THE EDUCAFE TIMES
““A good physician treats the disease, the great physician treats the patient who has the
disease.” - Sir William Osler
The field of Medicine is and has been almost every child’s childhood dream
career. The white doctor’s coat and the stethoscope have fascinated every
child at some point of time. Medicine is one of the most respected
professions across the globe as its basic nature is service orientation to
humanity. In the present time of the pandemic, medical and para medical
professionals are the ones most trusted, appreciated and respected.
Medicine as a career
This is one of the most popular career choices. In the Indian scenario, for
many years now, when a student chooses Science after Std. 10, Engineering
and Medicine are seen as the two most sought after careers. Pursuing a
career as a doctor is a long and intense journey. This career requires hard
work and countless hours and can come across as an arduous task. Work
hours can be long and unpredictable. Family and personal life can be at
stake. Medicine as a career may not be as financially viable as some other
careers. However, it will never go out of vogue. There will always be a need
for good doctors and the power to save lives and the respect that you get is
well-worth the effort.
Career path
The basic medical degree (MBBS - Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of
Surgery) is an undergraduate course and is just the initial stage in gaining
knowledge and competence for a future in medicine. After 5.5 years of
training (4.5 years for MBBS + 1 year of Internship), and rural posting if any,
some graduates decide to practice medicine, working in one’s own clinic or
in a hospital setting, while others chose to do their PG.
Hello Readers!
We bring to you another edition of The
Educafe Times where we talk about the
most sought out career opportunity-
Medicine. Here we discuss the scope of
the career, the challenges and the skills
sets required. We hope it clears your
doubts about the career. This edition also
has a quiz section to check your
knowledge about human body.
Have some new ideas for our newsletter?
Share them with us at
educafestudentsolutions@gmail.com and
get a shoutout.
Happy Reading!!
Behind the White Coat: Discovering
the Personal Stories of Doctors
BEHIND THE WHITE
COAT
PRESCRIBING
SUCCESS: SRINIVAS
KODAGANUR
GOPINATH
I N T H I S I S S U E
CAREER QUERIES
KNOW YOUR BODY
M A R C H , 2 0 2 3
Message from the Editor
I S S U E N O . - 2 0 2 3 0 3 0 3
A stethoscope to
listen to problems of
patients and come
out with remedy.
To pursue a career in Medicine, one should take up
Science as the specialization, at the +2 level (11th & 12th
) with Biology as a compulsory subject.
At the end of +2, one needs to appear for the NEET
(entrance exam). NEET (National Eligibility cum
Entrance Test) is a national level exam administered
by the National Testing Agency. Subjects for these
exams would be Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and
Biology based on the CBSE syllabus. The age limit to
attempt NEET is 17 to 25 years.
Some private or autonomous colleges/ Universities
also conduct their own entrance examinations.
The scores obtained in +2 exams and entrance exam
ranking can influence the options available in terms of
colleges.
Where and when to start?
A Hand to treat patients
with compassion and
patience.
Characteristics of a Doctor
Eyes for attention to
details and being
alert all the time.
A body that
never gets tired
from working for
hours and hours.
A sharp and calm
mind to store truck
load of information
and work under
pressure.
In the final year of M.B.B.S., in order to practice in India,
students would need to appear for the proposed
National Exit Test (abbreviated as NEXT) which is a
Licentiate Medical Examination. NEXT will also serve
the purpose of a Screening Test for students who study
Medicine abroad and want to practice in India as well
as for admission into postgraduate medical courses.
After M.B.B.S., one can also pursue medical research or
become a medical scientist.
What does a Doctor do?
Physicians support and manage the health care of
people of all ages. Their duties include taking up of
medical histories, performing physical examinations,
conducting diagnostic tests, recommending and
providing treatment and advising patients on their
overall health and well-being.
General Physician
Surgeon
Specialist
D O C T O R S C A N U S U A L L Y B E D I V I D E D I N T O T H R E E B R O A D C A T E G O R I E S :
The go-to Doctors, when we fall ill. They treat a wide range of illnesses
and also enjoy long-term relationships with their patients.
