A recent study by KPMG India, shows that in India there are only 6 doctors for every 10,000 people. This is a remarkably low number and the country needs well educated and energetic healthcare professionals. If one has fondness for subjects like Biology, Physics and Chemistry, the medical field is an ideal career. Not only is medicine and surgery a lucrative career choice, it also brings along a position of reverence in the society. To become a doctor, one needs to first graduate with an M.B.B.S. (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery) degree. Students can also study Dental Medicine (Bachelors in Dental Studies or B.D.S.), Homeopathic Medicine, Unani Medicine, Ayurvedic Medicine or Siddha Medicine. Other career courses in the medical field include optometry, anaesthetics, nursing, physiotherapy, radiology, pathology, veterinary, paramedical, prosthetics and radio isotope techniques.
Courses in Medical Field
Apart from the contemporary 4 and a half year M.B.B.S. course, there are a range of career courses in the medical field. The popular courses include:
| Name of Course | Course level |
|---|---|
| Radiation Medicine | Post Graduation |
| Nursing | 10+2/ Graduation |
| Psychiatry | Post Graduation |
| Ophthalmology | Post Graduation |
| Optometry | Graduation |
| Vitreo-Retinal Surgery | Post Graduation |
| Nuclear Medicine | Post Graduation |
| Prosthetics and Orthotics | Graduation |
| Physiotherapy | Graduation |
| Homeopathy | 10+2/ Graduation |
| Hearing, Language and Speech | Graduation |
| Hospital Administration | Post Graduation |
| Dentistry | Graduation |
| Mobility Science | Graduation |
| Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation | Graduation |
| Nutrition | 10+2/ Graduation |
| Forensic Physiology and Sciences | Graduation |
| Immunology | Graduation |
| Sports Medicine | Post Graduation |
Eligibility Criteria for Medical Courses
Courses like radiation medicine, ophthalmology, vitreo-retinal surgery, physical medicine, sports medicine and psychiatry require an M.B.B.S. degree. In order to study M.B.B.S., a student needs to have the following eligibility criteria:
- Must be at least 17 years of age
- Must have passed 12th standard board exam with at least 50% marks
- Subjects in the plus 2 must be Biology, Chemistry, Physics and English
Also note that not all courses require the same eligibility.
- A career in nutrition will require the student to study home science in the under graduate level
- A career in nursing will require a student to study science in the plus 2 level.
Various colleges require a different eligibility criterion. Along with the same, a student might need to attain a good score in the admission test that is recognized by the college of choice.
Top Medical Colleges in India
Among the 335 medical colleges in the country, selecting a better college to study is important for every aspirant. Here are the top colleges for each specific medical field:
| Name of colleges | Location | Courses Offered | Entrance Exam |
|---|---|---|---|
| All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) | New Delhi | Undergraduate: MBBS, B.Sc Nursing (Post Certificate), B.Sc. (Hons) Nursing, B.Sc (Hons) Ophthalmic Techniques, B.Sc (Hons) Medical Technology |
Post Graduate: M.D., M.S., M.D.S., M.Ch.
Doctoral: DMUndergraduate: AIIMS Entrance Test (for MBBS), Competitive Entrance Test (Nursing)
Post Graduate: Entrance Test for MD/MSMaulana Azad Medical CollegeNew DelhiUndergraduate: MBBS, BDS,
Post Graduate: M.D., M.S., Post Graduate Diploma in Geriartic Medicine, PGD in Maternity and Child Health
Post Doctoral: D.M., M.Ch.Undergraduate: Delhi University Medical Entrance Test (DUMET)
Post Graduate: All India PG Entrance Test/PG Entrance Exam conducted by the University of Delhi.
Post Doctoral: Entrance Exam conducted by the University of DelhiUniversity College of Medical Science and Research CentreNew DelhiUndergraduate: M.B.B.S., B.Sc. Radiography
Post graduate: M.D., M.D.S.
