physical and mental qualities - wondering about the educational ones?? Here goes - An aspiring candidate of medicine gets a bachelor’s degree qualification known as MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery). If you desire this, you should have passed your +2 or equivalent examination with Physics, Chemistry and Biology. Then you sit for the MBBS entrance examinations that are organised by medical colleges on an All-India basis or on the basis of state domicile. Once you clear this, you begin your 4 ½ years of classroom study followed by a year of rotating internship ( total - 5 ½ years...  now you know what ‘long drawn’ training means!).

You shouldn’t be satisfied with just being a graduate - super specialisation is the need of the hour. Nearly 60-70% of all MBBS graduates try for post graduate qualification rather than going in for a job or practice. This may take 2 to 3 years and the admission is on the basis of entrance examinations. However, it is during the internship that you will be able to decide your field of interests. There is a large choice for the student (the subjects studied during MBBS) - Surgery, Medicine, Microbiology, Dermatology, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Psychiatry, Paediatrics, Biochemistry, Radiology, Pathology, Physiology, Anatomy etc... After you specialise, you have the choice of super specialisation as a Neuro surgeon, Paediatric surgeon, Cardiologist and Plastic &Reconstructive surgeon. 

If you do not wish to take up the popular forms of practicing medicine (allopathy and homoeopathy), you have a choice between the Unani and Ayurvedic systems too (they have yet to catch on!)

In order to get the degree of the Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS), you have to pass your +2 or equivalent examination with Physics, Chemistry and Biology. The course is of 5 ½ years duration including internship. This is not enough - you will have to have a knowledge of Sanskrit (Class 10 standard, at least!).

The Bachelor of Unani Medicine and Surgery (BUMS) is a 5 ½ year course including internship . You will be eligible once you pass your +2 with Physics, Chemistry and Biology. You will need to know Urdu if you wish to take this up.

There are many medical colleges/ institutes in our country, which admit students on an All-India basis - here are a few of them -

• All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi
• Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC), Pune
• Christian Medical College, Vellore.
• Jawaharlal Institute of Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Pondicherry.

Remember that the colleges falling under the purview of universities run and managed by the different state governments, will admit students to the entrance examination on the basis of state domicile.

Time to indulge in a little more detail and familiarise you with what’s awaiting -
The 4 ½ years medical class room study has been broken down into 3 phases of 18 months each . These are called ‘Professionals’. Each professional is of 18 months duration and is divided into 3 semesters of 6 months each (confused already?). A test /exam called the Semester Exam is held after the end of each semester. At the end of each ‘Professional’, examinations are held called Professional I or II or final examination. The last 1 ½ years or the third Professional is devoted entirely to monthly clinical work in the wards and departments of the hospital. 

All in all there will be 3 Professional examinations, followed by practical and clinical examinations. You will have to score 50 marks in each subject - written, oral and practical. The success rate of passing MBBS in one attempt in all three professional parts is, however, 70% (and this dearies, is the optimal aggregate!!) If you are not satisfied with the Indian system, there is always the option to head West, if you so desire. You will obviously have to appear for the relevant entrance examinations conducted by the foreign countries before applying for the programmes at their medical schools and colleges.

If you are already a doctor in India, you can go for higher studies to the US at any stage, provided you have cleared the USMLE Part I and II examinations which are required for residency in the US. Postgraduates from India also begin as residents. If you wish to go ‘down under’, the Australian system permits entry for medical education only after B.Sc.

If you are even concerned about employment opportunities - lay your worries aside and pay attention. For doctors there will never be dearth of employment.
For jobs with the government, recruitment is made through the UPSC and Staff Selection Commissions of various states. Doctors find employment in municipal authorities, charitable organisations, religious and cultural missions, defense services and para military forces.

Private sector hospitals, nursing homes and colleges prove to be a very lucrative option.

India has a well-developed and rapidly growing health sector. Hence, medical specialists are in heavy demand in the private sector, public sector and govt. organisations and services and research establishments. Cost effective health care of a high international quality is the demand all over the world and India is one of the few countries equipped to offer it.
Medical practitioners reap benefits from all angles - they hold jobs, which pay them a lot of money and conveniently maintain a bustling private practice or consultancy.

If you are still not satisfied, here’s more -
Small and medium scale nursing homes, hospitals, government/ private owned medical colleges, private/ institutional/ government clinics and treatment centres at schools, colleges, public/ private sector enterprises, businesses, pharmaceutical firms and research organisations are just some of the options available for medical practitioners. 

12,000 doctors are trained annually - all for a good cause!! Every little deformity, defect, hurt, illness or disease has a special doctor. After all the health care of more than a billion people of the Indian sub continent is at stake.

Medical Search Enter Topic here: Physician Reviewed