Alternate Career Aspects Beyond MBBS: Alternative Medicine, Biotechnology and More
Growing up most of us have dreamt of working as medical professionals. Opting for NEET and pursuing MBBS seemed an obvious choice, but do you know there is more to the medical field than MBBS?
The field of biology is vast and ever so expanding. It encompasses studies like MBBS and B.Sc and newer branches like microbiology, bioinformatics, biotechnology, alternative medicine and more. If you are a student looking to explore alternate career aspects in biology apart from MBBS, this blog will be very helpful. Read on the blog to explore several career aspects and courses that allow you to pursue your dream of becoming a medical professional.
Also Read: Top 10 Medical Colleges In India
Courses Beyond MBBS
Contrary to common assumptions, studying biology in your intermediate (11 and 12) opens you with a variety of alternatives outside of the conventional and typical career of being a doctor. Although not necessarily MBBS, the following are some of the major fields in which biology students can pursue their graduation:
Alternative Medicine
Pharmaceuticals
Biotechnology
Veterinary and Animal Sciences
Paramedical sciences
Hospital and Healthcare Management
Alternative Medicine
Alternative medicine is one of the most common alternatives for students who have not opted for or could not get admission to MBBS. But what exactly is alternative medicine? Alternative medicine courses are courses that focus primarily on treatment using unconventional medical care (different from allopathy). Alternative medicine encompasses medicinal studies like homoeopathy, Unani, Ayurveda, and Naturopathy.
One can get their graduation degree from the following alternative medicine courses.
BAMS (Bachelor Of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery)
BUMS (Bachelor of Unani Medicine and Surgery)
BHMS (Bachelor of Homeopathy and Surgery)
BNYS (Bachelor of Naturopathy and Yoga Sciences)
One of the important things to note here is that to get enrolled in these colleges students must qualify for the NEET examination and have to undergo the NEET counselling process. The course duration for pursuing BAMS is of 4.5 years while its course duration of BUMS, BHMS, and BNYS is of 5.5 years.
Pharmaceuticals
The pharmaceutical industry is one of the fast-growing industries in the world. The rapid acceleration of this industry is largely seen amidst the Covid-19 pandemic. This industry deals with the development, marketing and distribution of drugs. The research and development sector primarily deals with the discovery of new drugs. There are many graduation courses available for students who wish to pursue the industry. Also, students are not required to have qualified NEET to pursue their graduation.
The following are some of the top courses students can pursue:
Bachelor of Pharmacy a
B.Pharm. in Pharmaceutical Chemistry
Pharmaceutics
Pharmacognosy
Pharmacology
The duration of these courses is generally 4 years.
Biotechnology
Biotechnology is one of the emerging multidisciplinary fields in India. Biotechnology primarily deals with the application of complex biological principles on an industrial scale. It encompasses a vast range of career prospects and specializations. Genetic Engineering, Biochemical Engineering, Bioprocess Engineering, Nanotechnology, Environment Technology, Molecular & Cellular Engineering, Industrial Microbiology, Computational Biology, Proteomics, Genomics and Bioinformatics are some of the disciplines of Biotechnology.
Students can pursue engineering in Biotechnology. Like any other engineering course it is also a four-year course.
Veterinary and Animal Sciences
Veterinary and Animal Sciences deal with the medical study and treatment of animals. Veterinarians have many areas of expertise, such as animal surgery, medications, and diagnostic testing. To work as a veterinarian, one must have a B.V.Sc degree. However, it is important to note that students must have a NEET qualification. Animal lovers can choose this stream and have a fulfilling career if they have an affinity for animal welfare.
The importance of this field of biology has increased with the global discovery of novel virus and disease strains since it deals with stopping the spread of sickness from one species to another. The field of veterinary science enjoys a solid reputation on a global scale.
Paramedical Sciences
When we hear of paramedical sciences we quickly think of nursing. While nursing is the most popular paramedic profession, paramedical sciences include the following:
Bachelors of Radiation Technology
Physiotherapy
Occupational Therapy
Nursing
Dialysis Therapy
Medical Lab Technology
Optometry
X-Ray Technology
Nuclear Medicine Technology
Operation Theatre Technology,
Medical Record Technology
Medical Imaging Technology
Anesthesia Technology and more
A paramedical program is a medical education programme that is tailored to a certain occupational function. These highly specialized courses equip students for dealing with medical emergencies in the actual world. The significance of specialized medical courses has been realized due to the need for skilled paramedics in the medical field.
Paramedicine is one of the cost-effective and reasonable paths to a career in medicine compared to a traditional MBBS degree. This career-focused education provides a wide range of work prospects. A paramedical sciences undergraduate programme would last three to four years.
Hospital and Healthcare Management
Although it has little to do with the actual application of biological sciences, it is one of the most career-oriented courses. Also, specialisation in hospital and healthcare management courses is available for the post-graduate program. A master's degree in hospital management or healthcare management is currently one of the most in-demand programs. Typically, the course lasts four years.
While graduates of these programmes may not directly contribute to patient care, they are actively engaged in managing the healthcare system in large medical organisations. With their participation, communication between the various departments in hospitals is typically better coordinated and more effective.
The options mentioned above are only a few of the numerous that students can choose from in addition to NEET. In addition to this, students have the option of enrolling in B.Sc. zoology, botany, microbiology, and life sciences courses. Students are always urged to pursue their interests and goals when choosing a subject of study rather than going with the flow.
We hope this blog helps you to get a better understanding of your career prospects!
