The medical sector boasts of being one of the most diverse and expansive industries with numerous career opportunities. However, the plethora of choices also makes it quite confusing for medical aspirants to decide which specialization branch or career option is the best fit for them.
The medical profession is highly in demand and the market is expected to reach US$ 349.1 billion by FY22 (Source). It is considered one of the most reputable and demanded professions.
There are various job roles and career opportunities available in the field of the medical profession. It improves the quality of life in the medical industry. The field is demanded in almost every industry. The professionals can make a successful career for themselves in any part of the world provided they have apt skill sets and invest time in gaining more knowledge and experience.
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There are various courses in medical field one can pursue depending on their goals and aims. Some of those are mentioned below in the article.
If you are a medical aspirant facing this dilemma, worry not, for we’ve created a list of the top career options in the medical sector. Stick with us till the end and hopefully, you’ll be able to make an informed decision!
Best Career Options in Medical
1. Infection Control
Infection control, as the name suggests, focuses on preventing healthcare-associated infections. In simple terms, it aims to stop the spread of an infection in a healthcare setting. Since the pandemic, the demand for infection control professionals has increased considerably.
Infection control allows a healthcare organization to provide a safe environment to everyone and mitigate the potential spread of any disease. The recent measures of wearing a mask and using sanitizers are a part of global infection control measures. The pandemic has made infection control an in-demand career option in the medical sector.
Some of the skills required from an infection control practitioner are mentioned below-
- Medical Education
- Data management
- Analytical
- Critical thinking
- Safety control
- Preventive measure
- Strategy creation
Salary
The average salary of an infection control nurse in India is INR 3 lakh per annum. However, with experience and skills, the pay in this field can go up to INR 10 lakh per annum. The high demand for infection control professionals ensures that they earn hefty salary packages along with other compensations.
Qualifications
You must have a certification in infection control to pursue a career in this field. Below are three excellent certification courses for those who want to become infection control experts:
- PG Certificate Infection Control
This certification helps you understand how pathogens transmit from one place to another and spread infection. It will also help you understand how to stop their transmission. The course lasts for eight months and doesn’t include any exams.
- PG Diploma Infection Control
This diploma course will help you understand public health, microbiology, and communicable diseases. It lasts for 16 months and is a detailed program for those who want to enter this field.
- MSc Infection Control
This is a 2-year master’s degree course on infection control that’s delivered 100% online. After its completion, you’d have detailed knowledge of how outbreaks start and what preventive measures you can take for them. You get to network with fellow students and professionals during this course too.
All of these programs let you discuss subjects in your field through live Q&A sessions. Moreover, you get to work on written assignments and presentations that help you expand your knowledge.
With a certification in infection control, you’ll be eligible to pursue different roles in this domain like infection control officer, infection control nurse, infection control practitioner, etc.
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2. Healthcare Management
If you have a knack for organization and management but want to enter the medical sector, then healthcare management would be the right field for you. Healthcare management, also known as health administration focuses on leadership, administration, and management of healthcare systems, hospital networks, public health organizations in all sectors.
The primary objective of a healthcare manager is to create a suitable work environment for healthcare professionals so they can treat the patients efficiently and effectively. As a healthcare administrator, you’d have to manage the enterprise’s resources, provide patient-focused services, maintain workplace diversity, and ensure the environment facilitates productivity and reduces stress.
Healthcare managers focus on conducting recruitment and overseeing the day-to-day operations of their enterprise. They also develop business strategies to enhance the growth of their hospital. Healthcare management is undoubtedly one of the best career options in the medical field.
Some of the skills required from a healthcare manager are mentioned below-
- Industry knowledge
- Management skills/People management
- Leadership skills
- Data management
- Team building
- Analytical
- Communication
- Written
- Research
- Problem- Solving
- Decision- making
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Salary
The average salary of a healthcare manager in India is INR ₹508,682 lakh per annum. Beginners in this field can earn around INR 2.95 lakh per year while experienced professionals with sufficient skills may earn around INR 8.14 lakh per year.
Qualifications
Healthcare management is a complex and challenging field that demands in-depth knowledge of both medical concepts and terminologies and management expertise.
Here are a few top healthcare management courses for you to consider:
- Certificate of Higher Education Healthcare Management
This course lasts only for 16 months and makes you familiar with all the fundamental concepts of healthcare management.
- BSc (Hons) Healthcare Management
Through this program, you can get a bachelor’s degree in healthcare management and enter the industry as a skilled professional. You’ll get to study the societal responsibilities, sustainability, policies in the healthcare sector.
- PG Certificate International Healthcare Management
You get individualized attention as every classroom can only have 20 students at max. The program doesn’t require you to crack any exams as you’ll be assessed through your coursework.
- PG Diploma International Healthcare Management
You get module tutors in this program who help you resolve your doubts. Moreover, you have optional modules that help you customize your studies according to your interests.
