Medicine

Introduction:

Medicine is one of the most sort out and rewarding career for those interested in Science and dealing with sick people. Over the years, the field of medical studies have undergone various stages of development, it has become so vast that specialisations within are increasing day by day. There is great scope for medicine as a professional career.

A doctor's profession involves a lot of hard work and at the same time, it gives the satisfaction of curing patients at times even saving lives. It is a very demanding profession. To be in this profession is more a responsibility than a privilege. It is more of what you can give the community than what you can get from it.

The increasing complicated lifestyles giving birth to a variety of ailments have made it impossible for General Physicians with an MBBS degree to handle all ailments. It is here that specialisation in a particular branch of medicine becomes a necessity. The major Specialisations include General Medicine, General Surgery, Paediatrics, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Dermatology, Ophthalmology, Orthopaedics, ENT (Ear, Nose and Throat), Psychiatry, Anaesthesiology etc. There is also Super Specialisations which require a further 3-5 years of study in areas such as Plastic Surgery, Neurosurgery, Cardio-thoracic surgery, Conito-urinary surgery, Paediatric Surgery, Gastroenterology, Endocrinology and Clinical Haematology.

The demand for medical professionals are tremendously increasing with the unfortunate upsurge of diseases and ailments day by day. At the same time super speciality hospitals are mushrooming both within the country and abroad offering employment opportunities. These along with liberalisation of economy could bring better opportunities for these professionals in terms of remuneration, research and working facilities.

Other than Allopathy, medicine also covers different systems like Homeopathy, Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani etc.

Eligibility & Course Areas:

Educational: The basic or degree level qualification for a medical profession is MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine And Bachelor Of Surgery) which is of 5 1/2 years duration (including 1 year internship). Selection for MBBS is through an All India Entrance Examination. (Details in Entrance Details & Syllabus). The qualification required for entrance is 10+2 or equivalent with Science subjects. In the case of private medical colleges entrance examinations are conducted by the institutes individually. In addition to MBBS, candidate should complete House Surgency or internship for one year.

The course content includes anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, microbiology, pathology, pharmacology, forensic medicine, general medicine, surgery, ophthalmology, ENT (ear, nose and throat), gynaecology and obstetrics, paediatrics, orthopedics and preventive and social medicine.

After MBBS, candidates can go for post graduate level studies (MD or MS) through another entrance. At the post graduate level, there is specialisation in Medicine and Surgery. Post Graduate Programmes (MD or MS) is usually of 3 years duration. The major Specialisations include General Medicine, General Surgery, Paediatrics, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Dermatology, Ophthalmology, Orthopedics, ENT (Ear, Nose and Throat), Psychiatry, Anesthesiology etc.

Those with Post Graduation (MD or MS or M.Sc in Medicine) can further opt for super-specialisation. i.e. they can go for Ph.D in any specialised area of medicine. MD or MS holders can complete the Doctoral Programme (Ph.D) in 2 years and M.Sc Medicine holders in 3 years.

For practising as a physician or surgeon, one needs to have completed the MBBS course from a recognised medical college and must possess a license from the State Medical Council to practice

MBBS Entrance Exams:

  • AIIMS Entrance Exam
  • All India Pre-Medical / Pre-Dental Entrance Examination (AIPMT)
  • Armed Forces Medical College Exam (AFMC)
  • Banaras Hindu University Medical Entrance Examination (BHU Medical Entrance Exam)

Personality Traits:

  • Should have good memory and recollection ability, good physical health, good judgement.
  • Service mentality, stamina, patience.
  • Power of concentration, emotional stability, self confidence.
  • Logical and analytical mind, decision making ability.
  • Willingness to learn throughout their career.
  • Ability to take timely decisions, Self -motivation.
  • An amiable and sympathetic temperament.
  • Drive to work hard.
  • Above average intelligence.

A doctor is also expected to possess a strong sense of responsibility as the patient's life depends entirely on him.

In addition those who take up surgery must possess high concentration, manual and finger dexterity and stamina, and the ability to stand on their feet continuously for several hours while dealing with life and death.

Job Prospects & Career Options/Specialisations:

Some of the common areas of specialisation in Medicine and Surgery are:

General Practitioner or Physician: He diagnosis and treats the every day and sundry ailments of the human body. MBBS holders practice as physicians.

General Surgeon : Is one who specialises in surgery for all organs of the body. He can further specialise in specific areas. Duties involve examining the patient to determine the extent and nature of injury, treatment through operation and giving post operative care. Surgery is of various types Orthopaedic, Plastic, Neuro etc.