Doctoral: D.N.B.Undergraduate: DUMET, AIPMT
Post Graduate: DUPGMET, AIPGEEHomeopathic Medical College and HospitalChandigarhUndergraduate: Bachelor of Homoeopathic Medicine & Surgery (B.H.M.S.)Undergraduate: Common entrance testNational Institute of HomeopathyCalcuttaUndergraduate: BHMS
Post Graduate: Doctor of Medicine in Homoeopathy (M.D. (Hom))Undergraduate: All India Written Competitive Test
Post Graduate: All India Admission Test conducted by the West Bengal University of Health SciencesNehru Homeopathic Medical CollegeNew DelhiUndergraduate: BHMS
Post Graduate: MD (Hom)Undergraduate and Post Graduate: Entrance Test conducted by University of DelhiChoithram College Of NursingIndoreUndergraduate: B.Sc. Nursing
Post Graduate: M.Sc. NursingUndergraduate and Post Graduate: Selection Test conducted by Devi Ahilya Vishwa Vidyalaya – IndoreGovernment College of NursingHyderabadUndergraduate: B.Sc.(Nursing) (2 years), B.Sc.(Nursing) (4 years)
Post Graduate: M.Sc.(Nursing)
Doctoral: Ph.D.Undergraduate & Post Graduate: Entrance Test conducted by the collegeRajiv Gandhi College of Veterinary & Animal SciencesPondicherryUndergraduate: B.V.Sc. & A.H.
Post Graduate: M.V.Sc.Undergraduate: All India Pre-Veterinary Test (AIPVT)
Post Graduation: Entrance Examination conducted by RAGACOVAS, PuducherryAll India Institute of Physical Medicine and RehabilitationMumbaiUndergraduate: Bachelor of Prosthetic and Orthotics, Diploma in Hearing Language and Speech (DHLS)
Post Graduate: MD (Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation), DNB (Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation), Master of Physiotherapy, Master of Occupational Therapy, Master of Prosthetics and OrthoticsUndergraduate and Post Graduate: Entrance test conducted by Maharashtra University of Health Sciences, NasikAli Yavar Jung National Institute of Hearing HandicappedMumbaiDoctoral: Ph.D. Audiology and Speech Language Pathology Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Institute for the Physically HandicappedNew DelhiUndergraduate: Bachelor of Physical Therapy (BPT), Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (BOT), Bachelor of Prosthetics & Orthotics (BPO)Undergraduate: Common entrance test conducted by University of DelhiNational Institute of CriminologyNew DelhiPost Graduate: PG Diploma in Forensic Science, M.Sc. Criminology, M.Sc. in Forensic SciencePost Graduate: Admission test conducted by the Delhi UniversityAmar Jyoti Institute of PhysiotherapyDelhiUndergraduate: B.Sc. (Hons) Physical TherapyUndergraduate: Entrance test conducted by the Delhi UniversityDr. B. R. Ambedkar Medical CollegeBangaloreUndergraduate: MBBS, BPT, B.Sc (Medical Lab Technology), B.Sc (Radiography)
Post Graduate: MD, PG Diploma coursesUndergraduate: Karnataka CETFlorence College of PhysiotherapyBangaloreUndergraduate: Bachelor of Physiotherapy
Post Graduate: Master of PhysiotherapySelection based on meritThe Institute of Health Management & Research (IHMR)JaipurPost Graduate: PGD in Hospital Management
Doctoral: Fellowship Program in Hospital ManagementPost Graduate: Management Aptitude Test (MAT)Apollo Institute of Hospital AdministrationHyderabadPost Graduate: Master In Hospital ManagementPost Graduate: Management Aptitude Test (MAT)Army College of Dental SciencesSecunderabadUndergraduate: Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS)Undergraduate: Combined Written Admission Test (C-WAT) conducted by ACDS, EAMCET (Engineering, Agriculture and Medical Common Entrance Test)Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Institute of Dental Sciences and HospitalPatnaUndergraduate: BDS
Post Graduate: MDSUndergraduate: Combined Entrance Test conducted by Bihar Minority Dental Colleges Association
Post Graduate: Based on merit
Medical Entrance Examinations
Medical entrance tests are the tickets for entry into a medical college for students. Depending on the career one chooses, its corresponding test will need to be taken. Medical entrance examinations in India that students can consider taking are:
