11 Courses To Pursue After Class 12th If You Love Medicine

Is biology your favourite subject, and the feeling of working in a hospital excites you? Do you love reading about human anatomy, physiology, and hormonal compositions? If yes, then this is your go-to article for opportunities in medicine and allied medicine programs. This article talks about the top colleges, courses, entrance exams and career opportunities for medical courses after 12th.

Pursuing these courses will make you eligible to work either as a doctor, or work in medicine related areas. Becoming a doctor is not an overnight task, it requires tremendous dedication, love and empathy for people, resilience and a thick skin. The eligibility to apply for the various courses is a 45-60% (each college has its own criteria) in your class 12^th with Physics, Chemistry and Biology. You should be at least 17, and not more than 25 at the time of the application, if applying through the general category.

1. Doctor (MBBS)

Doctors are responsible for maintaining health and fitness, primarily by diagnosis, and apt treatment of illnesses/injuries of patients. A doctor may work with patients of all age groups, or choose to specialize in a particular domain like cardiology, or neurology.

Education: After selecting a PCB subject combination, majority of the students dream of becoming a doctor. The first step is a degree in MBBS which is of 4.5 years and followed by an internship (1 year). During the degree you will study various subjects such as anatomy, physiology, allied medicine, community medicine, pediatrics, microbiology, etc. During these years you will learn not only to diagnose and treat patients, but also the ethics to practice, various national level heath programs, and the skills to succeed in the precise career of medicine.

If you want to specialize in a particular area, you can pursue post-graduation (MD). Cardiology (deals with the abnormality and function of heart), clinical pharmacology (study of drugs and their application), psychiatry (Treatment of mental illness, disorders and behavior), etc. are few areas of specialization which you may consider.

Professional opportunities: After completing your MBBS, you can work in hospitals, clinics, etc. as a general physician.

Entrance Exams:  NEET, JIPMER, and AIIMS. Delhi university entrance test (Delhi), UPCPMT (UP), COMEDK (Karnataka), etc.

Colleges: AIIMS, Armed Force Medical College, Lady Hardinge Medical College, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Kasturba Medical College, Maulana Azad Medical College, Christian Medical College etc.

2. Veterinary (B.V.Sc)

A veterinarian is a medical professional who provides animals with medical facilities. If you love animals, and are ready to treat them, this is the correct profession for you. Veterinary doctors even perform surgeries on animals, perform various tests to vaccinate against diseases and educate animal owners about the general care of the animals.

Education:  You should complete your gradation degree, i.e. bachelors in veterinary science from a university recognized by the veterinary council of India. It is necessary to get registered with the state veterinary council in order to obtain the license to practice. For obtaining the license, it is compulsory to complete your internship under the council for 6 months.  If you wish to specialize in an area, you can purse M.V.Sc in surgery, genetics and breeding, immunology, biotechnology, etc.

Professional opportunities: You will get opportunity to work in diverse settings, from private/government hospitals, clinics to poultry farms, husbandry departments, etc. You can even work in the area of research after completing your advance degrees.

Entrance Exams: AIVPT, AICEE, IPVT, MHTCET (Maharashtra), KEAM (Kerala), CENTAC (Pondicherry), GADVASU (Punjab, Himachal), GUJCER (Gujrat)

Colleges: Bombay Veterinary Science College, Birsa Agricultural-University, College of Veterinary and Animal Science, College of Veterinary Sciences, etc.

3. Homeopathy (BHMS)

Homeopathy is a field of alternate medicine that works on the concept that body rejuvenates itself due to its self-healing power. Homeopathy doctors take a holistic approach to treat patients after looking at the underlying causes of the illness.

Education:  BHMS is for 5.5 years and would cover wide range of topics such as, introduction to herbology i.e. using plants for medical purposes, fundamentals of ayurvedic plant healing, essential principles of homeopathy, etc.  After your graduation, you can pursue MD (3 years) in homeopathic pharmacy, practice of Medicine, Psychiatry, Pediatrics, etc. according to your interest.