They perform operations to treat diseases and repair injuries. They
generally work in a hospital setting.
The experts of specific diseases as well as body parts, organs, and
systems. Cardiologists, Oncologists, Neurologists, and Obstetricians &
Gynecologists are examples of specialists.
Feet to move fast
from one patient
to another.
A watch to perform
their duties timely
with the help of allied
medical support.
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I S S U E N O . - 2 0 2 3 0 3 0 3
NEET exam result is also considered for courses in Dental
Science (B.D.S.) and Indian system of Medicine- AYUSH
(Ayurveda/Yoga & Naturopathy/Unani/Siddha/
Homeopathy).
Challenges
Some of the main challenges in this field are duration of
the course and financial requirements. A student who has
opted for PG finishes the course much later compared to
PG counterparts in other fields. The hefty course fee by
itself might pose a huge challenge. Work overload,
irregular work timings, working on demand are some of
the on-job challenges. However, being a doctor is one of
the most satisfying careers. The trust and the relationship
between the doctor and the patient acts as a driving force.
Restoring good health and promoting the well being is the
crux of this career.
Q. Why did you choose medicine?
This is probably the most easiest of all the questions. I was
enamoured by my father. I choose medicine because of my dad.
Nothing else. Studying your whole life.
In conversation with Dr. Srinivas Kodaganur Gopinath who did
his medicine from Bangalore Medical College and Research
Institute and Maters in Surgery from Karnataka Institute of
Medical Sciences, Karnataka. He is also attained membership of
the Royal College of Surgeons in 2015.
Prescribing Success :
Srinivas Kodaganur Gopinath
Q. What are the pros and cons of becoming a doctor?
This requires a book to explain in detail. It is a very personal thing. And medicine is a heterogeneous
field. So many specialties and sub specialties. All with different pattern of working and work hours. If
you restrict yourself only to clinical medicine. Then it is likely that your work life balance will be very
poor, especially in the initial stages of your career. Pros are, the joy of practicing medicine, of helping
people get back to their normal lives, the excitement of dealing with life threatening situation on a
daily basis.
General Surgery
General Medicine
Obstetrics & Gynecology
ENT
Cardiology
Orthopedics
Ophthalmology
Anesthesiology
Pathology
Pediatric
Psychiatry
Specializations (PG)
Q. Is it true that a doctor has to study his whole life?
Yes, it is true. Especially in this era of evidence based medicine. There is a need to keep yourself
updated at all times. It is not only restricted to Medicine but also applies to all STEM subjects. All
aspiring doctors, scientists and engineers(not the one who become business managers later) need to
develop a habit of reading. As Newton once said " I have been able to see further, only because I have
stood on the shoulder of giants". So without knowing and understanding prior knowledge, there is
very little progress.
Doctors play a very pivotal role to safeguard the society and are also equally involved in the
betterment of our future.
M A R C H , 2 0 2 3 I S S U E N O . - 2 0 2 3 0 3 0 3
Q. Any message for students?
Medicine is not for everyone. Be careful, before you jump. But, once you jump, enjoy the swim.
Dr. Srinivas is a thoracic surgeon and currently doing fellowship in thoracic oncology.
Career Queries
HOW MUCH YOU
KNOW YOUR
BODY?
by : Dr. Sudha Bhogle
01.What percentage of the
human body is water?
A50% B66%
C75% D80%
02. A human's thumb is as
long as his or her nose.
A. True B. False
03. Cells related to _________
divide remarkably faster
than other cells in the
body.
A. Eyes
B. Hair
04. The smallest bone in
the human body is about
the size of:
A. The head of a pin
B. A grain of rice
C. An eyelash
D. A grain of sand
05. The smallest bones in
the human body are found
in the...
A. Feet B. Ears
C. Fingers D. Knees
06. Sweat is the main
cause of body odor.
A. True B. False
07. In a single day, one of
your feet can sweat the
equivalent of half a glass
of water.
