Medicine, a noble profession, is traditionally the most sought after profession because of the prestige and remuneration it commands. The medical profession is rigorous and requires absolute commitment. Every student of medicine on graduation takes the Hippocratic (founder of the medical profession) oath on graduation, of serving sick people and healing them. In modern times this profession has seen a lot of specializations, over and above the traditional ones of medicine, surgery, dentistry, etc. Medicine has now entered the age of super-specialization. Therefore, anybody entering the profession of medicine generally ends up doing a masters and specialize in some area or the other.
Modern living, with its increasingly complicated lifestyle has spawned a variety of ailments, making it impossible for general physicians, with just an MBBS degree, to handle all ailments. It is here that specialization in a particular branch of medicine has become a necessity.
The major areas of specialization include: General medicine, anesthesiology, general surgery, pediatrics, cardiology, obstetrics and gynecology, neurology, gastroenterology, ophthalmology, ENT (Ear, Nose, and Throat) specialist, psychiatry, endocrinology, physiotherapy, and pathology among others. The doctor’s profession involves a lot of hard work and irregular hours of work while handling an emergency.
Eligibility:
The basic qualification for eligibility to the MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery) course –which is of 5 ½ years duration (including one year internship) — is 10+2 or its equivalent in the science stream. Selection for MBBS is through an all India entrance examination. After MBBS students can take admission for postgraduate level studies (MD or MS) by giving another entrance exam. The duration for master’s degree is three years. After post graduation (MD or MS or M.Sc. in medical sciences) students can go in for super-specialization or they can register for a Ph.D. After their masters, MD and MS degree holders can complete a Ph.D. in two years while M.Sc. (medicine) degree holders can complete their doctorate in three years.
Personal attributes:
This profession requires complete commitment and a strong sense of responsibility as the patients’ life is at stake. Apart from this one should have good memory recall, power of concentration, a logical and analytical mind, a willingness to learn constantly to upgrade skills and above all immense patience to handle the patients and inspire their trust.
Career prospects:
Employment opportunities are available in hospitals, nursing homes, polyclinic, health centers, medical colleges and research institutions. There is also scope for self-employment in private practice as a general practitioner.
Career options:
General medicine: Mostly doctors with an MBBS practice general medicine as family doctors.
Anesthesiologists: These specialists assist in surgery to make the surgical procedure as painless as possible.
General surgery: Is a specialisaion, which train doctors for surgery on most organs of the body.
Pediatrics: These specialists are trained to focus on the diagnosis and treatment of children’s’ disease.
Cardiology: Pertains to specialists of the heart, circulatory system, and all cardiovascular ailments.
Obstetrics and gynecology: Doctors in this discipline diagnose and treat conditions specific to the female reproductive system.
Neurology: Treats disease and disorders related to the brain and the nervous system.
Gastroenterology: Involve the treatment of diseases related to the liver, pancreas, stomach, intestine, bowels and gall bladder.
Ophthalmology: This discipline trains doctors in the treatment of disease of the eye.
ENT (ear, nose and throat): The ENT specialist treats disorders of the ear, nose, and throat.
Psychiatry: Psychiatrists specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders.
Pathology: A pathologist trains in detecting and identifying medical pathology in a patient.
Dentistry: This specialization is concerned with all ailments affecting the mouth, teeth, gums, and other hard and soft tissues of the oral cavity. Today there is lot of awareness about dental hygiene and need for healthy, strong teeth. Dental surgeons provide surgical, medical and other forms of treatment for oral and dental disorders and diseases of the oral cavity. They give treatment like filing, crowning and scaling of teeth, extracting teeth, treating gum diseases and fitting artificial replacements where necessary and surgically handling injuries or other pathologies of the oral cavity.
Eligibility :
For a graduate degree course BDS (Bachelors in Dental Surgery) the basic qualification 10+2 with physics, chemistry and biology with at least 50% marks is required for being eligible. The course is of four-year duration followed by one year of internship. For further specialization there is masters programme – MDS degree. The main areas of specialization in dentistry are orthodontics, periodontics, operative dentistry or endodontics, oral pathology etc. Selection for admission is made through an all India entrance exam conducted by the CBSE, which is common for both MBBS and BDS. Seat allocation is based on merit. The admission waiting list (up to 2000 seats) is drawn on the basis of marks obtained in the entrance exam. Also, there are private colleges, which, under the management quota, admit students on an all India basis. However, students should ensure that the Dental Council of India approves the course.
