Alternate Career Options after MBBS

Career Options after MBBS– Candidates who are preparing for the medical entrance examination, come up with a complete plan to reach their goals but they often forget to consider what to do after MBBS. They either decide to join private or government jobs with some courses of particular specialization.

Since there is a wide variety of opportunities available after completing MBBS, they need to decide which is the one that matches their interests and life goals. Thorough research on all the options and preparing an action plan save you from confusion in the future. We will explore the various opportunities in the next section.

Courses to pursue after MBBS: Career Options after MBBS

Biomedical engineering

It is suitable for candidates who are interested in machines as well as their mechanisms. It involves developing instruments that are used for rendering healthcare services in a better way. 

MD/MS/Diploma:

MBBS graduates often choose a 3-year degree course or a 2-year diploma as their career path. It prepares a candidate to be a specialist doctor. Post-graduation can be done with different specializations such as general surgery, gynecology, internal medicine, pediatrics, and others. Entrance tests such as AIIMS PG, and NEET are conducted for admission to colleges in India for pursuing this. The super specializations available for MD holders are Doctor of Medicine, Cardiology, Neurology, and Nephrology. Similarly, the super specialization options available for MS holders are Master of Chirurgical(M.Ch), Neurosurgery, Plastic Surgery, Urology, Trauma, and Orthopaedics.

Customary courses

Candidates who wish to pursue degrees in medicine from universities outside India, need to appear for a different set of entrance tests. The eligibility criteria is an MBBS degree or an equivalent from a recognized university. For example, to join colleges in the USA, the USMLE exam needs to be cleared by PG aspirants. Appearing for the AMC test and clearing it makes you eligible for a college in Australia. Then you can choose a specialization in MD, MS, or a diploma course.

Diplomate of National Board or DNB

This is another popular course for becoming a specialist doctor. The National Board of Examinations offers DNB, which has recognition from MCI. It is difficult to pass in DNB based on the hospital or course that you are pursuing. Also, the MD or MS candidates are given preference over DNB. Since the private hospitals generally offer the DNB course, you get less exposure compared to government hospitals, mainly in the surgical branches.

Clinical Research

There is a huge demand for clinical researchers in India. Research opportunities are offered by renowned colleges such as CIMAP, Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, and St. John’s Research Institute, and Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR). Candidates can even join WHO. They can pursue PhD in AIIMS, PGI, NIMHANS, and Tata Institute of Fundamental Research in Mumbai.

Masters in Public Health

Public health has a huge significance in a country’s overall development. For this, candidates can pursue a Master’s in Public Health and continue a career in the same.

M.Sc in different fields

MBBS graduates can pursue M.Sc in Anesthesia, Biochemistry, Anatomy, Forensic Medicine, ENT, Dermatology, Venereology & Leprosy, Geriatrics, Aerospace Medicine, and others.

M.Tech in Biomedical engineering

MBBS graduates can pursue this course which is offered by the IITs. Those interested in investing in medical machines and instruments for enhancing the healthcare provided by the hospitals will find it interesting.

Masters in Medical Science and Technology or MMST

IITs offer this course and involve medical biotechnology, bioinformatics, healthcare imaging, and others.

Masters in Health Administration or MHA

This is a 3-year post-graduation degree in health administration.

This course enables students to develop skills for managing big speciality healthcare centres, insurance companies, and others. Jobs after this comes with very good pay.

Alternate Career Options after MBBS

Other career options after MBBS

Candidates who have a curiosity about the bleeding edge of medicine and want to study something beyond ordinary can opt for the following courses:

MBA

Doctors with MBA degrees are witnessing an increasing demand in pharma companies as well as private hospitals. This is the reason, premier MBA institutes like IIMs, IBS Hyderabad, MDI Gurgaon, FMS Delhi, and XLRI Jamshedpur take the medical graduates in their MBA program through the scores in CAT conducted every year.

Molecular Imaging and Image Analysis

Modern times have seen this gaining traction.

• Biomaterials and Implants

It involves dealing with implementing and creating artificial organs for needy patients.

• Regenerative Medicine

Though this seems to be fictional, it has a promising future,

• Stem Cells

Recent times have got significant attention to stem cells as these are meant for treating the underlying cause of disease.

• Recombinant DNA Technology

This involves DNA cloning and restructuring.

• Immuno-technology

It is an important arm of biotechnology that deals with the application of cells and molecules in the immune system. With it, there is the implementation of the immune vaccine for treating affected people on an industrial scale.

• Biosensors

Technological advancements in the form of IoT enhance the importance of biosensors as they have a huge potential to identify the needs of an individual. The courses for learning on this are available abroad for which you need to clear the relevant entrance tests.

Job opportunities after MBBS

The various job opportunities open after MBBS are as follows

Junior doctor:

This is the primary role for any MBBS graduate which involves caring for the safety of patients and providing them proper healthcare.

Doctors

This is the next stage after completion of the final year of residency and incubation period as a junior doctor. This involves caring for the patients independently, which makes you fit for jobs at prime healthcare organizations with good pay and position.

Physician

Candidates who are reluctant to be involved in the hustle of the emergency department will find a physician to be a good option. This involves exercising medical expertise for serving patients in conditions except for an emergency

Lecturer at a medical college

Candidates who are interested in the teaching profession can become a lecturer at any medical college. This is a lucrative career option but involves long hours of teaching. You can start as a junior and senior medical lecturer and later get into the position of medical professor that involves lesser working hours with better monetary benefits.

Researcher

There are dedicated research centres for different government agencies, medical institutions, and hospitals. Candidates interested in research work can work and be involved in medicine’s non-clinical side. The research is based on the needs of the current situation such as ongoing diseases, medicine for making progress in the healthcare field. 