Professional Opportunities:  Medical colleges, research institutes, consultancies, training institutes, life science industries, healthcare community, nursing home, etc. are few places which employ homeopathic doctors.

Entrance Exams: NIH Kolkata BHMS Entrance Test, CEE, PU- CET

Colleges: National Institute of Homeopathy, Nehru Homeopathic Medical College, Dr.D.Y.Patil Homeopathic Medical College, Bharati Vidyapeeth’s Homeopathic Medical College.

4. Ayurveda (BAMS)

Ayurveda (BAMS): An Ayurveda practitioner uses natural therapies tailored to the needs of each individual, in order to eliminate impurities, reduce stress, and fight disease. The treatment ranges from diet, lifestyle advice and massages, to yoga, meditation and herbal supplements.

Education: Bachelors in Ayurveda medicine and surgery is necessary to practice as an Ayurveda doctor. During the degree, you will about the modern anatomy i.e. study of human structures, principles of medicine, social and preventive medicines, forensic medicine, etc.

Professional Opportunities: You will find jobs in hospitals and clinics as Ayurvedic doctors.  You can work as an ayurvedic pharmacist, a drug manufacturer in government hospitals, or get into research with pharmaceutical companies and research centers.

Entrance Exams: All India Pre-Medical/Pre-Dental Entrance Exam, the Uttarakhand Post Graduate Medical Entrance Examination, Kerala State Entrance Exam, National Institute of Ayurveda Entrance exam, AYUSH Entrance Exam.

Colleges: Ayurved Mahavidyalaya, Ayurved & Unani Tibbiya College, Banaras Hindu University

5. Optometry (B.Optom.)

Optometry is a healthcare profession that is concerned with treating & diagnosing eye related problems. With increasing usage of technology and visual media, the demand for optometrists is expected to increase manifold in the coming years, making it a lucrative career option.

Education: During your graduation (Bachelors in Optometry (B.Opto), or Bachelor of Science (B.Sc) you will study about the anatomy of eye, lightening of eye, refractive errors (loss of vision), etc. After the course, an optometrist is able to provide corrective measures to clients, and are experts in detecting the pathological conditions of eyes. After your bachelors you will be required to complete an internship with a registered hospital, or a working doctor in the same field. After that you can pursue masters in optometry (Master of Optometry (M.Opto), Master of Science (M.Sc.)).

Professional Opportunities: You can work in shops/ organizations, hospitals or even work as a consultant. You can work in an ophthalmic (eye) clinic, or Ophthalmology/ optometry department in hospitals, optician shops, optical, ophthalmic industry & trade.

Colleges: All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bharati Vidyapeeth University, Jamia Hamdard University, Government Medical College and Hospital, Birla Institute of Tech. Science, Pilani

6. Public Health Administration

Public Health Administration is an area of administration which lays emphasis on promoting good healthcare, and hygiene among general public. They work on different projects both on individual and group level. Their job profile involves managing, leading and administrating hospitals, health care & public health systems.

Education: You can pursue graduation in any medical/ allied medicine field, and then go for a  Masters in Public Health (MPH) program. The benefit of master’s degree is that it will help in building of certain key skills, such as, writing, research, and analysis. These skills are crucial for the performance, as it will influence policies and regulations that impact public healthcare. If you don’t want to invest 2 years in post-graduation, you can also pursue a post graduate diploma for a year.

Professional opportunities: You can work with hospitals, government organizations and even not-for-profit organizations. You can also work with various doctors, hospitals and healthcare centers, to hire and train people for implementation of programs, and to manage finances, and the organization.

Colleges: India Institute of Public Health, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, National Institute of Health and Family Welfare, Indian Institute of Health Management Research.

7. Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapy is a rehabilitation profession, and therapists work with people of all ages who require assistance to lead an independent and productive life. The patients usually are affected by a physical, developmental, social, or emotional problem.

Education: A bachelor’s degree in occupational therapy (BOT) is a minimum requirement to start your career. During the degree you will learn about the various techniques of recovery, and you will get hands on experience through various internships and training programs. Masters in occupational therapy is recommended if you want to specialize in a particular area of OT.