Personal attributes:
It is a very hard working profession that requires craftsmanship and skill as much as theoretical knowledge. The foremost attributes required for a good dentist is patience, stamina to work hard for long periods, good health, power of concentration, manual dexterity and accuracy. Beside these they must have a keen eye for detail, good memory recall, a strong commitment to the profession and above all immense patience while treating a patient.
Career prospects:
There are excellent employment opportunities available for dentist in dental department in hospitals, nursing homes, dental clinics and health departments as well as teaching in dental colleges. After acquiring sufficient experience one can private practice.
Remuneration:
A dentistry graduate can begin at around Rs. 6000/- per month and upwards. In private hospitals salaries range from Rs. 3500-/ to 4000/-. Postgraduate degree holders can expect to start on Rs. 7000-/ upward. Dental surgeons can earn good money through their own practice. The consultation charges could be Rs. 500/- upwards for cosmetic filing and can be as high as Rs. 40,000/- to 50,000/-depending upon the nature of the dental problem. A well-established dentist can make around Rs. 20,000/- to 100,000/- or more per month.
Homeopathy: Homeopathy is a holistic method of treating the whole person to create a healthy individual. The aim of homeopathy is to provide a rapid gentle and safe method of treatment to restore a sense of health and well being of the patient. Homeopathic remedies are aimed at stimulating and supporting the body’s healing mechanism. It is equally effective in dealing with long-term chronic ailments and acute illnesses like flu viruses, coughs and colds. There are three levels of homeopathy – first, treating the patients with a small amount of the substance causing the symptoms and thus stimulating the immune system’s natural defenses. Second, lower the dose to better the result and then third, the remedy should be unique to the particular patient at the particular time.
Eligibility:
Bachelor of Homeopathic System of Medicine and Surgery (BHMS) is a course of five and half year’s duration including one year of internship. Eligibility for admission is passing 10+2 with physics, chemistry and biology with a minimum of 50% aggregate marks. Selection is made on the basis of Common Entrance Test (CET) since homeopathic medical colleges are usually under state jurisdiction wherein the norms for admissions are laid down by the states themselves. For national level admissions, an entrance test in physics, chemistry and biology of ten plus two level is required. In master degree course in homeopathy the area of specialization are; materia medica, organon of medicine, repertory, homeopathy philosophy etc.
Personal attributes:
Homeopaths must have an interest in people, an ability to consider and interpret information and be good listeners and communicators. They must be self-motivated, posses emotional stability and be able to survive the pressures and long hours of medical education and practice.
Career prospects: Hospitals, dispensaries, and polyclinics are the typical workplace of homeopaths. In private practice the number of hours gradually increases and a successful homeopath may be asked to offer consultation at prominent medical centers. Published works, research papers and attending international conference bring about professional recognition for a homeopath. Individual homeopath graduates can set up private practice of their own. In addition they can take up teaching assignments in colleges teaching homeopathy. Another option is to join the ministry of health and family planning under the government of India or the respective state government.
Ayurvedic medicine: The term ayurveda originated from the two Sanskrit words i.e. ‘ayur,’ which means life and ‘veda’ which means knowledge. It is the oldest method of treatment, which has been practiced in India for the last five thousand years. Ayurveda is practiced by special physicians called vaidya and is known to promote positive health, natural beauty and long life. Ayurveda is basically a humoural medical system that maintains that there are three essential humours, which cause disease if they become imbalanced. These three humours being vata (wind), pitta (bile), and kapha (phlegm). Natural herbs and minerals are used for preparing medicines. Apart from herbs; purification and detoxification, dietary changes, body massages and meditation are used to promote health and prevent illness. Ayurvedic medicines are rapidly gaining acceptance all over the world, as they have no side effects.
The Central Council for Research in Indian Medicine and Homeopathy (CCRIMH) was established in 1969 by the government of India for a systematic research in ayurveda. In the year 1978, CCRIMH was split into four separate councils –one each for Ayurveda and Yoga Siddha, Unani and Naturopathy. The Central Council for Research in Ayurveda and Siddha (CCRAS), an autonomous organization formed under the ministry of health and family welfare, is engaged in research in various fundamental and applied aspects of ayurvedic medicine.