Scientist

Government agencies, hospitals, and research institutes have the position of scientists open. The job involves efforts to help the world with discoveries and findings, some of which can bring a revolution too.

Medical writer

An MBBS candidate can work for institutes, hospitals, startups, journals, or any healthcare firm in the healthcare sector, for creating medical articles. They are the right candidates as they are aware of the medical terminology and can use them correctly based on the context. It lets a candidate express his wisdom and justify a brand’s cause and vision.

Healthcare Informatics

Candidates who are good with numbers can find this as an interesting career option. It involves dealing with medical knowledge as well as analytics, for reaching the peak of medical data analytics.

Defence services

Best fields for jobs after MBBS includes a job in the army, navy, and air force. Just like the engineers, these jobs equally need the medicos. The defence ministry hires the MBBS candidates in army hospitals, infantry units, and emergency services. They are initially trained in military camps to ensure that they are in synchronization with the army personnel. Then they are appointed to a permanent position to assist the army and defence personnel during emergencies.

Hospital management:

Candidates who have completed MBBS and have management skills can opt for management roles in healthcare firms. This job role involves managing the regular services in healthcare centres to ensure better functionality. MBBS candidates who have completed additional management courses such as health administration and hospital management are often recruited for this position. It is because these courses equip them with skills that help them to better comprehend the issues and deal with the challenges by coming up with efficient processes.

Jobs in government health service department

This includes central as well as state government jobs in healthcare departments. Recruitment for these positions is done through the CMS( Combined Medical Services ) exam conducted by UPSC. On clearing the exam, candidates get jobs in government hospitals, dispensaries, railways, and municipal corporations. The jobs involve administrative tasks and are usually permanent positions.

Sports Medicine

There has been a rise in medical graduates opting for the sports industry as this has gained a large customer base with time. Sports are found to be going on throughout the year in different parts of the world. This increases the opportunities available for the candidates. You get a chance to travel and interact with famous athletes. It offers a good pay package also.

Entrepreneurship

Just like people from any other profession can practice entrepreneurship, so do MBBS graduates can if they come up with some good ideas or alternatives for an ongoing issue. You can use your knowledge and expertise for bringing a change. MBBS graduates often set up a consultancy firm for healthcare management or launch a new product line and services of their own. While doing so, they are willing to take up the responsibility of the result in their own hands.

Legal Medical Advisor

Special cases in courts often need the advice of medical experts. This includes finding the cause of death and the method used for committing a crime. All this helps in clearing the misconceptions and helps in arriving at a judgment easily. This makes it a viable job opportunity for MBBS graduates. The only drawback is the longer time duration it may take as the court cases lasts for months or even years

Forensic medical examiner

This is an interesting career opportunity open after completion of the MBBS course. The job involves dealing with the living and forensic pathologists who are trained for conducting medical examinations of the dead bodies.

Forensic Psychiatry

This job role is linked with criminology and is a subspecialty of psychiatry. It is associated with micro-legal study, dealing with the treatment of the criminal offenders who are mentally ill. 

Transplant Coordinator

This job role deals with coordination activities related to donation and the transplantation of organs. Candidates hired for this role coordinate with the medical, non-medical, and paramedical personnel. They deal with different activities such as meeting with donors, and recipients after surgery and make the necessary follow-ups. Other medical and administrative tasks are also included in this job role.

Radiology or Diagnostic Imaging

This job role involves keeping on the top medical imaging programs to ensure adherence to correct professional standards. This includes CT scans, X-rays, MRI, and ultrasound.

Fellowship for MBBS graduates

This is a special case where you can practice as well as learn simultaneously. Certain short-term medical fellowships include those in Neonatology, GI Endoscopy, Andrology, Diabetes Management, and Ultrasonography in OBG.

The average salary package of the posts after MBBS

On completing an MBBS degree, students are often curious about the average salary they would earn. This depends on the knowledge and experience of an individual but the initial salary starts from INR Rs. 20,000 to Rs. 35,000 per month. On gaining experience, it increases to 8 to 10 lakh per annum. Working abroad in the medical field in the US, or the UK can also help in earning a handsome package.

Top industries that hire medical graduates

Here are the major industries besides hospitals, which need medical graduates:

• Biomedical Companies    
• Health Centres
• Laboratories
• Medical Colleges    
• Medical Foundation/Trust
• Non-Profit Organizations    
• Nursing Homes
• Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Companies    
• Polyclinics
• Private Practice    
• Research Institutes

Top recruiters for MBBS graduates

Companies that recruit MBBS graduates and offer them a lucrative package of 5-12 LPA based on their experience, look for skills such as interpersonal skills, analytical skills, decision-making skills, capability to handle stress, communicate efficiently, manage time, keep patience, and have the potential to handle the pressure for long hours. They also need to have leadership skills and good emotional intelligence. 

These companies are:

• Medanta Hospitals Fortis Healthcare Ltd
• Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd
• Apollo Munich Health Industries Co Ltd
• Sri Ganga Ram Hospital  
• Lilavati Hospital and Research Centre
• Wockhardt Ltd
• Apollo Hospitals Enterprises Ltd
• Cipla Ltd
• Religare Health Insurance Company Ltd
• Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals    
• All India Institute of Medical Sciences

Read – Issues faced by Medical Aspirants

Conclusion

There is an increasing demand for doctors in the public healthcare sector, especially during the current pandemic where people need to be cured and become fit. This opens up ample opportunities for them in the form of medical social workers, entrepreneurs, research consultants, trainers, and even psychiatrists for mental health which is extremely essential for the overall wellbeing of an individual. Aspiring to be a doctor paves your path to help others in need and hence it is a noble job. You can help the general public as well as our personnel on military frontlines too. Make sure to create a complete plan so that you know what needs to be done after MBBS. This will help you reach your goal efficiently without wasting time in confusion.