| Exam Level | Name of exam | Conducting Body | Month of Issue of Forms | Exam Month | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate | AIPMT (All India Pre-Medical/Pre-Dental Test) | Central Board of Secondary Education | December | April (Prelims) and May (Mains) | |||||
| AIIMS (All India Institute of Medical Science Entrance Test) | AIIMS | February | June | ||||||
| JIPMER (Jawaharlal Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research) Medical Entrance Test | JIPMER | March | June | ||||||
| Christian Medical College Entrance Exam | CMC Vellore | March | May | ||||||
| Banaras Hindu University Pre-Medical Test (BHU-PMT) | BHU | January | May (Prelims) and June (Mains) | ||||||
| Manipal University Admissions Test for Undergraduate Studies | Manipal University | February | Dates between April and May | ||||||
| Post Graduate Level | AIPGEE (All India Post Graduate Medical Entrance Examination) | AIIMS | December | January | |||||
| DUPGMET (Delhi University Post Graduate Medical Entrance Test) | Delhi University | December | February | ||||||
Note: The Medical Council of India will be conducting a common entrance test from year 2013, replacing the present system of individual state level or individual university or college conducted exams, for entry into almost all medical colleges in the country, except AIIMS. This will help students as they will need to take lesser number of entrance exams from next year onwards.
How to Prepare for a Medical Entrance Examination
With only 40,525 seats (as of year 2011) up for grabs, students need to prepare hard to crack a medical entrance test. The basic thumb rule for medical entrance preparation is smart, time based and extensive study of the subjects – Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Students can take tuitions from coaching centers such as Brilliant Tutorials, Aakash Institute, MediTech, Allen Career Institute-Kota, Elite Academy and Dr. Bhatia Medical Coaching Institute in New Delhi. Solving previous years’ test papers help immensely. Several test papers and guidebooks are available in book stores that students can take help from. Recommended medical entrance exam preparation books are:
- NCERT Books (Class XI and XII) for Physics, Chemistry and Biology
- Biology: Pradeep’s Biology by S.C. Verma (Part-1 and 2)
- Trueman’s Objective Biology Vol. I & II for Medical Entrance Examination by J.P. Goyal
- Dinesh Objective Biology
- Universal Self Scorer Biology for AIPMT, AIIMS, AFMC & Various Medical Entrance Exams by Universal Publishers
- Chemistry: Organic Chemistry by Morrision & Boyd
- Physical Chemistry by Peter Atkins & Julio de Paula
- Modern ABC of Textbook Chemistry Vol. I & II For Class 12 by Dr. S. P. Jauhar
- Arihant: An Objective Approach to Organic Chemistry by Dr. R.K. Gupta
- Dinesh Objective Chemistry
- C.B.S.E. P.M.T. (Vol. I, II and III) by Anil Aggarwal
- Concepts of Physics (Part 1 and 2) by H.C. Verma
- Oswaal 10 Mock test Papers for AIIMS Delhi (Medical)
Career Prospects for Medical Professionals
There is a huge potential in India for a professional in the medical field. Employment opportunities are in abundance for specialty doctors, surgeons and other healthcare practitioners. Along with such doctors, hospitals also employ medical technicians such as radiologists, pathologists, pharmacists, clinical laboratory technicians, nutritionists, scanning equipments operators, optometrists and physiotherapists. In fact, the healthcare chain group, Apollo has announced that they will be investing about Rs. 1,400 Crores in building more hospitals and increasing the number of beds in the existing ones (news published in April 2011). Such a large number of employment opportunities can only be fulfilled by well trained medical graduates and post graduates.
Apart from the hospitals, medical professionals can also have their own private practice. There are wide options in research as well.