Careers In Medicine Part-1

Programs in medicine prepare people to work as medical doctors. Students learn about the health needs of the human body. They learn how to diagnose and treat diseases and disorders. They also learn to counsel and instruct patients. Doctors may prepare for work in general practice or they may choose to specialize. To specialize, they choose a medical residency program other than general or family practice.

Surgeons perform surgery to diagnose and treat patients. Surgery is used to remove or repair damage to the body from injury or disease. For example, surgeons repair organs, blood vessels, and other parts of the body. Sometimes they perform operations to determine the location and extent of disorders such as cancer. Surgeons who work in emergency rooms treat people who are seriously injured in accidents. Cosmetic surgeons perform surgery on patients to change their appearance.

Pediatricians diagnose and treat the medical problems of infants and children. Pediatricians examine babies when they are born. They continue to monitor growth and development throughout a child's life. They also give shots and prescribe other preventive health measures. They instruct parents in caring for children who are sick or injured.

Psychiatrists diagnose and treat people who have mental illnesses. Psychiatrists help patients deal with mental illnesses such as substance abuse, anxiety disorders, or depression. Some mental illnesses have a biological cause, such as a lack of the proper chemicals in the brain. Other mental illnesses are caused by an event, such as the death of a loved one. Psychiatrists differ from psychologists and doctors because they have both medical and psychological training. Thus, they can prescribe drugs when necessary, but also know how to counsel patients. Psychiatry as a treatment option is no longer associated with social stigma. Everyday it is becoming more and more acceptable to go to a psychiatrist with stress and lifestyle related problems. There are number of institute of Psychiatrist that provide this course

Cardiologists deal mainly with the heart and blood circulation and are responsible for diagnosing and treating various forms of heart disease and outlining preventative measures that patients can take to avoid future heart problems.

Neurologists specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of all types of disease or impaired function of the brain, spinal cord, peripheral nerves, muscles, and autonomic nervous system, as well as the blood vessels that relate to these structures. Apart from Neurology course nursing course is also in great demand.

• Job prospects:
  • In Government or private hospitals like AIIMS, Safdarjung Hospital, Apollo Hospital and Escorts Heart Institute
  • In Nursing homes/clinics/health departments like CGHS dispensaries, Escorts, Apollo Clinics, Max Healthcare etc
  • In medical services of the army, navy and air force, under the Ministry of Defense
  • In charitable institutions
  • In medical colleges and training institutes as teachers 
  • In research institutes and medical colleges as researchers
  • In the industrial sector as medical researchers
  • Private practice/ self employment

• The Job:

Surgeons

• Meet with patients to gather background information.
• Examine patients to find the location of the health problem.
• Order lab tests to help make a diagnosis.
• Refer patients to other health care professionals as needed.
• Recommend surgical procedures to patients.
• Operate on patients.
• Assign tasks to members of the operating team.
• Monitor patients' health after surgery.
• Keep detailed records on patients.
• May do research and write articles for journals.
• May teach in medical schools.
• Take classes to update skills.
• Meet with patients and parents to gather background information.
• Order lab tests to help make diagnoses.
• Analyze data and make diagnoses.
• Consult with other physicians.
• Recommend treatment and discuss with patients and families.
• Refer patients to health care specialists when needed.
• Monitor patients' health and re-evaluate treatment.
• Counsel parents on preventive health measures such as diet and exercise.
• Counsel family members about patients' condition.
• Keep detailed records on patients' health.
• Assign tasks to nurses and other health workers.
• Establish and maintain relationships.
• Assist and care for others.
• Analyze data or information.
• Make decisions and solve problems.
• Document and record information.
• Convince others to change their minds or actions.
• Resolve conflicts and negotiate with others.
• Teach others. Provide a service to patients.
• Deal with patients and their families.
• Persuade patients to follow their treatment plans.
• Have a medium level of social interaction.
• They work closely with patients and other health care providers.
• They also spend time alone reviewing files.
• Sometimes deal with patients who are unpleasant or angry.
• Sometimes are in conflict situations with patients.
• Are responsible for the health and safety of patients and the public.
• Meet with patients to gather background information.
• Examine patients to find the location of the health problem.
• Order lab tests to help make a diagnosis.
• Refer patients to other health care professionals as needed.
• Recommend surgical procedures to patients.
• Make sure operating room and equipment are sterile.
• Operate on patients.
• Assign tasks to members of the operating team.
• Monitor patients' health after surgery.
• Make decisions and solve problems.
• Deal with patients and their families.
• Persuade patients to follow their treatment plans.
• Refer patients to health care specialists when needed.
• Monitor patients' health and re-evaluate treatment.
• Counsel family members about patients' condition.
• Keep detailed records on patients' health.
• Assign tasks to nurses and other health workers.
• Personality Traits:
  • Motivate, develop, and direct people as they work.
  • Friendly, team spirited with a desire to do things for others.
  • Manage the time of self and others.
  • Go back and forth between two or more activities or sources of information without becoming confused.
  • Operate and control equipment.
  • To take life changing decisions.
  • Able to work long hours in physically and mentally exhausting situations.
  • To be a sympathetic listener and excellent with expression of ideas and thoughts.
  • Absolutely love children and handle them with tenderness.
  • Have a high level of social interaction with other Pediatricians.
  • Work closely with children, families, and other health care workers.
  • Be on-call which means available to work on short notice to handle emergencies.

Pediatricians

Psychiatrist

• Be a sympathetic and non judgmental person.
• Yet be able to isolate one from other peoples’ problems.
• Use reasoning to discover answers to problems.
• Understand new information or materials by studying and working with them.
• Combine several pieces of information and draw conclusions with People
• Have acute understanding of others’ reactions and the underlying causes.
• Looks for ways to help people
• Like to use several methods to learn or teach new things

Cardiologist

• Work closely with children, families, and other health care workers.
• Be on-call which means available to work on short notice to handle emergencies.
• Use reasoning to discover answers to problems
• Understand new information or materials by studying and working with them.
• Like to use several methods to learn or teach new things
• Operate and control equipment.
• To take life changing decisions.
• Able to work long hours in physically and mentally exhausting situations
• Motivate, develop, and direct people as they work.
• Friendly, team spirited with a desire to do things for others.
• Manage the time of self and others.
• Like to use several methods to learn or teach new things Operate and control equipment.
• To take life changing decisions.
• Able to work long hours in physically and mentally exhausting situations
• Salary and Earnings:

As a resident Doctor for an 8 hour shift you can earn anything between Rs 20,000 – Rs 30,000 per month as starting salary with perks. In a Private hospital the salary may be the same, but the perks are missing. Also as you specialize along the line you can start a private practice, take up consultations, teaching, etc. In each case your earnings can range from Rs 150-1500 per consultation depending on where you consult, what your specialization is and how much work you would like to take on. So you can expect a salary range which is very wide, from Rs 50,000 – Rs 10 lacs per month. Specialising abroad increases the market value considerably and so does the institution you may be affiliated with. 

The details about study routes and top colleges will be continued in next part of this article.