A. True B. False
08. How many taste buds
are on your tongue?
A. Nine thousand
B. Nine million
Q. I have completed my Engineering. I am interested to know about
Intellectual Property Rights. Please let me know about the courses
(Distance as well as regular) which will sharpen my IP skills.
Dear Student,
The term ‘intellectual property’ refers to those types of property that
result from creations of the human mind, i.e., the intellect. The rights
that arise out of this property are called ‘Intellectual Property Rights.’
Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) itself is a very broad branch of law.
There are five main types of IPRs:
1. Copyright – Protection of literary, artistic and scientific works
2. Patents – Protection of scientific inventions
3. Trademark – Protection of logos or brand names
4. Designs – Protection of Industrial Designs
5.Geographical Indications – Protection of goods referring to a
country or to a place as being the country or place of origin of that
product.
The courses available depend on whether you want to specialize in a
particular type of IPR or whether you just want a broad
understanding of the subject. Most national level law universities
offer diploma courses. For example, the National Law School of India
University offers a P.G Diploma course on Intellectual Property
Rights Law. The NALSAR law university in Hyderabad offers a P.G
course specifically on Patent law. In addition, the Indira Gandhi
National Open University also conducts a course on IPR. Another
place you might want to look at is the World Intellectual Property
Organization [WIPO]. It conducts several courses on IPR, the details
of which can be found on their website - http://www.wipo.int/.
Almost all the options mentioned are correspondence courses. As
you have completed your Engineering, you might want to take a look
at Patents in particular, as one generally needs both a science degree
and a law degree to draft a good patent application.
Answers.
1.c, 2. a, 3. a, 4.b, 5. b, 6.
b, 7. a , 8. a
M A R C H , 2 0 2 3 I S S U E N O . - 2 0 2 3 0 3 0 3
Q. I am presently studying B.A. Psychology, Economics & Sociology. I want
to do a Masters in Criminology & Forensic Science simultaneously take up
civil service examination. Can I do both simultaneously?
Dear Student,
The Civil Service Examinations are conducted by the Union Public Service
Commission (UPSC) every year. There are three stages for selection:
Stage 1 - Civil Services Preliminary Examinations (CSP).
Stage 2 - Civil Services (Main) Examinations. Only those candidates who
are selected in the preliminary examination are eligible to sit for these
examinations.
Stage 3 - Those who get selected in the main examination are eligible to
appear before the Interview Board.
To appear for the preliminary examinations, the UPSC guidelines state that
the candidate must “hold a degree of any of the Universities incorporated
by an Act of the Central or State Legislature in India or other educational
institutions established by an Act of Parliament or declared to be deemed as
a University Under Section 3 of the University Grants Commission Act, 1956,
or possess an equivalent qualification”. You can therefore appear for the
Civil Services prelims after you appear for your final UG exam.
examinations. The guidelines also state that “candidates who have appeared
for an examination, the passing of which would render them educationally
qualified for the Commissions examination but have not been informed of
the results as also the candidates who intend to appear at such a qualifying
examination will also be eligible for admission to the Preliminary
Examination.”
You are therefore eligible to apply for the Preliminary Civil Services exam
once you have finished your UG. You can also concurrently do your Masters
in Criminology and Forensic Sciences. However, the Civil Service
examinations are one of the most prestigious examinations and also one of
the toughest. The success rate is said to be just 0.1%. Therefore, a lot of hard
work and preparation will have to be put in to do well in these examinations.
So while technically you can do both, it will require dedication and
commitment to do well in both.
Confused about your
career?
C O N T A C T U S N O W
educafestudentsolutions@gmail.com
In our
next
Edition
We will talk
about this
career.
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Who is a Thoracic Surgeon?
Cardiothoracic surgery is the field of
medicine involved in surgical treatment of
organs inside the thorax —generally
treatment of conditions of the heart and
lungs
I S S U E N O . - 2 0 2 3 0 2 2 3 F E B R U A R Y , 2 0 2 3
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