Gone are the days when becoming a doctor was the only option for a youngster who wished to pursue a course in medicine. Universities are throwing open new avenues and niche professional courses in health care and allied health sciences. Expertise in micro fields of medicine are gaining momentum, programmes are aplenty, and they are proving to be lucrative options.
Dr. D. Srikanth Rao, M. Tech (Engineering Management), PhD (Tribology), Director of Admissions, Manipal University, brings to the table his rich experience that helps students choose courses wisely. Besides teaching and guiding UG, PG and PhD students, Dr. Rao has been associated with the Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering for decades. His area of expertise also includes effective liaison with industries that bridges the industry-academia gap.
Here contextually, he dwells in detail on the allied health sciences stream.
Careers in health sciences
“Not everyone who applies for an MBBS course gets it; but surely, it needn’t be the end of the dream,” begins Dr. Rao. “Manipal University offers over 50 programmes in allied health sciences which are in great demand in India and abroad. These programmes prepare students to diagnose, treat, and rehabilitate patients.”
Will treading less known terrains translate into rewarding careers? “Today healthcare has many facets and as it gets more specialised, in-depth knowledge of every facet has become imperative. Innovations keep increasing the scope for research. And it’s heartening that many of our students are taking the road less travelled and making quality healthcare accessible to all,” Dr. Rao contends.
The university’s graduate courses include Audiology and Speech Language Pathology, Nuclear Medicine Technology, Medical Imaging Technology, and Virus Research, Occupational Therapy, and Medical Lab, Perfusion, Nuclear Medicine and Cardio Vascular Technology. Masters programmes in Exercise, Sport Sciences, Health Informatics, and more are challenging courses. “After the three-year bachelor’s programme, a one-year internship is compulsory at Manipal or at associate hospitals. Masters, of course, is for two years,” Dr. Rao informs.
The sheer volume of applications for medicine at Manipal makes it impossible for the university to allot seats for everyone. “We help the students take an optimistic stand and make them comprehend the various other opportunities in the field of health sciences.”
What about MU’s alumni? “Several of them are doing exceedingly well here and abroad. Our alumnus Dr. Kiran Challaguntla, the team physio of the Indian badminton team at the Rio Olympics, and the personal physio of shuttlers P.V. Sindhu and Saina Nehwal, is a case in point,” he says with satisfaction.
