Life after MBBS: Navigating Career Paths in Healthcare
MBBS is the most sought-after career option and it’s a field that never goes out of demand. If anything the medical field got an increased demand after the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Most MBBS graduates’ first preference is to do postgraduation in a specialty of their choice while others start working as duty doctors in hospitals.
While the most popular choice after an MBBS graduation is postgraduation the number of PG seats is limited and the process right from the entrance exam to getting admission into a college is tedious. There are however career options available for MBBS graduates in fields like hospital administration, public health, medical transcription, publishing industries, medical research, and pharma sectors.
Everybody has their own choice when it comes to planning their career path post MBBS, in case you are wondering what your plan should be after MBBS this article might be of some help to you.
- Postgraduation
As mentioned, a postgraduation degree is on almost everyone’s list as a top choice after MBBS. A vast majority of graduates choose to do a specialization in a field of their choice to get in-depth knowledge in the specific field. Admissions to the postgraduate require one to appear for the NEET PG exam and qualify to appear for counseling. There are around 42,182 seats available on the whole including MD, MS, and Diploma seats combined.
2. Diploma of National Board
A Diploma from the National Board is a qualification equivalent to MD or MS. One can give DNB-CET exam after completion of MBBS including 1 year of residency and after receiving a provisional certificate. The eligibility criteria are a minimum of 50% in MBBS and should have cleared the entrance examination. The course includes 3 years of the residency program and one can choose the specialty they want to appear for. The DNB is equally recognized as MD or MS but you cannot work as a faculty member with DNB. DNB will be useful in case one is planning to work abroad.
3. International education or career option
Some people prefer or wish to practice abroad after MBBS. In such cases, one needs to appear for an eligibility examination in that country and apply for the residency program, and get accepted by one of them. Also one must keep in mind that in such conditions more preference is given to those with a postgraduate degree. One can also plan on doing an MS, MPH, or MD in a different country but should appear for the university entrance exams alongside eligibility exams.
4. Masters program in public health
Apart from pursuing a post-graduation degree, one can also plan on doing a master’s in the public health sector to work as a health strategist, or public health physician, or even plan on doing research after the PG.
5. Fellowship courses
Fellowship courses are like a supplement to your existing practice or degree and help you enhance your knowledge or skills. Fellowship courses unlike regular postgraduation take only a year or two at the maximum to finish. With the advent of technology now fellowship courses in Medical fields can be done online. Some of these courses however have a compulsory clinical rotation that will help students get the clinical exposure required in the field. After fellowship, however, a doctor won’t be labeled as a specialist but is rather called a fellow in the specific field. Also one has the advantage of being trained under and groomed by a specialist in that field.
6. Combined Medical Services
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducts the combined medical services entrance exam to recruit medical officers for various central and state positions in the health service sector. Assistant Divisional Medical Officers in the railways to junior scale positions in the Central Health Services are all available. Each year, fewer than 1000 job openings are available, making this a highly competitive sector. Once chosen, you will work as a civil servant for the state or federal government in a medical or administrative role.
7. Defense services jobs
After completing your MBBS, you could opt to join the Armed Forces. When vacancies for these positions become available, they are frequently advertised. Before being assigned to the army, navy, or air force, candidates must go through an interview and following medical examinations. During your duty, you may be assigned to infantry units, army hospitals, or emergency services.
8. Work as a junior doctor or duty doctor
While specialty doctors are constantly in high demand, MBBS graduates are also approached in great numbers. Even if you lack a specialty, you can get work at private hospital companies such as Apollo, Fortis, and others. Non-specialized doctors are typically granted positions such as Assistant Medical Officer or Resident Medical Officer. Hospitals — Vacancies for junior and senior residents are constantly advertised in newspapers, as hospitals always look to increase the number of doctors on staff.
9. Government medical officers
Apart from UPSC, there are various exams held by state and central governments independently for the roles of General Medical Officers or Duty Medical officers. Usually, doctors recruited under these posts are posted in urban or rural PHCs and CHCs. There are also jobs available under NRHM in RBSK.
10. MBA in Hospital Administration or Healthcare Management
Medical MBA courses are identical to other MBA programs, except they are fully focused on the medical sector. MBA degrees are classified into three types: MBA in Health Administration, MBA in Healthcare Management, and MBA in Medical Management. Candidates are taught topics such as Hospital Administration, Healthcare Management, Operational Management, Finance Management, and so on. This path can lead to positions in pharmaceutical corporations, health insurance companies, and even hospital administration.
11. Research
For many students, research is the ultimate goal of their career. Clinical research typically entails some type of residency or practice, and numerous organizations such as the ICMR and AIIMS offer research programs. Students can pursue a Master of Public Health (MPH) or an MD in Preventive and Social Medicine, both of which can lead to actual research work, particularly if you collaborate with WHO. Additionally, one can pursue an MD in Pharmacology and work in the pharmaceutical industry, where medical research is in high demand.
12. Set up a clinic
You can open your clinic by yourself or with the help of other professionals. This solution is limited in scope because it takes a large sum of money in advance. You can seek financial assistance from family and friends, pool your resources with a group of doctors to join a multi-doctor clinic, or obtain a loan. Before you begin treating patients, you must also register your firm and obtain all relevant licenses.
Whichever career path one chooses, to advance in the medical field or learn about the most recent advancements one should always upskill. If unable to pursue an MD or DNB, then one can choose to do a fellowship. A fellowship helps you gain specialty-specific knowledge while getting clinical experience under a specialist. With ed-tech companies and the advent of technology taking up a fellowship course and getting certified isn’t a difficult job.
An MBBS graduate can choose to do a Fellowship course in any field from Emergency and Critical care medicine to Pediatrics and Gynecology & Obstetrics. The options are plenty of fellowship courses for an MBBS graduate.
Some of the more popular choices of fellowships for MBBS graduates are:
- Fellowship in Pediatrics
- Fellowship in Preventive Cardiology
- Fellowship in Nephrology
- Fellowship in Clinical Oncology
- Fellowship in Diabetes Mellitus
- Fellowship in Emergency Medicine
- Fellowship in Intensive Care Medicine
- Fellowship in Critical Care Medicine
- Fellowship in Gastroenterology
- Fellowship in Embryology
- Fellowship course in 2D Echocardiography
- Fellowship in Family Medicine
- Fellowship in Internal Medicine
- Fellowship in Clinical Nutrition
- Fellowship in Clinical Cardiology
- Fellowship in Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Fellowship in Pulmonology
Why Medvarsity?
Medvarsity is a healthcare ed-tech company that aims at bridging the knowledge gap among trained medical professionals to help them upskill and serve society better. Medvarsity offers courses for MBBS doctors, which are curated by top medical faculty members. The courses are self-paced and offer a case-based approach to the specific specialty or sub-specialty allowing practitioners to gain an in-depth understanding of the subject and bridge their knowledge gap. With this unique methodology, students consume relevant medical content while learning concepts through interactive case studies spread throughout the course.
Thus, students are provided with relevant specialty-specific cases and a clear structure for precise diagnosis and customized treatment plans on a case-to-case basis. Global institutions accredit these certification and fellowship courses. The candidates taking the course will also get firsthand clinical training towards the end of the course and will also get access to books and videos by McGraw Hill helping learners stay abreast with the latest advancements in the industry.
To know more about the benefits of Fellowship courses you can read this blog post.
If you wish to know more about the Fellowship courses by Medvarsity click here.
