Medical Career After 12th

TIPS TO ACE PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL CAREER AFTER HIGH SCHOOL

BY: ANKITA SHARMA, VIDHYARTHI DARPAN

Why Should You Seek a Medical Career?

The importance of doctors, nurses, and health professionals has gained recognition in prevailing times.

Professional training takes place after enrollment in medical college/school, but the inclination towards the medical field is due to the person’s innate characteristics. A person with a zest to help others in every possible way contributed tremendously to society. Medicine is not merely a profession but a community service. With a high-paying salary, a physician lives a reputable life. A doctor is compassionate and empathetic towards others’ misery. His competence is reflected in the handling of complicated cases involving both the brain and the heart.

Now, when you understood the importance of the medical profession, wouldn’t you want to be the one to make a change?

Read on to know some of the tips on how you can start your journey of medicine after high school!

Tips to Prepare for Medical Career After Completing High School

High school is a crucial period for students. It is a decision-making phase in which students get to choose the path of your career. Some of the tips to aid in your preparation for a medical career are as follows:

1) Develop a Strong Foundation (know the basic concepts)

Medicine is not just about human anatomy and physiology but other aspects as well. It includes physics, chemistry, technical knowledge with personal skills such as rational thinking, time management, speaking skills, optimism, decisiveness, etc. Start from basics, moving ahead with an increase in toughness. Clarify doubt with the teacher the instant it arises. Quit rote-learning and focus more on building a concrete foundation to hold your dreams on. Remember, it is the practical knowledge that enables correct decision-making, not bookish definitions.

2) Participate in Extracurricular

Cramming all scientific names won’t make you an intellectual. You require to focus on being an all-rounder rather than a bookworm. Participate in debates, seminars, club activities; take up projects related to biological research and instruments related to it; be consistent in showing up at events; show your enthusiasm and undivided interest in medical sciences. Apart from the overall percentage in the science stream, your active participation will indicate an ambitious personality.

3) Volunteer at Hospitals

One of the sure-shot ways of getting acquainted with medical stuff is by applying for volunteering work. Start with a part-time in a clinic nearby. Seek wisdom about the work schedule, prescriptions, regulations, emergency protocols, etc. from the doctors. Volunteer at a hospital to have a real-time experience of how doctor’s function in extreme situations. Be empathetic, be resilient, and be compassionate. Show your sensitive side to connect with the patient. Don’t confine yourself to huge hospitals; volunteer at animal rescue operative centers, nursing homes, specialty centers, etc.

4) Interact and Connect with Classmates with Common Goal

In India, the medical field is pursued by most high schoolers. In a class of 50, it will be no surprise to find half of them tending towards medicine. Find and approach like-minded classmates. Work on a research project together, appreciate their views, share resources, have candid group discussions, and most importantly, learn from each other.

5) Take guidance from Medical Counselors. 

Approach your school’s career strategist or counselor for possible career options in the medical field. Ask for their advice in choosing a career based on your academics and interest. Medical counselors will provide you with tons of choices, out of which you may zero out on one. Students should keep in mind that in-depth research of all the career options is necessary in order to choose the best-suited one. 

6) Work Shadowing

Well, as shady as it sounds, it isn’t! Work shadowing indicates following a person around as he/she goes through his/her regular job (medical practitioner in this case) and gain insights into their daily activities. They may also involve you in carrying out some small tasks. In this way, you’ll have a gist of the life of a medical employee, the challenges he encounters, and how to overcome them, which you will hopefully partake in someday. 

7) Look for Internships or Summer Programs in Medical Field

A Doctor is not just a title but a responsibility. The study of medical sciences is based on its implementation in real-life. Hence, opting for internships and a summer program will give you the required exposure. Many online programs are offered by reputed institutions for high school medical aspirants. To enhance academic proficiency, try to intern at a local hospital or clinic. The more knowledge you gain, the more confident you’ll be about medical school.

8) Do Thorough Research of Entrance Exams 

The first milestone in achieving your target is the clearance (and ranking among toppers) of entrance examinations. Every year lakhs of aspirants apply for NEET, JIMPER, AIIMS, MHT CET, AFMC, and other such medical exams to get a seat in government & private medical colleges. The syllabus and eligibility criteria differ for each exam; therefore, students need to stay updated on emerging trends. For instance, the difficulty level of AIIMS is elaborate than NEET.

9) Mental Preparation (Healthy Diet, Adequate Sleep, Mental Health)

Medicine is a challenging career that requires sheer persistence and commitment. It takes a toll on students’ mental health. Often the pressure of studies topples the focus of the student. It is essential to keep up a healthy and balanced diet, together with an adequate amount of sleep to act with a fresh and determined mind. Drink water frequently. 

10) Lastly, Have a Genuine Passion for Medical!

No matter how much deep you dive into books for the sake of clearing entrance but lack the inner flame to join the medical career, you may have a difficult time surviving in the work arena. Have a genuine passion for the profession and sink in its importance.

Top Medical Colleges in India

Refer to the below table to know the top 10 medical colleges in India.

NIRF Rank	Name of the Institution	Location
1	All India Institute of Medical Sciences	New Delhi
2	Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research	Chandigarh
3	Christian Medical College	Vellore
4	National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences	Bangalore
5	Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences	Lucknow
6	Banaras Hindu University	Varanasi
7	Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham	Coimbatore
8	Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research	Puducherry
9	Kasturba Medical College	Manipal
10	King George’s Medical University	Lucknow

Italics: Government college

To Conclude

Readiness and enthusiasm to achieve your goals begin with the early realization of it. High school is a prominent part of your education wherein you are exposed to many dimensions to one subject. It perhaps seems overwhelming at first, but as we move forward, we delve more into it. A medical career is an ever-growing and excellent opportunity for the young generation to serve the nation with pride and dignity.