Anaesthetist or Anaesthesiologists: Administers anesthetics to a patient undergoing surgical operation according to the nature of operation. It is he who makes the surgical procedure as painless as possible. His duties involve examining the patient to determine his capacity to withstand shock of operation and anesthesia. He/she has huge responsibility and has to be present throughout the operation.

Psychiatrist: Diagnoses and treats mental disorders. Psychiatry has two major branches: The first is psychotherapy, the application of psychological techniques to the treatment of mental illnesses. This branch uses non-drug therapies and will not use physical techniques such as drugs or surgery. The second branch is psychiatry, where medical therapies are used. After diagnosing physical and behavioral symptoms, drugs and other means may be used for treatment.

Neurologist: Diagnosis and treats diseases related to brain and nervous system. They also specialise in Neuro-surgery.

Pediatrician: Treats newborn babies and children.

Ophthalmologist or Eye Specialist: Treats diseases and disorders of eyes.

Pathologist: Investigate the cause of various diseases and the possibilities for their prevention. His duties involve conducting chemical, microscopic and bacteriological test in labs and examining blood, tissues, urine etc. to find out the cause for disease.

Cardiologist: Also called as heart specialist. Treats diseases related to heart and circulatory system.

Gynaecologist-Obstetrician: Diagnosis and treats diseases and disorders of human female reproduction system. They care for pregnant women from conception through delivery.

Dermatologist: One who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of skin problems.

Orthopaedist: Deals with diseases connected to skeletal system. Orthopedics is that branch of medicine that deals with the correction of deformities and prevention of disorders in joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments, cartilage, all bones and bony tissue.

Gastroenterologist: Treats diseases related to liver, pancreas, stomach, intestine, bowels and gall bladder

Radiologist: Diagnosis diseases and disorders by studying X-ray pictures of affected parts and gives treatment such as therapeutic radiation to affected parts of the body.

ENT specialist: Treats disorders of ear, nose and throat

Tuberculosis Specialist: Treats ailments due to infection by tubercular disease

Venereologist: Treats venereal or sexual diseases.

Bacteriologist: Also called Microbiologist. Conducts research and laboratory experiments on occurrence, growth, development, control and utilization of bacteria and other micro-organisms.

Physiologist: Studies normal functioning of different organs and tissues of human body and investigates effects of physical environments such as variations in altitude, speed, temperature etc on its vital functions.

Nutritionist: Gives instructions regarding food values and utilization of foods in human body to keep it healthy and control diseases. He prescribes diet for various diseases.

Chiropodist : Also called pedicurist, treats foot diseases and abnormalities. He treats corns, blisters etc using surgical instruments.

Colleges:

  • Christian Medical College, Vellore
  • Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi
  • Armed Forces Medical College, Pune
  • Kasturba Medical College, Manipal
  • Lady Hardinge Medical College, New Delhi
  • King George’s Medical University, Lucknow
  • All India Institute of Medical Sciences(AIIMS), Ansari Nagar, Delhi
  • Madras Medical College (Chennai Medical College)
  • University College of Medical Sciences & GTB Hospital
  • B J Medical College, Ahmedabad, Gujarat


Job Prospects:

They can find employment in:

  • Government or private hospitals
  • Nursing homes/clinics/health departments
  • Medical services of the army, navy and air force, under the Ministry of Defense
  • Charitable institutions
  • Medical colleges and training institutes as teachers
  • Research institutes and medical colleges as researchers
  • Industrial sector
  • Private practice/ self employment

Challenges:

  • Long and erratic working hours
  • No or little social life
  • Have to be ready for emergency situations
  • Might take time to get establish when compared to professions like engineering and management
  • Not many facilities in rural hospitals


Remuneration:

The salary of a doctor depends on the following variables:

  • Specialisation
  • City-Tier 1,2,3,4
  • Experience

Depending on all the three factors at an entry level a doctor might earn anywhere between 3,00,000/- to 15,00,000/- p.a.

Any medical student who is an intern in a government hospital is paid around 20,000 to 30,000 in a month. Doctors who work as healthcare consultants in hospitals and health centers earn an annual income ranging from between Rs 360,000 – Rs 960,000 per annum. An average yearly salary for a general surgeon in India ranges between Rs 473,162 – Rs 616,736. Doctors working in the private sector earn much more than those working in government hospitals. A specialist doctor who works in the private sector earns up to 25-30, 00,000 per month depending on the . Some qualified doctors also work as family physicians. The average salary they earn ranges from Rs 230,000 – Rs 1,350,000 per year. The amount they earn also depends on the income of the family. Physicians working for very well-to-do families for instance, for or a celebrity family earns even more than the above mentioned amount.

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