CAREER IN MEDICINE

Madicine as a profession is more of a responsibility than a privilege. In fact, it is more of what you can give the community than what you get from it.

Today, with the proliferation of bealth bazards all around the globe, doctors have come to be seen by every society as the apostles of bealth security and vanguards of future growth. So, it is very important that they resist the alluring considerations of befty pay and perks and dedicate themselves to this noble profession. If you wish to serve mankind and are ready to put in bard work and long bours attending to the sick, suffering and the infirm, without a thought of flowery designations, perks or a scintillating social life, then a whole world of medical opportunities awaits to welcome you.

Medicine is one of the most rewarding careers for those who are interested in dealing with sick people and helping then to live again in its full colors. For several decades, Medicine has been a career that almost every one wants to get into. The simple reason behind the interest in this filed is that a doctor is revered by humanity as a savior or 'life giver'- almost next to God. Over the years, Medicine as a career has undergone various stages of development and has become so vast that specializations within are increasing day by day. Two factors have given a fresh boost to bright career prospects and opportunities in the medical profession. These are :
(1) emergence of healthcare as a major concern in all nations, irrespective of their global developmental status; and (2) the spate of unprecedented scientific technological developments in the filed of medical science and research.

The profession has wide scope for expansion in the country taking into account the abysmally poor sate of affairs in healthcare sector with only six doctors and barely 10 beds for a populace of 10,000. Further, both in the public and private sectors, a large number of hospitals/nursing homes, etc., are being opened to cater to the healthcare of a burgeoning population.

The increasingly extravagant and complicated life styles give way to a variety of ailments. All this has made the need of specialization felt. Specialization in a particular branch of Medicine has become a necessity. The major specializations comprise General Medicine, General Surgery, Dermatology, Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ophthalmology, Orthopedics, ENT (Ear, Nose and Throat), Psychiatry, Anesthesiology, etc, The more advanced specializations include plastic surgery, neurosurgery, cardio - thoracic surgery, gastroenterology, endocrinology and clinical hematology.

Medical profession is essentially about the healthcare of patients. There are several crucial tasks, which medical practitioners, working in hospital and clinics, have to perform. Some of these can be summed up as follows:

1) Take into account the medical history of specific cases of illness or problems mentioned by he patient together with information regarding his/her previous illnesses and any illnesses of relatives.

2) Keep the patient under close vigil in course of treatment, conduct regular checkups and examine the patient's physical status using clinical skills and order or perform laboratory tests, X-rays and other diagnostic procedures; assess the findings and make a diagnosis.

3) Recommend suitable treatment of the patient, which may involve recommendations on life - style changes, prescribing medicine or giving medication, vaccinating against infections or contagious diseases, or in the case of injuries or otherwise closing wounds, removing foreign bodies or setting broken limbs.

4) Give counseling to patients on diet, exercise, a avoidance of detrimental habits such as moking and consumption of alcohol, and overall health maintenance.

To enter the Medical profession, one has to complete the 5 1/2-year MBBS in Allopath course.

10+2 Pass students, ambitious to enter this profession, must have Physics, Chemistry & Biology at the Senior Secondary level.

To get a degree in Beds - Bachelor of Dental Surgery, the candidate should have completed 10+2 with Science. The selection in the course is done through Entrance Examination.

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) conducts All India Entrance Examination for admission to MBBS/Dental Course for 15% f the total seats for these these courses in all Medical/Dental Colleges run by Union Government/ State Governments, Municipal or other local authorities in India except the State of Andhra Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir.

The All entrance Per - Medical / Pre - Dental Entrance Exam is held in two sage - preliminary in April and final in May, every years. India national completing 17 years of age on or before 31st December of the year of admission are eligible to appear in the competitive entrance test.

Since the last date of submission of application is November and the 10+2 exam conducted by CBSE is held in March, 10+2 candidates, desirous of taking up Medicine as profession, can apply provisionally, subject to fulfilling the conditions later.

After the MBBS course, which is offered by various colleges and institutes in different State, one can go in for specialization in Anatomy, Anesthesiology, Biophysics, Biochemistry, Cardiology, Dermatology/Dendrology, Endocrinology, Neurology, Nuclear Medicine, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Surgery including Neuron Surgery, Urology and so on. The All India PMT has 1654 seats under all- India merit quota at 96 medical colleges.

Besides CBSE, there are various colleges and institutes which offer admission to medical course on all India basis by conducting entrance test. Many medical colleges run by trusts/privately managed bodies in various States have provision for 50 percent open payment seats.