- MSc International Healthcare Management
You get taught by industry experts and get to customize your learning experience by choosing specific modules according to your goals. The course teaches you the necessary skills to identify industry challenges and tackle them.
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3. Pharmacy
Pharmacy is the clinical health science connecting chemistry with medical sciences. It focuses on discovering, producing, disposing of, using, and controlling drugs and medications effectively. As a pharmacist, you’d be responsible for researching the development of new medicine and ensuring that it gets manufactured safely. Alternatively, you might be responsible for dispensing prescriptions for people.
Some of the skills required from a pharmacist are mentioned below-
- Medical knowledge
- Accuracy
- Testing
- Data management
- Proofreading
- Written and verbal communication
- Management skills
- Doubt- resolution
- People handling
Salary
The average pay of a pharmacist in India is INR 278,146 lakh per annum. As a beginner, you can expect to make around INR 1.2 lakh per annum in this field. Experienced pharmacists, on the other hand, earn up to INR 7.2 lakh per annum. You should keep in mind that you have the option of starting your own retail business in this field too, which can increase your income substantially.
Qualifications
To become a pharmacist in India, you’ll need to get a B.Pharm (Bachelor of Pharmacy) degree. It will teach you about different medicinal salts and chemicals used to treat people. There’s also the option of getting a Diploma of Pharmacy (D.Pharma). The degree would last for four to five years and the diploma course lasts for two years.
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4. Surgery
If you aren’t afraid of using a scalpel, then a career in surgery would surely be the best for you. As a surgeon, you’d be responsible for preoperative diagnosis of the patient, performing the operation, and providing the patient with postoperative treatment. You’d be an integral part of an institution’s surgical team.
The work hours of this profession can vary depending on the number of patients available. Sometimes you might have to work overtime. It is among the most sought-after career options in this line.
There are various kinds of surgeons, depends upon one’s preference they can choose to specialise in any field of their choice. Some of the options are given below-
- Neurosurgery
- Paediatric Surgery
- General Surgeon
- Neurosurgeon
- Cardiothoracic Surgeon
- Plastic Surgeon
Some of the skills required from a surgeon are mentioned below-
- Medical knowledge
- Hand-eye coordination
- Empathy
- Quick thinking
- Communication
- People handling
- Team management
- Decision- making
Salary
In terms of pay, it is a fantastic career option in the medical field. The average salary of a general surgeon in India is INR ₹1,175,837 lakh per annum and it starts from INR 1.9 lakh per annum. With sufficient experience and skill, you can enhance your pay up to INR 40 lakh per annum, which goes to show the demand for such professionals.
Qualifications
To become a surgeon, you’d need to get a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS). After that, you’d need to get an MD (Doctor of Medicine) or gain sufficient professional experience to become a surgeon.
5. Nursing
Nursing is a field in the healthcare field that focuses on delivering proper care and treatment to individuals, families, or communities so they can recover, maintain or attain an optimal quality of life and health. During the pandemic, nurses played a major role in keeping things in control and tackling the crisis.
That’s why the demand for nurses has increased substantially. As a nurse, you’d be responsible for assisting the doctor with the diagnosis and treatment of patients. There are multiple types of nursing professionals such as ER nursing, ICU nursing, adult nursing, child nursing, learning disability nursing, etc. Nursing is an evergreen field and it’s certainly one of the most prominent career options after medical studies.
Some of the skills required from a nurse are mentioned below-
- Medical knowledge
- Empathy
- Time management
- People handling
- Teamwork
- Networking
- Communication
- Confidence
- Conflict resolution
Salary
The average salary of a nurse in India is INR ₹290,087 lakh per annum. If you’re a beginner, you can expect to make around INR 1.61 lakh per annum. However, as you gain experience in this sector, you can earn around INR 4.95 lakh per annum. You can upgrade to senior roles that offer higher salaries, provided you have enough industry experience and skills to match the demands of such advanced roles.
Qualifications
To become a nurse, you’d need a degree or certification in nursing. Take a look at these three nursing courses:
This program lasts for eight months and teaches you all the necessary nursing skills including attention to detail, time management, critical thinking, and other relevant skills.
- PG Diploma Nursing
You can get a diploma in nursing and become an in-demand nursing professional with this program. It lasts for 16 months and is a great choice if you’re looking to transition into more senior nursing roles.
- MSc Nursing
This is a two-year degree program and it lets you customize your learning experience by choosing modules according to your interests. You get to learn all the basic and advanced nursing skills.
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Conclusion
Although the medical field is flooded with many promising career roles, it is important to choose the specialization and role that aligns with your interests and career goals. For example, if you want to combat the pandemic directly and help others in preparing for such threats in the future, you can pursue a career in infection control.
On the other hand, if you’re interested in the day-to-day activities of a medical enterprise and helping people in need, then you can pursue a nursing career.
There are many options to choose from and we hope this article helped you decide. Which career do you like the most? Let us know in the comments.
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