Professional Opportunities: Your work could include teaching an older patient recovering from a stroke to dress themselves or motivating a person suffering from depression to take up a hobby or activity which they loved earlier, etc. Social service department, hospitals, special schools, etc. are some of the places where you can work.

Colleges: Christian Medical College, All India Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, S.R.M. Institute of Medical Science and Research, Jamia Hamdard Deemed University

8. Physiotherapy

Physiotherapists help patients with physical problems caused by illness, injury or aging.

Education: A bachelor’s degree (Bachelors in physiotherapy (BPT), followed by a masters (Masters in physiotherapy (MPT)), is necessary. There are various diplomas which you can pursue after your graduation, but master’s degree will hold more value and will fetch greater job opportunities.

Professional Opportunities: Physiotherapists work at different locations from a hospital ward to private clinics, and even with mental health patients in psychiatric settings. Their job is to rehabilitate ill and injured patients, who may be children, elderly, stroke patients, and people with sports injuries.

Colleges: Amar Jyoti Charitable Trust, School of Physiotherapy, Orthopedic Centre, Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences, Dept. of Physiotherapy, Bangalore Medical College

9. Clinical Research

Clinical research scientists are concerned with discovering the best possible ways to deliver medicare facilities. They conduct research and experiments related to diseases and conditions, to determine accurate diagnoses, and effective treatments.Hence, it is a highly research oriented field, and you should opt for it only if you are ready to work in the laboratories throughout your life.

Education: : You must first complete B.sc in the field that you are interested in such as, Botany, Zoology, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Biotechnology, Microbiology, Genetics, Nursing, M.B.B.S / B.D.S / B.A.M.S / B.H.M.S /B.V.Sc etc. Once you are done with your Bachelors, there are a number of universities which provide M.sc in clinical research.

Professional Opportunities: There are various areas in which you can work, such as preventive, treatment, diagnosing, etc. They work in a variety of employment settings, including hospitals, universities and pharmaceutical labs.

Colleges: Indian Institute of Clinical Research, Asian Institute of Health sciences, ICBio Clinical Research

10-Radiology

A radiology technician is a medical professional who diagnoses injuries etc. using imaging techniques, such as x-rays, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ultrasound, etc.

Education: A graduation degree (B.Sc. Radiology) in radiology is generally enough to start your career in the field. Professionals generally specialize in any one procedure at masters level with M.sc radiology. There are various certifications which one may pursue to gain knowledge of different methods.

Professional opportunities: Radio-technicians work with the radiologist doctors, and assist them with interpreting results. They work as CT technologists, MRI technician, Mammographer (they work specifically in detecting breast cancer, etc. They mostly work in hospitals or in specialized labs etc.

Colleges: All India Institute of Medical Science, Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Post-Graduation Medical Education Research, Christian Medical College, Armed Forces Medical College, Kasturba Medical College.

11-Audiology

Audiologists are medical professionals who take care of the hearing, balance and associated problems, or disorders by using advanced technology and procedures. They provide services ranging from providing hearing aids, to giving lip-reading instructions to patients.

Education: The first step is a bachelor’s degree (Bachelor of Audiology and Speech Language Pathology), during which you will exposed to the basics of the field. At your Master’s level (M.Sc in Audiology) you will have detailed information and exposure to different aspects of auditory system and various methods diagnoses and management of auditory problems. Getting an RCI certification is an added advantage if you want to practice independently.

Professional opportunities: Audiologists can work with all age groups. You can work for a medical device company, and work in collaboration with the designers to create better products. They will find opportunity in the area of the research. Government conduct programs to research on the hearing problems.

College: All India Institute of Medical Science, Maulana Azad Medical College, All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Post-Graduation Medical Education Research, Armed Forces Medical College

Admission to the allied medicine courses is mainly through merit (except AIIMS and JIPMER)

We hope we have provided you with enough options for medical courses after 12th!