All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi

This is the only medical college for women in Aisa. But, it also admits men to PGprogrammes. This college undertakes MBBS, Nursing, MD/MS and other diploma course. Apart of the University of Delhi, its associated infirmaries are S. Sucheta Kriplani Hopital and Kalawati Saran Children's Hospital.
Total Seats : 130

Set up in 1959 in New Delhi, MAMC yuns an MBBS as well as aBDS programme. MAMC has three hosptials attached to it - LNJP, GB Pant and Guru Nanak Eye Center. It is affiliated to the University of Delhi.
Total seats : 180 (MBBS)
: 40 (BDS)

Established in 1845 and affiliated to Maharashtra University of Health Sciences, it has attached infirmaries like the Sir JJ groups of hospital in the country.
total seats: 200

This too, under the University of Delhi was formed in 1971. UCMS runs MBBS, MD, MS, Ph.D, Diploma in Nursing and other paramedical course. Its attached hospital include Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital.
Total seats : 100

Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, under the aegis of AMU, runs MBBS,BDS, MD, MS, diploma and PG Programmes. Admissions are provided after conducting a Combined Admission Text.
Total seats : 150 (MBBS)
40 (BDS)

This institute, run by the Health and Family Welfare, Ministry of the Central Government, is affiliated to Pondicherry University. JIPMER provides undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral programmes in medicine, surgery, paramedical courses.
Total seats : 75

CMC is a well-known Institute for Medical Studies. The MBBS course is conducted in three stages. After completing this course, there are some classes on communications and ethics.
Totasl seats : 60

A doctor running a private clinic or hospital earns handsome amount of money but a lot depends on his/her popularity. The doctors working in government hospital are well paid. The doctors working in private hospitals get a beginning salary between 10,000 - 15,000.

The demand for the Medical professionals is increasing with the unfortunate upsurge of diseases and aliments. At the same time, super specialty hospitals are booming both within the country and abroad offering excellent job opportunities.
The job opportunities in medicine include employment in government hospitals, private in government hospital, private hospital, defense services, charitable institutions, nursing, homes, research and health centers, medical colleges, etc. There is also scope for one's own practice by opening private clinics and being visiting specialists at Medical Colleges.
Apart from being a general physician who diagnoses and treats the everyday and sundry ailments of the human body, there re several other areas of specialization. Few of them include.

A surgeon specializes in surgery for all organs of the body. A surgeon can further specialize in specific areas. The job of a surgeon comprises examining the patient to determine the extent and nature of injury, treatment through operation and providing post operative care.

Dentistry is the branch of Medicine which deals with medical or surgical treatment of diseases and disorders related to teeth, gums and soft tissues of mouth.

A psychiatrist diagnoses and treats mental disorders Psychiatry is further done in two ways - the first one being psychiatrist involves the application of psychiatrist techniques to the treatment of mental illnesses. Here, the non - drug therapies are used. In the second way it is done with the help of medical therapies. After diagnosing physical and behavioral symptoms, drugs, etc., are used for treatment.

A neurologist's works include diagnosing and nervous system.

The job of a pathologist is to investigate the causes of various diseases and the possibilities for thier prevention. He is supposed to conduct chemical, microscopic and bacteriological tests in laboratories and examine blood, tissues, urine, etc., to find out the casue of disease.

Popularly known as a heat specialist, a cardiologist basically treats diseases and disorders related to heart and circulatory system.

An Ophthalmologist, also called an eye specialist, treats diseases and disorders of eyes.

A gynecologist's job includes the diagnosis and treatment of diseases and disorders of human female reproductive system. The pregnant women from conception to delivery are aso kept under the supervision of a gynecologist obstetrician.

Skin problems are diagnosed and treated by dermatologists.

The diseases related to the skeleton system are treated by orthopedist deals with the correction of disorders in joints, musckes, tendons, ligaments, cartilages, bones and bony tissues.

One of the most technically advanced specialisation, Radiology, helps in the diagnosis of diseases and disorders by studying X - ray pictures of affected parts and by providing treatment such as therapeutic radiation to affected parts of the body.

An ENT specialist treats the disorders of ear, nose anad throat.

A venereologist undertakes the treatment of veneral or sesual diseases.

Popularly known as pedicurist, a chiropodist treats foot diseases and abnormalities. With the help of various surgical instruments, he treats corns, blisters, etc.

A physiologist studies the normal functioning of different organs and tissues of human body and looks into the effects of physical environments such as altitude, speed, temperature, etc., on its vital functon.

Popularly known as a microbiologist, he conducts research and laboratory experiments on occurrence, growth, development, control and utilisatio of bacteriaa and other micro - organisms.

A nutritionist gives instructions regarding food values and utilisation of food in human body to keep it healthy and disease - free. his job is to prescribe diet for various diseases.