Eligibility:
If you want to make a career in ayurveda then you have to do the Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) course. The duration of the course is 5 ½ years and including one year of internship, it is 6 ½ years. Eligibility required to join BAMS is higher secondary / PUC preferably with Sanskrit or an examination equivalent there to, or intermediate (Ayurvedic group-physics, chemistry, biology and Sanskrit (which is compulsory) of any recognized university which confirms to the specification approved by the council. Minimum age of joining for BAMS course is 17 years. Some institutions also offer certificate courses or pre ayurvedic courses of one or two years. The eligibility needed for such a course is SSLC/matriculation preferably with Sanskrit.
Main entrance exam for admission to a Bachelors degree in ayurveda includes an all India pre-medical / pre-dental entrance exam conducted by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), Delhi. Candidates who have passed BAMS can apply for a postgraduate programme i.e. Doctor of Medicine in Ayurveda [M.D. (Ayu)] and Master of Surgery in Ayurveda [M.S. (Ayu)]. The duration of the course is three years. Candidates who have passed MBBS course recognized by the Medical Council of India and have completed one year internship training can also apply for postgraduate course in ayurveda. A Ph.D. in ayurveda takes a minimum of two years.
Personal attributes:
To be a successful practitioner, one must have strong power of concentration, self confidence, caring nature, good communication, a personality that inspires trust, ability to be a good listener, immense patience, and a willingness to work hard.
Career options:
A vaidya (ayurvedic practitioner) can get employment as medical officer or doctor at government and private Ayurvedic hospitals. They can also find employment as supervisors in panch karma (ayurvedic massage) / health centers, as tutors in ayurvedic colleges or do research, conduct workshops, seminars and retreats. There is also the option of starting a private practice or a pharmacy of ayurvedic medicine.
Remunertaion: In government ayurvedic hospitals salaries start from Rs. 8000-275-13500/-for BAMS graduates. Tutors in ayurveda colleges get more than Rs. 8000/- per month. In private practice the remuneration depends totally on the efforts you put in and professional reputation.
Unani medicine: The term Unani is of Greek origin and is based on Greek philosophy. Arabs introduced unani medicine in India in 1351 A.D. Unani was influenced by Islam. Unani medicine is very close to ayurveda. Both are based on the theory of the presence of elements. This therapy is based on the Hippocratic therapy of good health being equivalent to a perfect balance of the elements present, including the temperament of the patient. According to the followers of unani medicine the elements are fire, water, earth and air, in the human body. Each of these elements has its own special quality; earth is cold and dry, water is cold and moist, fire is hot and dry and air is hot and moist. Unani therapy believes in the humoural theory which presupposes the presence of the four humors i.e. Dam (blood), balgham (phlegm), safra (yellow bile), and souda (black bile) in the body. Each humour has its own temperament –blood is hot and moist, phlegm is cold and moist, yellow bile hot and dry and black bile is cold and dry. These elements are present in different fluids and their balance leads to health and imbalance leads to illness. Unani medicine treats the patient with regard to his environment. The diagnosis is a mixture of modern pathology and traditional pulse reading technique. The remedy administered is that of diet control, herbal and animal based drugs, physiotherapy and surgery. Unani medicine believes in promotion of health, prevention of disease and cure. Unani physician called ‘hakim’. They do not prescribe the strongest drug in the beginning of the treatment. He selects the drug according to the degree of variation from the normal healthy condition and observes the effect produced by the treatment. At the same time he instructs the patient to observe some restrictions in diet and lifestyle.
Eligiblity:
For unani medicine a five and half year course is conducted leading to a Bachelor of Unani Medicine and Surgery (BUMS). Those who have qualified higher secondary certificate course (10+2) with science group can get admission in BUMS course by passing the common medical entrance test which is conducted at the state and national level. A graduate BUMS qualification is necessary to be eligible for admission in PG courses for which there is a separate entrance exam. The education and training facilities in unani system of medicine are presently being monitored by the Central Council of India Medicine (CCIM), which is a statutory body.
Personal attributes:
To be a successful practitioner in unani medicine one must have strong power of concentration, self confidence, good communication, a personality that inspires trust, ability to be a good listener, caring nature, patience, and a willingness to work hard.
Career prospects:
There are so many job opportunities for those who have obtained a degree in unani system of medicine, which depends upon qualification and experience. Unani graduates can get a job in unani hospitals, states and central government dispensaries, private nursing homes, health department, unani pharmacies, in research centers as research officers, as unani hakims, and pharmacists and in the teaching profession. One can also practice unani medicine as a Tabeeb (unani physician) or consultants.
Remuneration:
Salaries of unani graduates depend totally on their qualification and experience.
